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Ñoïc saùch - Book Review

Ve Huong Mat Troi Lan, by Tran Hoai Thu. Published by the Author. South Boundbrook, New Jersey, 1998. 274. $14.00, paper.

Ve Huong Mat Troi Lan [In the Direction of the Setting Sun] is Tran Hoai Thu's eighth collection of stories written between 1972 and 1998. Most stories in this collection as well as those in the previous ones, especially Ra Bien Goi Tham [Calling out Softly to the Sea] (1995) and Ban Me Thuot Ngay Dau Ngay Cuoi [Ban Me Thuot: First Day and Last] (1997), are about the war the author has fought as a commando in the army of the former Republic of Vietnam. 

In a recent interview Tran states that his purpose in writing about the last war is twofold: "to redeem the image of the South Vietnamese soldier that has been distorted by the American mass media and North Vietnamese propaganda" and "to pay my moral debt to my fallen comrades-at-arms." To offset the stereotypical view of the South Vietnamese combat soldier as brutal, unruly, and cowardly, Tran portrays him as stoic, courageous, and compassionate. In "Dem Phuc Kich Nguoi Thay Cu" (The Night My Former Teacher Was Ambushed), for example, the narrator captures a Vietcong but lets him go because the latter turns out to be his former teacher. In "Nhung Ke Tron Chay" (The Escapists) the protagonist's impulse to execute a Vietcong suspect gives way to his decision to set him free because he cannot stand the sobbing entreaties of the man's wife and mother. He acts thus also because he cannot tell a Vietcong from a harmless peasant.

Tran's fiction deals with the war at its most brutal and absurd. It was a fratricidal war that had no front because the enemy could be your own father or brother who had just returned from the jungle and was being covered by your family. When the main character of "Nguoi Linh Tro Ve" (A Soldier's Return) is about to call a raid on his native village he is warned by an elderly acquaintance of his that the assault might kill his brother, a Vietcong, who is still hiding in the area. The end of the story is ominous. " In panic the soldier seems to be awakening from a somnambulism. He is running as fast as he can to where his troops were. But it is too late. Behind him armored cars are rumbling across the vast rice field." 

The war also left Tran pondering existential questions about his generation and his country. Why did Vietnamese youth run headlong to such senseless killings? Should they, because of their direct involvement in the war, be held accountable for the devastation of the country and the disintegration of its moral values? Because most characters in Tran's stories find the war mean, unreasonable, and nauseating, they reject the so-called "sacred responsibility to your country," a euphemism the ruling class used to incite the young generation to fight. According to Tran, the ruling class was "guilty of fraud" because it stole the soldiers valor and, as the 1975 military debacle has shown, was the first to flee when the enemy arrived.

Tran's second purpose is more compelling. " I write because I want to pay tribute to my buddies who are dead or left behind," Tran declares. Like Bao Ninh's The Sorrow of War (which Tran bitterly deplores because of its distorted representation of the South Vietnamese soldier (and like most American combat fiction about the Vietnam war, Tran's writing is guilt-ridden. What has a lasting impact on Tran, as he says, is not the number of wounds he is carrying on his body (he was wounded three times in his relatively short military career), but the painful memories of his buddies who did not survive the war or could not make it to America. This is perhaps the reason why the stories in this and other collections are predominantly autobiographical.

Writing about war experiences can be a risky business. The writer could easily bluster and brag about victory or be consumed with the sorrow and anger of defeat. Tran avoids both extremes. His stories are full of intense humanity and philosophic force. His heart goes out both to his men and to his wounded prisoners. He describes human triumphs as brittle and meaningless and refuses to gloat over the "catch" he and his troops every now and then are lucky to have. Ve Huong Mat Troi Lan, as suggested by its title, is a sad book because it is about betrayal, defeat, loss, and death.Yet it reinforces this important truth that Homer has taught us: war, whatever its purpose, is brutal and absurd and should not be fought in the first place.

Qui-Phiet Tran
Schreiner University
(from Crossroads 14:1)

Daëm Tröôøng, truyeän daøi cuûa Traàn Doaõn Nho. Vaên Môùi xuaát baûn 7/2001. Saùch daøy 580 trang, Giaù $17. Lieân laïc: Vaên Môùi 1127 W. Gardena Blvd. Gardena, CA 90247 -USA Ñieän Thoaïi: (310) 366-6867.

