The prequel to The Committed introduced the reader to a protagonist reconciling his dual identity as a North Vietnamese spy and South Vietnamese expatriate. The Sympathizer concludes with the narrator being tortured by the Viet Cong for suspicion of changing his allegiance. While in America, he grapples with his loyalty to both sides as he copes with the Americanization of the war back home. In the novel, the narrator flees to France since he is of Vietnamese origin and French descent on his father’s side. There he contends with his dualities including his Communist upbringing and capitalist leanings in the western world.
It is the early 1980s and the narrator and his friend and brother Bon have moved to Paris after escaping Vietnam. He hopes to start over and begin a new life through his last few networks. The unnamed narrator manages to get into a small drug business replacing the former dealer who had been missing. Eventually, he crosses paths with the crime boss in the region who runs the drug and prostitution rings. In this business, he once again has to prove his loyalty to the Vietnamese mafia that is battling with another Algerian gang. The narrative delves into the oppressive nature of addiction that acts as a metaphor for the refugee experience in a foreign land. It involves the criminal underworld and its activities, as the protagonist becomes part of the capitalist system that contradicts his beliefs. Moreover, he wishes to reunite with his close friends however this will be difficult as they hold opposing ideologies.
The novel explores the effects of French colonialism in Indochina and Africa, leaving wounds that remain in the present. While the narrator navigates the French society he is reminded of the political oppression and racism that define the reality of the refugees. As half-French, he deals with the contradiction of his guilt by association for the atrocities against his people. Finally, the narrative juxtaposes the highbrow culture and the filth of the underworld that the protagonist traverses.
