The Sacred Willow

The Sacred Willow

1. Within the preface to The Sacred Willow, the book?s author claimed that one of the themes of her work involved ?the irony and unpredictability of history.? She further stated that ?like the willow, [the Vietnamese people] have bent with the wind, but remain unbroken.? What exactly did Duong Van Mai Elliott mean by these statements?

2. Analyze how the author portrayed the following topics within The Sacred Willow. What seems to be the author?s personal feelings about these topics? What events or individuals specifically served to shape these feelings?

a) The Western presence in Vietnam (i.e. the French and the Americans) b) Communism c) North Vietnam vs. South Vietnam d) Social Practices and Family Relationships (including gender roles)

3. A reviewer of Duong Van Mai Elliott?s book argued that The Sacred Willow?s ability to provide ?unique perspectives of the Vietnamese themselves, from all along the political spectrum, make [this book] a particularly valuable resource.? Do you agree with this assessment? What are some of the other specific advantages to using this work to study the Vietnamese War? What are some potential disadvantages?