Trong phaàn Lôøi Môû cuûa Daëm Tröôøng, nhaø vaên Traàn Doaõn Nho chæ vieát moät haøng duy nhaát: Vieát laø bòa. Toâi coù caûm töôûng anh muoán noùi cuøng ñoäc giaû veà caùi hö caáu cuûa taùc phaåm ñeå traùnh ngoä nhaän hieåu laàm. Quaû thaät vieát laø bòa sao. Vaø neáu quaû thaät vaäy, thì anh quaû laø nhaø vaên coù taàm côû. Bòa gì maø khi ñoïc xong toâi phaûi boài hoài. Bòa gì maø toâi thaáy caùi boùng toâi, baïn beø toâi, ñaát nöôùc toâi nhö môùi hoâm naøo khi toâi coøn ôû trong nöôùc. Bòa gì khi Truï Sôû Toång Hoäi Sinh Vieân Hueá, ôû goùc ñöôøng Duy Taân vaø Tröông Ñònh roõ raøng hieän ra tröôùc maét, vôùi nhöõng Hoaøng Phuû Ngoïc Töôøng, Voõ Queâ, Nguyeãn Khoa Ñieàm, Traàn Vaøng Sao, Nguyeãn Ñaéc Xuaân anh neâu vanh vaùch. Bòa gì maø phieân toaø xöõ, nhöõng ñoái thoaïi, nhöõng lôøi buoäc toäi nhö raønh raønh ra ñoù, khoâng ai coù theå phuû nhaän. Toâi phaûi noùi, keûo aám öùc. Bôûi toâi cuõng caàm ngoøi vieát. Bôûi toâi ñaõ töøng baát löïc trong vieäc xaây döïng hay dieãn taû taâm lyù nhaân vaät. Ngay baûn thaân mình, coù luùc mình coøn khoâng hieåu noåi huoáng gì hieåu ngöôøi khaùc, nhaát laø ngöôøi khaùc phaùi. Toâi traùnh xa taâm lyù. Toâi boû lô boû löõng nöûa chöøng. Meät oùc ñoäng naûo. Neáu taû moät ngöôøi con gaùi ñeïp thì ví nhö moät boâng hoa, moâi son, maù hoàng, thì ñuû roài. Neáu taû moät ngöøôi ñaøn baø voâ taâm thì chæ caàn naøng quay maët laïi, nhíu maøy, hay ñoâi maét lô ñaõng nhìn choã khaùc. Toâi khoâng daùm nhìn vaøo saâu vaøo hoï lôõ ñaøo baäy baï, lôõ tim naøng ñaäp baát thöôøng thì sao. 

Toâi phaûi thuù thieät nhö vaäy. Khoâng phaûi rieâng toâi, maø toâi nghó, haàu heát caùc nhaø vaên phaùi nam khaùc. Thöû tìm moät taùc phaåm vaên chöông naøo maø haàu heát trang giaáy nhaân vaät nöõ, hình boùng nöõ, gioïng noùi nöõ, tình yeâu nöõ, tröôøng hoïc nöõ, suy nghó nöõ, caûm töôûng nöõ, taâm lyù nöõ, laïi ñöôïc dieãn taû bôûi moät caây buùt nam giôùi nhö theá. Töø chuyeän laøm aên leû teû, maø nhaân vaät Haïnh goïi laø tai naïn ngheà nghieäp, chuyeän ghen töông, giaän hôøn, chuyeän phaù thai, ñeán chuyeän chæ coù ñaøn baø môùi bieát, môùi hieåu, taát caû ñeàu hieän dieän trong Daëm Tröôøng vôùi moät ñoäi quaân ñaøn baø coù maët moïi nôi moïi choán. Treân xe ñoø xe löûa xe honda, xe ñaïp, trong caùc coâng ty nhaø nöôùc, hay ngoaøi beán ga beán chôï ñeán phieân toaø, töø Nam ra taän Baéc xuoáng taän Caø Mau. Moät ñoäi quaân trong moät "cuoäc chieán thaàm laëng nhöng thaät aùc lieät" bôûi vì "ñi buoân laø moät cuoäc ñaáu tranh giaønh giaät - vöøa baèng tieàn, vöøa baèng trí tueä, vöøa baèng söùc löïc - vôùi ñuû thöù baát traéc." (405). Öu theá cuûa ñaøn oâng ñaõ bò ñaûo chaùnh. Vai troø cuûa ñaøn oâng chæ coøn laø vai troø noäi trôï noùi nhö Haïnh vôùi choàng mình: "Thôøi buoåi naøy laø thôøi buoåi ñaøn baø, anh ôi. Ñaøn oâng caùc anh chaúng coøn hôïp thôøi nöõa!" hay phuû phaøng hôn, qua laàn caûi nhau giöõa hai ngöôøi:

