The scent of green papaya is a story of a ten year old orphan Mui who is sent to live a life of servitude for a family in Saigon, Vietnam. The story shows what life in Vietnam in the 1950’s was like. Mui, whose name can be translated to “scent” in English, lives a very peaceful life while being faced with certain obstacles including the move to Saigon. She is a representation of the overall culture of Vietnam and how it has since been shaped by the Vietnam War. She finds relaxation in peaceful things like the formations of the ants. She also finds tranquility through the green papaya that grows outside the house. She is very in tune with the scent of the green papaya. Mui, like the green papaya, stays pure throughout her life.
Through the eyes of Mui the viewer is also able to see the disruption of the house. Amidst the antics of the youngest son Tin, the unfaithfulness and betrayal of the father, and the sadness of a mother for a lost daughter, Mui seems to be able to continue in an admirable peaceful manner. This is a representation of resiliency by Mui and her responsibilities continue to be finished.
After the death of the father Mui is sent to work for a family friend, Khuyen. This is where a ten year older Mui really blossoms into a woman. This blossoming is a representstion of the change that Vietnam also went through because of the Vietnam War.
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