Contemporary Vietnamese Literature and Its Obstacles

Novel “Chopin Disappears” - writer Hien Trang. Photo: Tre Publishing House

The bottlenecks that make young writers struggle

In the literary “forest” after 1975, there were “big trees” who laid the foundation for a new writing style, creating interest in reception such as: Nguyen Huy Thiep, Nguyen Xuan Khanh, Nguyen Binh Phuong, Phan Huyen Thu, Do Hoang Dieu, Do Tien Thuy, Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Tran Dan, Mai Van Phan, Nguyen Quang Thieu, Truong Dang Dung… Meanwhile, young writers have a relatively different literary background: Without many memories of war, the generation welcomes global cultural flows and new artistic trends. With sensitivity, writers such as: Hien Trang, Le Quang Trang, Cao Viet Quynh, Minh Anh… appeared, creating a fresh and diverse literary picture.

However, in the shadow of the previous generation, young writers cannot avoid fear, fear of telling the truth, fear of censorship, and inferiority complex, fearing that they have nothing left to write?

Over the past 50 years, Vietnamese literature has had many resounding works, but still lacks turning points to break out of the rut of thinking. Some works have been honored, but their ideas and writing style are still old. Literature today still faces many limitations: Few magazines dare to publish experimental works; difficulties in printing and publishing new authors; weak literary communication; lack of objective criticism; even competition from AI, causing the boundary between truth and falsehood to be erased, requiring writers to maintain professional ethics.

Solutions to pave the way for young writer move on

For literature to develop, it is necessary to respect diversity, encourage new writing styles and create more space for young authors such as supporting publishing, expanding translation activities, increasing regional and international exchanges, organizing multilingual literary playgrounds, performance and exhibition activities and especially building a serious and impartial criticism.

And what literature needs most of all is the honesty of each individual. When writers dig deeper, literature will be more diverse, from satirical laughter, philosophical reflection to social forecast.

Sharing in the discussion "50 years of Vietnamese Literature since 1975: Perspectives of young writers" held in Hanoi on November 15, young writer Le Quang Trang (born in 1996) commented that Vietnamese literature has not been known to the world as it deserves, the reason does not lie with the writers, but lies in the work of promotion, communication and national cultural strategy.

“Looking at South Korea, they have the Nobel Prize, not only because they have an excellent work, but because they have a whole support system, a long-term strategy, and a national policy on promote literature and culture. As for us - sometimes we write a good work, but it can only survive within our own borders. I am proud of my country's literary tradition, but I also see the responsibility of today's young generation: We cannot just continue, but must innovate, strengthen, and do differently - so that Vietnamese literature can step out into the world with its own Vietnamese voice, identity and soul" - Le Quang Trang commented.