"Toâi vaäy ñoù. Anh muoán laøm gì thì laøm ñi. Ñöøng coù ôû ñoù maø ra oai, nhöõng laø quyeàn choàng, quyeàn con. Anh khoâng coù quyeàn gì heát caû. Thöû hoûi caùi nhaø naøy khoâng coù toâi thì coøn ra caùi theå thoáng gì nöõa. Con anh coøn ñöôïc aên hoïc khoâng? Anh coù coøn ñöôïc phaây phaây nhö vaäy khoâng? Ñuùng laø voâ ôn..."(trang 338)"

Roõ raøng coù moät cuoäc caùch maïng bieán phuï heä thaønh maãu heä. Ñaøn oâng baây giôø trôû laïi vò trí noäi trôï nhö Luïc, hay chaïy xe thoà, hay ñi buoân xa, soáng trong theá giôùi löøa ñaûo maùnh mun gian doái nhö giaùo sö Tuùy, nguyeân thaày daïy cuõ cuûa Haïnh. Ñaøn oâng baáy giôø chaúng khaùc nhö nhöõng hoàn ma, nhö lôøi noùi cuûa Lyù, nguyeân laø cöïu trung uyù töøng bò baét vaøo naêm 1972 taïi Khe Sanh: 

"Soáng theá naøy thì coù khaùc gì cheát. Meï kieáp, khoâng hy voïng, khoâng töông lai, Khoâng moät chuùt aùnh saùng le loùi cuoái ñöôøng haàm" (trang 88) 

Hoï chæ bieát tìm queân qua nhöõng cuoäc nhaäu. Nhöng chao ôi, nhöõng cuoäc nhaäu ngheïn lôøi:

"Moïi ngöôøi nhaáp röôïu gaép moài nhìn nhau. Röôïu vaøo nhöng lôøi ngheïn laïi. Bao giôø cuõng theá, cöù heã gaëp nhau laø laø ai cuõng muoán noùi ñoâi ñieàu cho haû, nhöng roài khoâng theå noùi ñöôïc. Im laëng. Chæ coù im laëng thoâi. Im laëng laø vaøng, laø baïc. laø taát caû" (trang 89).

Ñeå chöùng minh veà taøi dieãn ñaït taâm lyù cuûa nhaø vaên TDN, toâi xin ñöôïc trích daãn moät ñoaïn trong DT.

Khi taû veà ngöôøi ñaøn baø ñi buoân trôû laïi nhaø vôùi choàng con, sau laàn "tai naïn ngheà nghieäp" cuøng teân taøi xeá, anh vieát:

"Haïnh taém röûa kyø coï thaät saïch seõ, nhö ñeå taåy saïch heát nhöõng noãi gian truaân, lo laéng doïc ñöôøng. Ñeå ñeàn buø cho Luïc. Nhöng khi nhìn xuoáng thaân theå mình, naøng caûm thaáy coù caùi gì thieáu huït, maát maùt. Moät caùi gì khoâng coøn nguyeân veïn nöõa. ÖØ thì chaúng coù gì gheâ gôùm laém. Nhöng toäi nghieäp Luïc. Anh hoàn nhieân, voâ tö. Anh khoâng bieát gì heát. Seõ khoâng bao giôø bieát. Vónh vieãn khoâng bieát..."

Nhöng DT khoâng chæ vieát veà moät xaõ hoäi rình raäp, maùnh mun, löøa doái, quaùi dò. Beân caïnh moät ngöôøi ñaøn baø teân Haïnh maø "Haïnh khoâng coøn laø Haïnh nöõa" coøn coù nhöõng nhaân vaät khaùc, duø môø nhaït nhöng ñaõ toaû ra haøo quang. Hoï, maëc duø bò bao vaây, duø phaûi ñoái phoù vôùi moät hoaøn caûnh bi thaûm, nhöng vaãn giöõ troøn tieát thaùo cuûa ngöôøi vôï, ngöôøi meï mieàn Nam. Nhö Haèng coù choàng caûi taïo, caùn boä giaøu coù ve vaõn, nhöng quyeát lieät töø choái hay nhö Loan, ôû vaäy ñaõ 9 naêm chôø choàng caûi taïo vaãn chöa veà. Hoï ñaõ khoâng coøn gì nöõa, maát maùt heát. Nieàm tin, nhöïa soáng, hy voïng töông lai, chæ coù chaêng laø hai baøn tay, maø nhaø vaên Traàn Doaõn Nho ñaõ ñeå vaøo ñaáy nhöõng chöõ nghóa theâ thieát nhaát, toäi tình nhaát caûm kích nhaát daønh cho nhöõng ngöôøi meï ngöôøi vôï tuyeät vôøi cuûa mieàn Nam qua ñoái thoaïi cuûa hai ngöôøi baïn hoïc cuõ:

