“When the Lights Go Out”- a literary symbol of struggle
In the treasure of Vietnamese realist literature from 1930 to 1945, “When the Lights Go Out” (Tắt đèn) by Ngô Tất Tố stands as a representative work of profound value, both in terms of ideological content and artistic expression. With a realistic, sharp, and deeply humane pen, the author vividly portrays the extreme suffering of Vietnamese peasants under the brutal oppression of the colonial–feudal regime of his time. The 2017 edition of “When the Lights Go Out” is a heartbreaking, painful cry rising from the depths of a semi-feudal, semi-colonial society. Through the story of Chị Dậu’s family —especially the image of the hardworking, devoted woman—the novel exposes the harsh injustice of the tax system and the corruption of the ruling apparatus. The peasants, who already lived in endless poverty, were pushed into even greater misery by the unreasonable burdens imposed by the authorities. This, in turn, forms the novel’s deep realistic value . book in 2017 However, “When the ...