Essay Questions

Does colonialism emerge as one of the main themes in The Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen?

The book largely focuses on French colonialism and its imperialism in Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia. The capitalism used by the French in Southeast Asia was a prearranged tactic targeted at depleting the countries' resources. The French imperialism in Southeast Asia led to the notorious invasion of Vietnam by the Americans. The French authorities worked closely with the corrupt Vietnamese military to defraud the country's fortunes.

What is the main paradox in The Committed?

The author depicts the narrator as an individual who is against communist ideologies. According to the narrator, countries should embrace free enterprise and give people opportunities to create wealth. Ironically, the narrator joins the dark side of capitalism when he joins criminal gangs trading illegal drugs. The narrator and his gang are the criminal underworld leaders supplying illegal drugs in Paris. Therefore, the narrator's strong push for capitalism is sardonic because he uses that opportunity to engage in illegal trade.

What is the main conflict in The Committed by Nguyen?

The main conflict in the book is that capitalism is used to enrich a few individuals, unlike the communist ideologies, which emphasize the fair allocation of resources to all citizens. The American incursion in Vietnam and the French colonization in Southeast countries push for capitalist ideologies. However, these colonizers' aim was to put resources in the hands of a few corrupt individuals so that those resources could easily be siphoned to America and France.