Information about the thesis "A Comparison of Character Description in Nguyen Du's *Truyen Kieu* and Nam Cao's Short Stories" by graduate student Tran Mai Huong, majoring in Vietnamese Literature.1. Student's full name: Tran Mai Huong 2. Gender: Female 3. Date of birth: August 23, 1981 4. Place of birth: Hanoi 5. Decision number recognizing the student: 1883/QD-XHNV-SDH dated October 21, 2010, by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi 6. Changes during training: Transferred from Folklore Studies to Vietnamese Literature according to Decision 1555/QD-DHQGHN dated May 25, 2011. 7. Thesis title: A comparison of how characters' physical appearances are described in Nguyen Du's *Truyen Kieu* and Nam Cao's short stories 8. Specialization: Vietnamese Literature Code: 602234 9. Scientific Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Nho Thin - Principal Lecturer, Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities 10. Summary of Thesis Results: Through the process of writing this thesis, I have obtained the following results: In "The Tale of Kieu," Nguyen Du described the physical appearance of the characters using conventional and symbolic techniques – a characteristic art of medieval literature – to depict the appearance of the main characters. Through this, he expressed the personality and fate of characters such as Thuy Kieu, Thuy Van, Tu Hai, and Kim Trong. As for the villains, Nguyen Du vividly and realistically depicted their appearances, making them relatable to everyday life. He portrayed typical personalities in typical situations, such as Ma Giam Sinh, Hoan Thu, Tu Ba, and So Khanh. This was an innovation in medieval Vietnamese literature, and at the same time, it subtly touched upon the realist literary movement of modern Vietnamese literature, specifically the characters in the works of Nam Cao. In the Vietnamese realist literary movement, Nam Cao's writing style was simple and rustic, yet extremely insightful, successfully depicting the fate and character of people whose lives were spent confined to the bamboo groves, rice paddies, and dikes through his descriptions of their physical appearances. In "The Tale of Kieu," the reader is presented with a predetermined, logically consistent appearance of the characters, a constant from their first appearance through the vicissitudes of fate, yet their countenance, posture, and demeanor remain unchanged. In contrast, the characters in Nam Cao's works change according to circumstances, following the ever-changing flow of human life. Clearly, two authors, from two different eras, with different living conditions and writing styles, share a commonality, meeting in the same "situation"—the characters of their "spiritual offspring." It is often said that geniuses share positive thoughts, regardless of distance… and here, Nguyen Du and Nam Cao are in that situation. The characters of these two authors bear a striking resemblance in appearance, and consequently, a similarity in fate and personality within the cycle of human existence. Furthermore, the thesis explores the influence and assimilation of regional and world literature by Nguyen Du and Nam Cao. More specifically, while authors in the medieval period were influenced by Chinese culture and literature, and Nguyen Du was no exception in his works; Nam Cao, a critical realist writer of modern Vietnamese literature, was influenced by Western literature. Through this, we highlight the similarities and differences, selectively, in the writing styles and character descriptions of these two authors. This comparison in our thesis facilitates a more accessible approach to medieval and modern literature, thus enabling us to develop more effective methods for teaching literature in high schools. 11. Practical application: In teaching Literature in high schools, this comparison of character descriptions in medieval and modern times is highly applicable.
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name : Tran Mai Huong 2. Sex: Female 3. Date of birth: August 23, 1981 4. Place of birth: Ha Noi 5. Admission decision number: 1883/QD-XHNV-SĐH Dated October 21, 2010 6. Changes in academic process: / (List the forms of change and corresponding times) 7. Official thesis title: Compare to describe appearance character in “The Tale of Kieu” by Nguyen Du and stories by Nam Cao 8. Major: Vietnamese Literature 9. Code: 602234 10. Supervisors: Associate Professor.Dr Tran Nho Thin -Senior Lecturer University of Social Sciences and Humanities Hanoi 11. Summary of the findings of the thesis: Through the thesis process I get the following results In "The Tale of Kieu" Nguyen Du has described the appearance of the character by the pen of conventional, symbolic and artistic literary characteristic of the Middle Ages to describe the main character looks. Which demonstrates the character, the character's fate Thuy Kieu, Thuy Van, from two, Kim. But what about the villains Nguyen Du realistic appearance vividly naked enough to make the characters closer to life, depicting the typical characteristics in typical circumstances such as Chief Student Code, fire, from Ms, Department of Khanh ... this is the innovation of Chinese literature of Vietnam, and has directed, "lightly touch" literary realism movement of modern Vietnamese literature later, namely the characters in the works of Nam Cao. In the Vietnamese literary realism movement, Nam Cao is a casual tone, rustic but extremely sharp, successfully portrays the fate of the character of the man whose life just stuck with bamboo village, with stubble, levees through how to describe the appearance of the characters there. If, as in "The Tale of Kieu", the reader predefined character appears in an orderly, logical consistency is not invariant since the character appeared, through many events, the ups and downs of fate, but the other face, the posture, the other style has not changed;, the characters in the works of Nam Cao appear change according to circumstances, according to the flow of life changes, your life. Of course, two sides, two different times, two different circumstances, different writing styles, but the similarities, meet in the same "context" - that's the character of "brainchild" of them. People often say geniuses have the same positive thoughts despite the distance apart... and here, Nam Cao Nguyen Du and also in such cases. These two authors character trait "Depreciation and amortization" in appearance, from which "resembling" fate, positive way of life in the cycle of nature. Besides, the thesis also exploits the influence to collect legacy of Nam Cao Nguyen Du and regional literature, world. More specifically, if the Middle Ages, the authors are the influence of Chinese culture, Chinese literature, and Nguyen Du is no exception in his work.;, Nam Cao-a writer is real critique of modern Vietnamese literature to the influence of Western literature. Through it to highlight the similarities and differences in a selective manner in the style of writing, in the way described character appearance of the two authors. From comparing the thesis of our approach helps medium and modern literature more easily since we have methods of teaching literature in high school easier. 12. Practical applicability, if any: Literacy teaching in the secondary school in comparison to describe the central character and modern.
