Detuya, John Robert B.

BSEd – English 2B
The Khaki Coat by Nhat Tien
Central Characters
- The Girl: A young, impoverished girl driven to desperation by poverty. The girl might be
seen as malnourished. As for her personality, it is shaped by her desperation to live as
she is resourceful and determined to survive.
- Woman: The woman appears to be well-dressed as her late husband seems to own the
khaki coat. Although, she lacks empathy for the girl, her personality might come across as
firm and stern.
- Public Security Officer: Given his role, the public officer likely presents a neat and
professional appearance while wearing his uniform. His demeanor could vary from strict
and uncaring to compassionate and understanding, depending on how he perceives the
girl's circumstances and the underlying social problems.
Conflict:
- Character vs Environment: In the story, the girl seems so desperate to survive in an
environment full of corruption and chaos. The girl did not choose to steal the Khaki coat
out of greed, but rather out of sheer desperation for survival, especially it was post-
Vietnam war era. The harsh reality of the environment forced her to make decisions that
is out of her control.
Setting
- Time: The story takes place in Post-War Vietnam, likely in the late 20th century. This is the
time where poverty in Vietnam was very prominent and and the country was undergoing
significant social, political, and economic challenges. After the Vietnam War, the nation
faced widespread devastation, with many cities and rural areas struggling to rebuild.
- Place: A bustling market somewhere in Vietnam. It potentially surrounded with
impoverished areas
- Atmosphere: Poverty, social unrest, and the long-term impacts of the war have all
contributed to heightened tensions. The atmosphere alternates between the vibrant
turmoil of the market and the heavy weight of poverty and social inequality.
Theme
- Desperation for Survival: The story explores the lengths of what people could do just to
survive in the harsh world that they live in because poverty control their actions, pushing
them to make choices that they might not consider.
- Social Inequality: This theme shines a light on the systemic nature of inequality, where
individuals are often trapped in cycles of poverty and must navigate moral dilemmas
without a fair system to support them. Especially corruption was prominent during this era.
- The Effects of War: The story likely focuses on how the war's lingering repercussions,
such as poverty, social unrest, and psychological trauma, continue to shape the lives of
individuals in post-war Vietnam.
Plot Structure
- Exposition: The story starts introducing the impoverished girl and in her desperate
situation. She is forced to make extreme decisions out of desperation because of poverty
in a post Vietnam-War.
- Rising Action
1. She’s trying to sell things in the market and moments later she found out that a
khaki coat is present inside a grave of a soldier.
2. The girl engages in grave-robbing to obtain the khaki coat.
3. The young girl questions herself of taking advantage of the coat of a dead soldier.
4. She attempts to sell the coat at the market but fails to make it happen.
5. The girl remembered having to kill a toad when digging grave. This made her realize
how valuable life can be.
6. The woman, the coat's rightful owner, recognizes the coat and confronts the girl.
7. The girl initially tries to lie about the coat's origin.
8. The girl is forced to reveal the truth about how she obtained the coat.
9. The woman confronts the girl with the full horror of her actions and the implications
of grave-robbing.
- Climax: The woman confronts the girl with the full horror of her actions and the
implications of grave-robbing. The girl experiences a range of emotions, including fear,
shame, and a dawning awareness of the gravity of her actions. Furthermore, the tension
arises when the young girl suffers due to the consequences of her actions.
- Falling Action
10. The young girl is taken to the security by the police officer and starts questioning
her.
11. The young girl suffers from the consequences.
12. The girl is released from detention.
13. The girl returns to the market, suggesting that her struggle for survival continues.
14. The story may explore the enduring impact of war and poverty on the girl's life.
15. The ending leaves the reader to ponder the complexities of the situation and the
enduring impact of war and poverty on individuals and society.
- Resolution: The resolution of the story remains ambiguous regarding the girl's fate.
Although she is detained, her subsequent return to the market suggests that her struggle
to survive continues unabated, despite the consequences of her actions.