MS.

SAIGON
Title of the Movie

Context: The background or details surrounding an event that occurs in the story (characters, setting, genre, conflict)

The film Ms. Saigon set in 1975 to 1978 in Vietnam when there is a on going war. The story takes place in Vietnam in
a city called Saigon, where a Dreamland established by named Tran Van Dinh but popular in the name
“Engineer”and there was a young girl seventeen years old that working on there which is Kim she will be the mother
of Tam and will be a wife of a American GI, name Christopher “Chris” Scott. They both fall in love to each other after
the night at Dreamland, and soon get married. But a man appeared in the name of Thuy a childhood friend of Kim
that bows to her father to marry him but Kim refused and chose to be with Chris. But with the conflict going on, their
love is about to be separated by it, when Chris force by a order and his best- friend John to leave Vietnam.

The film has a lot of amazing and talented cast including Eva Noblezada as Kim, Alistair Brammer as Chris Scott, Jon
Jon Briones as The Engineer, Hugh Maynard as John and William Dao as Tam, among others.
And the setting was set in various place in a city called Saigon.‘’Miss Saigon’’ is a musical play that has Drama perfect
combination of romance, tragedy, and historical fiction. Through their great storytelling, music that attract the
audience, and with the theme of love and loyalty.

The conflict in “Miss Saigon” rises from the on going war and desires for freedom, and love. The love triangle
between the three characters, Kim, Chris, Ellen.

Elements of the Story: Characters, Setting, Plot (Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution and
Conflict), Theme, Point of View

“Miss Saigon” was set during Vietnam war era and this film has a lot of characters, setting, plot and most
importantly the powerful theme. “Miss Saigon” revolves in the story of a young girl Vietnamese, Kim, a woman that
known for her resilience and sacrifice as she travel her harsh and tragic fate. Chris Scott, is an American GI, that
represent the clash of culture, and complex relationship. Tran Van Dinh also know as “The Engineer” played as
main antagonist character.The setting was in a city called Saigon that was torn by war conflict between America and
Vietnamese. As the story unfold in the audience eyes, involves the changing scene of the Vietnam War, transporting
viewers to ultimately chaos. The film has multi-perspective, that allows viewers to see the story unfold. From Kim’s
perspective as a young girl that work as prostitute in a bar that longing for freedom, to Chris as an American GI that
holding his guilt. Each characters has different perspective.

Author’s Intention: The author’s reason or intent in writing the movie (to amuse,to persuade,to entertain, to inform
(etc).

The author’s intention was to inform the film show us the history and struggle of the people trap in the on going
war. Miss. Saigon recreates the history that happened in Vietnam War, including the fall of city Saigon. This also
thought us the consequences of Vietnam War and how the society adapts just to survive in the current situation like
they pay for Americans to escape but some people that are poor like the women in the Dreamland, they need to sell
their body to search for a American that will make them a wife. But this is not really certain will happen. Most
importantly the perspective of Vietnam individuals affected of the current conflict.
The ultimately, the author’s intention is to inform us to raising awareness about how the human cost of war and the
portrayals of personal struggles of each characters, sacrifices, and resilience, and how it affect the family and
communities.

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Reaction: a feeling experienced in response to a situation or event (sad, annoyed, happy, excited, etc).

I felt sadness and admired when I see the scene unfold where Kim sacrifice herself just to give her son Tam a better
life. I admired her for making a hard decision, like how she decided to part ways with her only son, it gave a different
perspective for me in how mother’s love can do everything for the sake of her children. I’m thinking just what if Chris
successfully make Kim her wife will it be a happy end?, and what will happen if Kim didn’t sacrifice herself for the
sake of her son, Tam, will it make difference in the flow of the story like how will it end and where? Or if Ellen accept
Kim as second wife of Chris but this was mostly impossible because Kim doesn’t really accept Ellen as Wife too, so
Ellen might not too, but just think of the possibility if it happened! But overall in a story not all endings are happy end
but there is a tragic one.

Literary Devices: figures of speech used in the story and their purposes (simile, metaphor, personification, irony etc.)

