And my daughter? At best, there is for her a life like mine" (10). She would rather easily accept the fate than put efforts in changing the situation. She does not hope that her daughter will get out of poverty and earn a better living. Moreover, she considers poverty as a shame, "an acid that drips on pride until all pride is worn away" (13). I believe that poverty cannot define one's dignity. As long as the woman lives righteously and honestly, like a Vietnamese proverb "A clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast," she should not feel ashamed of her poverty. The proverb emphasizes the importance of being ethical and truthful under no circumstances. .
From where I stand, the author's viewpoint is restricted in a particular region. In my country, there are many humanitarian programs helping the poor, for instance the "Overcome yourself" reality show. Its aim is to provide the poor households with a capital to start the family business. Also, the local authorities and charitable organizations in Vietnam are ready to assist the impoverished in paying off the loan, and providing jobs and shelters for the homeless. In addition, the woman raises a question for the readers about one's persistence to overcome poverty: "Some of you would say that you would do something in my situation, and maybe you would, for the first week or the first month, but for year after year after year?" (13). I disagree as I find that my aunt is a Vietnamese model who has the energy to rise up regardless of her impoverishment. Despite her heart disease, she manages to take care of her old parents and four small sisters. She used to do all kinds of labor from farming, raising cattle to lawn mowing just to get enough food for her family day by day. Then, she decided to borrow a loan to invest in coffee planting on her homeland. After six years of hard work and money saving, she paid off her loan, built a new house and now she also helps other poor people by providing employment and food for them.
