"So Do" is a delightful, refreshing, and triumphant work.
The book tells the story of Xuan Toc Do - an ordinary person who inadvertently gets the chance to change his destiny. He had a difficult life, struggling from one job to another, from climbing coconut trees, playing the trumpet, selling counterfeit drugs to picking up tennis balls at the tennis court. One day, Xuan Toc Do peeks at a dress while changing clothes, and he is caught by the family of Mrs. Tay Pho Doan, which completely changes his life. He becomes an advisor for the "Tieng Dan" newspaper owned by Mr. Van Minh, and with his slick tongue and sky-high luck, he quickly becomes a famous figure with numerous prestigious titles, from the director of Xuan newspaper, social reformer, tennis professor, to national hero.
In addition to Xuan Toc Do, we also meet unique characters such as Mrs. Pho Doan - a Western woman with a strong sexual desire, Miss Tuyet - a promiscuous girl living a "Westernized" lifestyle, and Mr. Van Minh and his wife - an ordinary journalist and an indifferent woman. Each character in the book represents a social evil: corruption, debauchery, fraud, bribery for positions...
"So Do" is a deeply satirical portrait of Vietnamese society in the 1930s, revealing the dark aspects of society, from the morally bankrupt ruling class, the hypocrisy of the upper class, to the ignorance and superstition of the working class.
The book brings laughter and joy through exposing all the vices, and the freshness comes from the ironic and surprising situations. At the same time, laughter is also a triumph, symbolizing faith in a brighter future. Through sarcastic laughter, Vu Trong Phung asserts that evil and wickedness will ultimately be eradicated, and people aim for a better society.
If you are interested in the social life of Vietnam in the past and want to explore humorous situations mixed with dark reality, then BAIT thinks "So Do" is a book worth experiencing. Let's enjoy it together!
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Ha Bang - Media Collaborator, University of Information Technology
Nhat Hien - Translation Collaborator, University of Information Technology