Metaphors: are used to give more deeper meanings and emotion in Ms. Saigon like the song “The American Dream”
uses imagery of lights and fame that symbolize the character’s aspiration and illusion of success.
Foreshadowing: that give us hint and clues about future events. For example, the song “Sun and Moon”
Foreshadows the romantic relationship of two, between Kim and Chris, that hinting the challenges they will faced.
Symbolism: Example “The American Dream” that represent the desires of Vietnamese like Kim, who hope for better
life in America, symbolizing the desires for freedom and opportunity.
Flashback: The uses of flashback technique allows the viewers to glimpse into the characters, Past, such as Kim’s
memories of her village and her separation from her family. And when Kim and Chris got separated too.

Watch/recall your favorite scene, then write a simple critique paragraph.

One of the emotionally scene in “Miss Saigon” in the moment where Kim needed to sacrifice herself for her son,
Tam. This emphasize the love of a mother for her children. As Kim need to face a hard decision to part ways with her
beloved son in order to give him chance to have a better life, and the audience is drawn in different emotions, from
heartbreak to admiration. And the intensity of Lea Salonga’s performance as Kim, combine with a melody “ I’d give
my life for you” that creates a powerful and unforgettable experience. Through this scene we see how powerful a
mother’s love but also for decision making that made sacrifices. It serves as how resilience of the human spirit and
enduring the power of love in the face of overwhelming odds.

Approaches in Literary Criticisms: Marxist, Biographical, Readers Response, Feminist/Gender Criticism,

Archetypal/Mythological, New Historical, Formalism, Psychological, and Post-Colonial.

First is Feminist approach where Kim portrays as remarkably resilient, and refused to be a victim but instead adapts
to survive in a on going war. In addition Kim also portrays female friendships as source of strength and support. Like
the relationship of Kim with other women, such as her friend Gigi and other bar girls, Kim find companionship in
male-dominated world.

Secondly, Marxist Criticism we did see how the harsh realities of poverty and capitalism, does has money can paid
their escape to travel in another country like America or Thailand unlike does unlucky people suffered from
exploitation of labor.

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Summarize the movie in your own words.

Miss. Saigon was set during the Vietnam war in 1975, the story revolves around the romance of two characters,
between a American GI and young Vietnamese girl that working in a bar located in a city called Saigon. Including the
character called Engineer, a hustle.The movie starts in a bar that called Dreamland where women want to escape on
the ongoing war in their country, In order to escape they need to convince or persuade a American GI to marry and
take them to America's soil. This young girl name Kim is one of them she is new but after meeting a American GI she
fall In love. Despite all the occurring events, different races, or nationality their love was bound to be strong. Their
love is about to be separated when they decided to fly out Vietnam and go to the America and live there,
unfortunately something happened on ambassador's order to freeze that lead to the separation of two. Kim left
alone bearing the child of Chris in her womb. A commissar named Thuy a childhood friend of Kim. This man search
for Kim with the help of the Engineer but when Thuy force Kim to get back with him but suddenly Thuy see the child
of the American soldier and wanted to kill it, but Kim get the gun that Chris leave her and she took a shot and Thuy
died due to his severe injury, Kim escape. In the year 1978 Kim leave Vietnam with Engineer, with the help Vietnam
boat that fleeing their country they reach the Thailand soil and live in the capital city called Bangkok. After 3 years,
John the Best friend of Chris and representative of Bui Doi Foundation, children that American soldiers left behind.
John received a note from the embassy that Kim survive and his friend Chris has son. He delivered the news about
kim to Chris but he have now a new wife, name Ellen. Chris tell it to his wife and decided to go to Bangkok and
support the two but unfortunately Ms. Saigon or Kim sacrifice herself for her son.

Realization: What life’s lesson/s did you get from the movie? Relate it to your experience in your life.

I realize how can a mother’s love can make such a hard decision for her children, like my mother, her sacrifices to
three of us siblings, she sacrifice herself just to make sure we receive a good education and she make sure that we
will succeed. A love of a mother is very special, just her presence will fulfilled you with love and compassion. And her
being strong, handling or facing any struggles, will not make her surrender just to have her children a better life.