LANDSCAPE, GENDER AND ETHNICITY: READING VŨ HẠNH’S FOREST FIRE THROUGH THE LENS OF LANDSCAPE CRITICISM

Abstract

Forest Fire by Vũ Hạnh is among the few literary works authentically depicting the socio-natural context of the Central Highlands people during the resistance against French colonialism. The work possesses profound realistic value and serves as a unique artistic portrayal crafted through an honest, vivid, and emotionally rich narrative style. Alongside The Rising Country by Nguyên Ngọc, Forest Fire not only vividly illustrates the lives of ethnic minority communities but also strongly condemns social injustices and oppression, thereby offering a fresh perspective on the Central Highlands region. This article focuses on analyzing the intersection between landscape and gender, as well as landscape and ethnicity, within the story Forest Fire. Examining the interaction between gender and natural spaces helps us better understand the complex relationship between humans and landscapes, thus constructing an additional layer of meaning in interpreting Vũ Hạnh's Forest Fire