Literature Course Explores
Perspectives on Vietnam War
Course focuses on a balanced view of
what both sides thought about the war.
September 29, 2005
By Valerie Orleans
Mary Kay Couch, associate professor
of English, comparative literature and linguistics, became
interested in the literature about the war in Vietnam after
visiting Vietnam and talking to her students, many of whom
lived in or near Little Saigon.
This fall, she is teaching Literature About
the War in Vietnam, a class that focuses on a balanced view
of what both sides thought about the war. This is the third
time she has taught this course.
“I usually have about 35 students in
each class, some of whom are Vietnamese,” she said.
“Vietnamese students add an important dimension to the
class because they often share what their families tell them
about the war.
“Other students have fathers who served
in Vietnam, and some of these men suffered from post-traumatic
stress disorder. That greatly affected their family lives,
so they have other perspectives.”
One of Crouch’s goals is to get students
engaged in projects that fit their interests and incorporate
themes from the war in Vietnam.
“One semester, I had a Latina student
who became interested in the experiences of Mexican-Americans
who fought in Vietnam and wrote a wonderful paper about her
research. It’s always exciting to see what students
develop,” said Crouch.
Class readings include Tim O’Brien’s
“The Things They Carried,” Michael Herr’s
“Dispatches,” Ron Kovic’s “Born on
the Fourth of July,” Graham Greene’s “The
Quiet American,” and North Vietnamese author Bao Ninh’s
“The Sorrow of War.”
Unfortunately, Crouch has discovered that there
are more books available by American authors than Vietnamese
authors, primarily because many books by Vietnamese authors
haven’t been translated into English yet.
“I also include short stories, poetry
and a small book that describes the history of the war,”
she said. “I include works from a variety of sources,
but in essence they all say the same thing: The war was awful
for both sides.”
In addition to the readings, students view
films such as “Platoon” and “Letters Home
From Vietnam,” which shows in heartbreaking detail how
many families received letters...only to learn later that
their son or husband had been killed.
Crouch also shows a film that describes the French influence
in Indochina and how that affected the history of Vietnam.
One of the highlights for students is when
Vietnam vets come to class to share their experiences and
show photos.
“This is one of my favorite classes to
teach,” Crouch admitted. “I enjoy it because the
students learn so much and because of what they teach me.”
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