Life lessons from a teacher

QTO - (Reading "Narrow Alley" - A collection of short stories by Truong Quang De, Vietnam Women's Publishing House, 2026)

At the end of 2025, when writing about Professor Truong Quang De following the release of his book "Dialogue Between Generations," I secretly thought this would be the last book by the veteran educator, who had just passed the age of 90. Yet, in early spring 2026, he has a new work: the short story collection "Narrow Alley," a 264-page volume. Surprisingly, he revealed that all three stories were written in one go in 2025, having been conceived of them for a long time…

The book, published by the Vietnam Women's Publishing House, contains three novellas: "Narrow Alley" (82 pages), "Two Friends" (78 pages), and "Aspiration" (97 pages). However, in "A Few Words of Sharing with Readers," the author only explains the "idea" he had long cherished when writing "Narrow Alley": "Each person is a world in itself . Through life experiences, I see that people are no longer just a cog... but a thinking entity, with personality, life, aspirations, and their own destiny..." The four characters in the story "Narrow Alley" are described in this way by the author...

In her article "Narrow Alley, a Story Steeped in Human Philosophy," Pham Thi That, a former student of the French Department at Hanoi University of Foreign Languages ​​Education, only discusses "Narrow Alley" (without mentioning the two subsequent stories): "Narrow Alley in the short story collection of the same name by author Truong Quang De revolves around four main characters: Thu Ha, Xuan Mai, Hien, and Vinh. Their behavior reminds us of André Gide's 'The Narrow Door.' And surely that was the author's intention."

Cover of the short story collection "Narrow Alley" - Photo: NKP

Thu Ha, a sharp and intelligent editor, struggles to overcome the influence of her family's ideology in her personal life... Finally, when everything is resolved (her father dies, her younger sister Xuan Mai finds happiness), Thu Ha wants to rekindle her romance with Vinh, but he has decided to leave her without a word.

The character Hien is different. She is fully aware of her intense love for Vinh… she proactively confesses her feelings to Vinh and finds true happiness with the man she loves… even when fate separates her and Vinh by death…

In "The Narrow Alley," there is a balanced presence of two streams of thought, East and West. Everyone must face one or more "narrow alleys" in their search for happiness..." (excerpt from teacher Truong Quang De's Facebook).

I read three stories from the collection "Narrow Alley," and I thought the title was a symbol with many levels. Everyone is born in a "narrow alley," goes to school in a narrow alley in the countryside, and whatever they do, they start in a "narrow alley" before gradually stepping onto "wider roads," reaching the boundless world, in their own way and according to their own individual destiny... It seems all 12 couples in the three stories are like that.

From an artistic standpoint, let me state upfront that those who only enjoy reading stories with "novel" techniques will likely not be satisfied with the collection "Narrow Alley." However, on the other hand, the collection appeals to readers familiar with literary works that offer them valuable "life lessons." The three novellas in "Narrow Alley," though differing in subject matter and character background, are, if I'm not mistaken, all stories built upon "life lessons" and imbued with philosophical insights, as Phạm Thị Thật wrote: "These are stories the author experienced or witnessed during her 90 years of turbulent life; most of them are about… romantic relationships! Those who are 'curious' will surely seek connections between the plot details in the stories and the author's real life during her youth…"

While the story "Narrow Alley" features characters who go to France, "Two Friends" has two characters who secretly go to study in the Soviet Union. Khoi and Thanh are close friends from Central Vietnam, possibly Quang Tri – because the author states that "after junior high school, they studied high school together in the Thanh Nghe Tinh region..." like many cadres from Tri Thien who, during the anti-French resistance, had to evacuate to continue their studies in the free zone of Zone 4, whom I know. More importantly, although their "origins" from similar "narrow alleys" are similar, due to their different "personalities, lives, aspirations, and destinies...", the two friends find different paths to embark on the "greater road."

Although the author is a foreign language expert who once "advocated" for learning English when the country was under "embargo," through Thanh and Thuy Nhu's "overseas trips," he probably wants to send readers a "life lesson": if one lacks inner strength and courage, even being able to "gaze at the Neva River" in the ancient city of Lenin like Thuy Nhu or in a place where one can "see the fog enveloping Moscow" like Thanh will not accomplish anything.

After graduating, Thành returned home, married a general, and was favorably assigned lucrative positions, but lacking real ability, he often had to rely on Khôi to "rescue" him from disgrace; while Thủy Như, after finishing her studies, stayed behind, "living aimlessly day by day... then met her boyfriend and lived together in Czechoslovakia" until she returned home empty-handed, reuniting with Khôi and Thu Phong, who were living happily with their two children...

The story in "Aspiration" resonates even more with readers in Central Vietnam, right from the opening sentence: "In mid-August 1954, two 18-year-old boys, Phuoc and Kim, left their village in Central Vietnam to go to the regrouping area…". The story of the two boys boarding a ship to Sam Son (Thanh Hoa) spans over 30 years, until the country's renewal, when Phuoc and Kim had wives, Hang and Yen, and finally had the opportunity to fulfill their "aspiration" of "bringing two fairies from the North back to their hometown…".

Through the personal stories of these four characters, the author, unintentionally, helps readers recall the historical and social upheavals of the country during the more than three decades before the Doi Moi (Renovation) period. Their "aspiration" wasn't just for the two young men to return to their hometown of Quang Tri (the plot details reveal this); rather, it was their "open and generous hearts" that helped these two couples overcome many challenges, gradually realize their legitimate "aspirations," and become more mature, contributing more to their compatriots and society.

Too many details and events; let me just mention that Kim harbored the "ambition" to become a teacher, while Phuoc pursued agriculture. The author takes the reader back to a more distant time, when Mr. Phong (Kim's father), before 1954, was already a renowned teacher throughout the region with his uniquely open teaching style at the first private school established in his hometown, called "Thuong Binh School"... Like a novel, the story is fictional, but the character of Kim's father reminds us of Mr. Tro Phien, the chairman of Quang Tri province from 1948, the author's father...

Having a father who was such a renowned teacher, and after graduating from teacher training college, although the school stated that "Kim's abilities are worthy of staying on as an assistant teacher...", being a loyal person who did not chase after "empty fame and titles," he applied to teach at a high school in Thanh Hoa, where he had studied when he relocated to Sam Son in 1954; and despite facing many obstacles, in the era of national renewal, readers get to see Kim and Yen, as well as Phuoc and Hang, achieving success and happiness...

The story "Aspiration" is the longest in the collection, comprising 12 chapters. Let me borrow the four opening lines of the story to conclude this commentary on the short story collection "Narrow Alley," simple verses that truly represent the author's "life lessons" for posterity:

"The blessings left behind in this world/Are not empty fame or titles/But a generous heart/Throughout life, one shuns wealth and luxury."

Nguyen Khac Phe

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202605/nhung-bai-hoc-duong-doi-cua-mot-thay-giao-e557db7/