Haïnh nhìn Loan cöôøi:

- Baø coøn nhôù chuyeän hoài ñoù khoâng nhæ?

- Nhieàu chuyeän quaù nhôù laøm sao cho xieát. Traûi qua traêm cay nghìn ñaéng, nhôù laïi thaáy hoài ñoù, mình treû con ñeán khieáp. Caùi gì cuõng töôûng töôïng. Caùi gì cuõng mô moäng. Raát cuoäc, chaúng coù giaác moäng naøo thaønh.

- Sao laïi khoâng thaønh?

Loan ñöùng daäy, xoøe baøn tay ra:

- Ñaây, baø xem, coù caùi gì naøo, ngoaøi hai baøn tay ñaõ nhieàu daáu chai naøy.

Haïnh nhìn, thaáy loøng baøn tay Loan ñen ñuûi, vôùi nhöõng cuïc chai nhoâ leân, saàn suøi. Ngoùn naøo cuõng chai. Naøng caûm thaáy khoù chòu, quay maët ñi. Ngoaøi goùc vöôøn, treân ñaùm caûi, nhöõng caùnh böôùm chaäp chôøn bay löôïn.

(trang 254)

Khi anh vieát nhöõng chöõ cuoái, toâi bieát taám loøng cuûa anh ñaõ thaám vaøo töøng chöõ. Bôûi vì coù böôùm bay löôïn, töùc laø caûi ñaõ nôû boâng, töùc laø muøa xuaân. Anh ñaõ mang nhöõng boâng caûi vaøng taëng laïi cho Loan, cho nhöõng ngöôøi ñaøn baø chung thuûy coù choàng trong voøng lao lyù. 

Töø chöông ñaàu khôûi ñi cho moät ñieàu baát traéc, moät döï baùo tan vôõ, anh ñaõ daãn chuùng ta mieät maøi, ngheït thôû, vui buoàn, phaãn noä qua daëm tröôøng cuûa Haïnh cuõng nhö söï baát löïc cuûa Luïc.. Roài cuoái cuøng laø caùi haäu, caùi haäu aûo aûnh, caùi haäu chæ coù xaõ hoäi VN môùi coù theå coù, haõnh dieän maø coù. Caùi haäu laø ngöôøi choàng khoâng nhìn ra ngöôøi vôï, maø chæ nhìn nhau nhö hai con thuù ñoäng côn. Bao nhieâu doàn böùc, öùc cheá, nhöõng ñaøy ñoaï, ñoùi khaùt, ñaõ coù dòp böøng vôõ, tung noå. OÂi caùi chöông cuoái, caâu chuyeän cuoái. Luïc, Haïnh, tuø nhaân, moät ñaøng phaûn ñoäng, moät ñaøng vöôït bieân. Chæ coù tuø môùi môû ñöôïc maét hoï, thaáy vôï caàn choàng, thaáy choàng caàn vôï, thaáy taát caû laø phuø vaân. Chæ coù tuø môùi hieåu theá naøo laø ñaøn baø, ñaøn oâng, gioáng caùi, gioáng ñöïc, môùi hai keû Khoâng suy nghó, khoâng caù theå, hoï ñeán vôùi nhau chaân thaønh cuoàng baïo. Roài sau ñoù hoï môùi khoùc. Khoùc vì nhaän ra nhau. Khoùc vì choàng nhaän ra vôï vaø vôï nhaän ra choàng. Khoùc hoäi ngoä. Khoùc tan vôõ. Khoùc cay ñaéng. Nhöõng gioøng cuoái cuøng cuûa moät truyeän daøy 580 trang laø tieáng khoùc. Moãi ngöôøi tìm thaáy trong ngöôøi kia nhöõng gioït nöôùc maét troøn, laên, laên maõi xuoáng.

Tieáng khoùc vaø aûo aûnh! 

THT