The Emperor of Gladness

The book deals with themes of substance abuse and addiction. What sense of hope or resolution does Vuong offer for Hai in the context of these struggles? Based on events in the book and Hai’s responses to his circumstances, what aspects do you see playing a key role in his potential recovery? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Vuong’s narrative centers his thematic interest in Circumstantial Kinship and Found Family. What literary devices does he employ in his narrative to draw out the key ideas related to this theme?

Storytelling, pretense, and make-believe are all used as strategies for survival by multiple characters in the book across a range of different contexts; however, this approach doesn’t always serve them well. In this context, explore the tension between myth-making and truth in the book.

Examine the relationship between Grazina and Hai. Given Hai’s context, why do you think he can form such a strong bond with her in such a short time? Which other relationships in his life prime him for such a dynamic? Comment on the intergenerational healing that this relationship enables for both Grazina and Hai.

Throughout the book, Grazina’s condition sees a gradual decline, with her growing increasingly disoriented and forgetful towards the end. How do Grazina’s arc and experiences explore the fragility of memory and the experience of aging? What are some of the biggest challenges of this phase of life, as suggested by Vuong, and what are the joys?

The power and strength of found family are repeatedly emphasized in the book through the various relationships Hai forms with Grazina as well as the HomeMarket crew. What, subsequently, does the book suggest about biological family and the bonds that exist within these relationships? Illustrate your response with examples from the text.

HomeMarket, a key setting in Vuong’s novel, provides context for his thematic engagement with The Precarity of Working-Class Life. Reflect on the name of the franchise. What further symbolism or layered meaning does the name “HomeMarket” carry? What does this symbolism contribute to the theme?

Comment on the symbolism of Hai’s dream from when he spends the night in the barn. What do each of the elements in the dream signify? Reflect on the timing of the dream—what does it suggest with respect to resolution or catharsis for Hai’s character?