War Years By Long

The short story “War Years” focuses on the struggles that fell on Vietnamese immigrants in the United States around the time of the Vietnam War. Specifically, the story is centered around a family and their difficulty in wanting to adapt to a new life. The story is narrated by a young boy named Long, who illustrates this point. This point is further highlighted by the differences between the generational differences between a son and his parents. A common struggle among immigrants in a household is the gap between beliefs. Long finds himself at odds with his parents' beliefs. Unlike his parents, he has long enjoyed activities, such as reading, comic books, while his parents grew up in a life around poverty. Long didn’t have to face the struggles,
He spent his day working in shops, and in a household, where there is food as well as comic books for his leisure. long upbringing contrast starkly with his parents as he has not experienced the same level of adversity. Despite growing up in an immigrant household, his experience diverges from those of his parents. Additionally, “War Years” covers the challenges of attempting to start a new life for immigrant families. Long’s parents have seemed to establish themselves in their new home, attend church, own a store, and live comfortably compared to their previous life of poverty. Despite these achievements, they still face reminders of their past experiences and inability to fully acclimate into the new culture because of these lingering memories of their previous struggles. Their interactions and perceptions are heavily influenced by their past, despite building a new life. This tension between the past and present prevents them from completely integrating into a new life. Mrs. Hoa served as a reminder of their Vietnamese heritage, embodying the struggles and adversities. Mrs. Hoa is a representation of their Vietnamese path as she is begging for money like they used to have to