Butteryfily Yellow by Thanhha Lai describes the troubles of a character named Hằng during the final years of the Vietnam War as she goes on her quest in trying finding her missing brother who was taken to America at the age of five as part of Operation Babylift. Operation Babylift was the mass evacuation of children from South Vietnam to the United States and other Western countries (Australia, France, West Germany, and Canada) at the end of the Vietnam War. It shows her perseverance in trying to find her brother and that she won’t be stopped by anything on her journey to find him. It is explained how much of a toll attempting to find her brother has taken on her due to her not allowing herself to grief. “all indulgent emotions have long remained on pause. She has yet to mourn her father or mother. Not until she finds her brother. She stared at her uncle and repeated Bà’s wish.” (Lai 20) This shows the connection because Hằng has disconnected herself from having emotions because she is determined to find her brother. She hasn’t let herself experience grief for the death of her mother and father for exactly that reason.
"The need for family reunification – to make families whole again" by Elizabeth Zion focuses on the need for families to be together and to have a good connection and how one-parent households can have a huge effect on children. Elizabeth explains the economic and emotional disadvantages she experienced due to only having her mother around. She explains how family reunification is a fundamental human right. It continues on about the global issue of family reunification with war-torn countries causing kids to be separated from their family, like in Afghanistan and the Israel-Palestinian conflict. She calls for families to be able to have legal safe pathways if they are affected by war, persecution, or immigration. “The right to be with your family, to be loved and cared for by your family, exists because you exist. It is the right of all humans" shows that you should always be able to be connected to your family and that you shouldn’t have to fight for it (Zion). It applies to Elizabeth’s father because he should have the right to be with his family. You also see the emotional toll that this has on Elizabeth because her father wasn’t able to be present during her life when she was growing up.
How is the separation from family and/or their past life affecting your characters? What are they doing to cope with the separations/challenges? How do you think these situations affect your characters in the future?
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