52 pages • 1-hour read
Dust Child
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Symbols & Motifs
France and French Culture
Content Warning: This section discusses racism, post-traumatic stress disorder, and wartime violence.
Imperialism and War is one of this novel’s most important themes. Dust Child traces the roots of the war in Việt Nam to the instability caused by French colonial rule in the region. Mentions of France, French culture, and even direct engagement with “French imperialism” become an important motif, showcasing the long and troubled history of French occupation and the damage that it caused to Việt Nam and its people. In the novel’s initial chapters, Linda observes the similarities between architecture styles in Paris and Sài Gòn, prompting Dan to reflect on the role that the French played in the war that he fought in. He thinks that it was the French occupation that destabilized, weakened, and ultimately divided the country of Việt Nam.
Dan and Linda continue to encounter many reminders of French colonialism during their trip, including architecture, music, and food like bánh mì sandwiches made with French bread. These repeated reminders of the French occupation illustrate the pervasive nature of cultural hegemony: Many decades after the end of French colonial rule, evidence of it can still be seen all over Việt Nam.
Dan’s Memories of “Kim”
Dust Child is deeply interested in the politics of memory, and it wrestles with the nature of both individual and cultural memory. On the individual level, Dan is haunted by memories of the Vietnamese woman with whom he had a relationship while in the country. On a broader level, the novel makes an argument about the way that imperialism and racism color memories of the war itself: For many decades after the end of the war, American accounts of the conflict in Việt Nam failed to take responsibility for the damage that the United States and its soldiers did to Việt Nam and its people in the name of “saving” it. As Dan comes to terms with the fact that he treated “Kim” abominably, he begins to realize that his actions as a soldier were not noble and that American involvement in the conflict caused a lot of damage and suffering to the Vietnamese.
Dan emerged from the war in Việt Nam with PTSD, and he struggles with the impact of that trauma for decades after the conflict. In addition to his traumatic memories, he also remains mired in his memories of the woman he knows as “Kim,” whom he abandoned when he found out that she was pregnant with his child. These memories become a motif within the text, and as the novel progresses, they reveal both Dan’s and Trang’s backstories and speak to the theme of American Soldiers’ Postwar Trauma. They also reveal Dan’s own racism, the racism of the United States military, and the extent to which Dan lied to himself about the nature of his relationship with “Kim” and his role in the war.
Ultimately, however, Dan’s memories of “Kim” lead him to a much more unpleasant truth: He realizes that he loved “Kim,” but he also used and dehumanized her. He relied on her for emotional support as his tour of duty became increasingly horrific; however, he abandoned her when she needed him. These revelations lead him to the broader truth about the war itself: He realizes that American involvement was a mistake with dire consequences and that soldiers like Dan did irreparable damage to the Vietnamese people. In this way, the motif of Dan’s memories of “Kim” also speaks to The Costs of War for the Vietnamese and Imperialism and War.
Vietnamese Literature and Music
References to Vietnamese literature and music appear frequently within the novel, supporting the novel’s broader project of centering the lives and experiences of Vietnamese people during the war. An appreciation for traditional Vietnamese culture and art forms unites many of its characters. This showcases the history of Vietnam and also counters damaging stereotypes about Vietnamese people and history.
The novel makes a concerted effort to show the inherent humanity of Vietnamese people. Phong, Trang, and other Vietnamese characters are depicted with compassion and complexity. The portrayal of Vietnamese culture is a motif in the novel that deepens characterization and also rebuts American notions during the war years that the Vietnamese were uncivilized and subhuman. Phong, his wife Bình, and Trang have a deep and abiding love for the long and important history of literature and music in Việt Nam. Trang is an avid reader and loves to sing the traditional songs she learned as a young girl. She buys several books of Vietnamese literature and even introduces these traditions to Dan. Phong loves traditional Vietnamese music and attends concerts whenever he can, despite the difficult circumstances of his daily life. He meets Bình at a performance, and they fall in love over their shared passion for Vietnamese music. Through these characters’ interest in Vietnamese culture, the novel introduces readers to a side of Việt Nam that goes beyond images of war, violence, and poverty.
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