http://cosmichocolate.blogspot.com/
http://ngochuongn.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/catfish-and-mandala-book-review/
http://www.c-span.org/video/?153973-1/book-discussion-catfish-mandala
Catfish and Mandala, Andrew X. Pham
Summary
This memoir follows the journey of An Pham, as he embarks on a 4000 or so mile bike ride across Vietnam. His journey is a search for his roots, as he try's to connect to his past and his heritage, throughout his journey he is haunted by the memories of his sister, who committed suicide shortly before his trip. His journey takes him from California to Japan, to Vietnam, and finally back to CA.
Setting and Structure
This memoir is not done in a linear format, it switches points of view, and reverts to flash backs throughout the work to emphasize and explain his motivations and feelings. much of the work takes place in the harsh setting of Vietnam, and the flashes backs mostly appear in California.
Characters
An: the protagonist, on a search for self in his home country.
Chi/Minh: An sister, and later brother, who commits suicide after many years in America. unable to make the shift, his death is one of the things that prompts An's journey.
Huy and Hien: An's brothers, are both gay, and both have been hiding their homosexuality from their parents. Huy comes at An with a knife, when An is beating him, after this, an never beats him again, it cures him of the "curse." An grows closer to both of his brothers when they come out to him.
Tien: his other brother
Kay: An's sister, the only one born in America
Rice-girl and Papaya-girl: they help show the contrast between American, and Vietnamese views of status, and how the Viet-Kieu are viewed in Vietnam.
Kim: A beautiful Vietnamese girl who An falls in love with, she is one of the deviations from his original course, that provides and escape, and an adventure.
Tyle: he is a veteran of Vietnam, who begs An for forgiveness for all the things he did in Vietnam.
Anh: An's mother
Thong: An's Father Holds the "curse," (anger, usually accompanied by violence) that was passed from his father to him, and then on to An, he's deeply troubled and regretful of the way he raised his children. He is hard working, disciplined, and smart, he wanted to raise his children to be successful, but lacked a certain love in his rearing style.
Trieu: An's long time girl friend, who eventually cheats on him, its is discovered that her estranged father is sexually abusing her.
Themes
-No person is just good, os just evil.
- People often take drastic measures to cope with pain.
-Taking detours from the beaten path, can lead to great adventures.
-To understand yourself, you must first understand your past.
-Early experiences shape the person you become.
-Guilt will drive people along way to achieve forgiveness.(An, Tyle)
Symbols, Motifs, and Metaphors
Fish Sauce: meager things can be extended, and utilized long after they have run their course, if you believe they can. An's mother makes him believe that he can survive on this for as long as he needs too, it symbolizes his innocence.
Gaping Fish: this is a metaphor for Chi, and her struggle in America, she was paralyzed when she came to America, not wanting to leave Vietnam, but helpless to disobey her family, she is thrown into America culture, and over the years watches her life slowly ebbing away.
Angels: the saving grace, faith, a belief that will bolster your spirit, even if it is not valid.
Coca-Cola: a symbol of comfort and affluence in Vietnam, but common in the US
Guilt: and overriding motif of the memoir, Ans journey is motivated by it, and it pervades the central themes of the book.
Quotes and Important Scenes
An searching for his "rigor of proof":
"wounding horrors"
"Your sister Chi... too selfish, too into herself. She wants to be herself. That's wrong"
"land is too precious to feed weeds"
"adventure is but a collection of detours"
"dignity doesn't ride shotgun to opportunism"
"paid-for friendship"
"my mind cannot rest, because I am a man of regrets"
