The Process of Self-Discovery in A. X. Pham’s “Catfish and Mandala” Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Information about the author

Andrew X. Pham is a Vietnamese-American writer. His family moved to the United State when the Vietnamese Conflict was in its prime. When Andrew X. Pham was a child, he dreamt to become a painter, or somebody else connected with art, still, the necessity to earn money and strict upbringing methods of the father made the write choose another path. When Pham graduated from school in the US, he entered the UCLA. “At last, I abandoned my studies, and, saddled with debts, I tried my hand at writing for a living” (Bio). After he changed many jobs, he became a writer: “In a way, I have become a painter of sort. Medium: words on paper. Subject: life as I see it” (Bio).

The plot of the story

One of the most famous books by Andrew X. Pham is the Catfish and Mandala. It is a semi-biographical story, which depicts the author’s life. The story is the description of the journey, the author takes through the United States and Japan to Vietnam. The only vehicle Pham uses on the way through the states of America is the bicycle. He comes to Japan of a board, and goes to Vietnam. There he spends about a year in Vietnam, and then, comes back to the United States.

Analysis of the story

The story of the man reflects the search of truth. The author wants to find out, what his native land is; he wants to recollect what it was t live in Vietnam. Still, when he arrives to his native country, Pham is percepted by Vietnamese people as an alien. Pham realizes that many things have changed since the time his family moved to the United States: “In this Vietnamese much, I am too American. Too refined, too removed from my que, my birth village. The sight of my roots repulses me. And this shames me deeply” (183). For several months the author travels from one Vietnamese town/village to another, and in every place everything reminds him that he is just a guest on his native land, a “Viet-kieu!” (Pham 125), nothing more, and nothing less. The whole journey of the writer turns into a trip of self-disappointment. “Too many things changed. Too much time passed. I’m different now, a man with a pocketful of unconnected but terribly vivid memories. I was looking to dredge up what I’d long forgotten” (Pham 98). Pham thinks that he lost one of the most precious things, his identity, and although he comes to Vietnam in order to find it, he understands another truth: “For our truths change with time. There is nothing else. No mitigating circumstances and no power to undo the sins. No was. Only is. Between us, there is but a thin line of intention” (339). Pham realizes that now his home is in the United States, the place where his family lives.

General conclusions

All in all, the story by Andrew X. Pham depicts the process of self-discovery. Through the description of his journey, events which happened with him during the journey, the authorr illustrates the eternal search. We all seek for something which could explain our place in the world. Before the journey Pham thought that he would come back. However, when he comes to Vietnam, he realizes that it is not him anymore. In other words, there is no need to turn round to the past life. Life is what it is now, two minutes ago is already the history.

Works Cited

Bio”. Andrewxpham.com. Andrew X. Pham. n. d. 2010.

Pham, Andrew. Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam. New York: Picador, 2000. Print.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2022, January 5). The Process of Self-Discovery in A. X. Pham's “Catfish and Mandala”. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-self-discovery-in-a-x-phams-catfish-and-mandala/

Work Cited

"The Process of Self-Discovery in A. X. Pham's “Catfish and Mandala”." IvyPanda, 5 Jan. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-self-discovery-in-a-x-phams-catfish-and-mandala/.

References

IvyPanda. (2022) 'The Process of Self-Discovery in A. X. Pham's “Catfish and Mandala”'. 5 January.

References

IvyPanda. 2022. "The Process of Self-Discovery in A. X. Pham's “Catfish and Mandala”." January 5, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-self-discovery-in-a-x-phams-catfish-and-mandala/.

1. IvyPanda. "The Process of Self-Discovery in A. X. Pham's “Catfish and Mandala”." January 5, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-self-discovery-in-a-x-phams-catfish-and-mandala/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "The Process of Self-Discovery in A. X. Pham's “Catfish and Mandala”." January 5, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-self-discovery-in-a-x-phams-catfish-and-mandala/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1