The Sympathizer Study Guide Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Who wrote the following quote that opens the novel: 'Let us not become gloomy as soon as we hear the word torture'?

Friedrich Nietzsche

On what date did the Fall of Saigon occur?

April 30, 1975

What does the word 'epicurean' mean in Chapter 1?

A lover of sensual pleasures

Whom does the narrator say actually came up with the question attributed to Lenin in Chapter 1: 'What is to be done?'

Nikolay Chernyshevsky Signup and view all the answers

Who is the author of 'Asian Communism and the Oriental Mode of Destruction'?

Richard Hedd Signup and view all the answers

What was the narrator's father's profession?

Priest Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of Bon's wife?

Linh Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of Bon's son?

Duc Signup and view all the answers

Who wrote the quote cited in Chapter 1: 'Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds'?

Ralph Waldo Emerson Signup and view all the answers

Who gave the narrator his rucksack that he packs and leaves with in Chapter 1?

Claude Signup and view all the answers

What kind of camera does the narrator describe carrying in the hidden compartment of his rucksack?

A Minox camera Signup and view all the answers

Who is the dictator of the Philippines when the narrator leaves in Chapter 1?

Ferdinand Marcos Signup and view all the answers

What author does the narrator say that Man had introduced him and Bon to in Chapter 1?

Alexandre Dumas Signup and view all the answers

What Beatles' song does the narrator describe singing in the bar with Man and Bon in Chapter 1?

Yesterday Signup and view all the answers

To whom is the narrator writing his confession in Chapter 2?

Commandant Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator say his mother called him in Chapter 2?

Love child Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator say his father called him in Chapter 2?

Nothing at all Signup and view all the answers

Where have the narrator and Bon landed in the beginning of Chapter 4?

Guam Signup and view all the answers

What word in the novel refers to the practice of concealing a message within another message?

Steganography Signup and view all the answers

Where does the narrator first arrive in the United States in Chapter 4?

San Diego Signup and view all the answers

What word from Chapter 4 refers to a straight, close-fitting dress with a high neck?

Cheongsam Signup and view all the answers

Where does the Department Chair say he met his wife in Chapter 4?

Taiwan Signup and view all the answers

What author is cited in the narrative as saying 'East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet'?

Rudyard Kipling Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator brush over the letters from his aunt in order to see the hidden messages in Chapter 4?

Iodine Signup and view all the answers

What food item does the narrator describe missing terribly in his letter to his aunt in Chapter 4?

Fish sauce Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator claim to be guilty of in his confession in Chapter 5?

Honesty Signup and view all the answers

What fictional spy character does the narrator describe sleeping peacefully on a bed of nails in Chapter 5?

James Bond Signup and view all the answers

What kind of store does the narrator describe the General opening in Chapter 5?

A liquor store Signup and view all the answers

What job has Bon taken in Chapter 5?

A store clerk position Signup and view all the answers

On what day of the week does the General's store opening occur in Chapter 5?

Friday Signup and view all the answers

Where does the narrator say Ms. Mori lives in Chapter 5?

The Crenshaw neighborhood Signup and view all the answers

What is Ms. Mori's first name?

Sofia Signup and view all the answers

What Founding Father does the narrator describe having said that an older mistress is a wonderful thing in Chapter 5?

Benjamin Franklin Signup and view all the answers

The author writes in Chapter 5, 'Under Asian communism, everything but' what 'is free'?

Sex Signup and view all the answers

To what religion does Bon ascribe?

Catholicism Signup and view all the answers

Where is the General's store located, according to the narrator in Chapter 5?

On Hollywood Boulevard Signup and view all the answers

Who is the woman that Claude was forced to leave behind when he fled Saigon?

Kim Signup and view all the answers

What is described as 'the cue for the evacuation's final phase' in Chapter 5?

White Christmas Signup and view all the answers

Who has the General enlisted to help the narrator in killing the major in Chapter 5?

Bon Signup and view all the answers

The narrator writes to the Commandant in Chapter 7, 'We're revolutionaries, and revolutionaries can never be' what?

Innocent Signup and view all the answers

Where does the narrator describe attending a wedding in Chapter 7?

Westminster Signup and view all the answers

To what song does the General go onstage to dance with the performer at the wedding in Chapter 7?

Black is Black Signup and view all the answers

What kind of traditional dress does the narrator describe Lana having worn as a girl in Chapter 7?

An ao dai Signup and view all the answers

Where does Lana attend college?

The University of California at Berkeley Signup and view all the answers

What was Lana's major in college?

Art history Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the nicknames for the Congressman that the narrator describes in Chapter 7?

Napalm Ned Signup and view all the answers

What district does the Congressman represent?

Orange County Signup and view all the answers

Where does the narrator take the General and Madame to the Congressman's house for dinner in Chapter 7?

Huntington Beach Signup and view all the answers

Madame exclaims in Chapter 7, 'The worst thing about living in America is' what?

The corruption Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the Congressman's wife?

Rita Signup and view all the answers

What does the Congressman say that the movie is about that he is advising on in Chapter 7?

The Phoenix Program Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the film that the narrator is to advise about?

The Hamlet Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the movie director's assistant?

Violet Signup and view all the answers

In what film does the narrator describe Mickey Rooney playing a 'bucktoothed, bespectacled Jap' in Chapter 8?

Breakfast at Tiffany's Signup and view all the answers

What film of the Auteur's is described in Chapter 8 as 'A critically lauded movie about the travails of Greek American youth in the inflamed streets of Detroit'?

Hard Knock Signup and view all the answers

What film of the Auteur's is described in Chapter 8 as being 'about the failure of the American Dream'?

Venice Beach Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the Auteur's gardener?

José Signup and view all the answers

What infamous Nazi does the author describe in Chapter 8?

Joesph Goebbels Signup and view all the answers

What food does Madame offer to the narrator when he visits in Chapter 8?

Pho Signup and view all the answers

What character is the Thespian playing in the film?

Captain Will Shamus Signup and view all the answers

What character is the Idol playing in the film?

Sergeant Jay Bellamy Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the older Vietnamese brother in the Auteur's film?

Binh Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the Vietnamese sister in the Auteur's film?

Mai Signup and view all the answers

Of what ethnicity is the actor who plays Danny Boy in the Auteur's film?

Filipino Signup and view all the answers

Of what ethnicity is James Yoon described in Chapter 10?

Korean American Signup and view all the answers

What is the dish soap that James Yoon is known for promoting in television commercials?

Sheen Signup and view all the answers

Where is Asia Soo's mother from?

England Signup and view all the answers

Where is Asia Soo's father from?

China Signup and view all the answers

What book is Asia Soo reading when the narrator approaches her by the pool in Chapter 10?

Jonathan Livingston Seagull Signup and view all the answers

Where does the narrator describe finally seeing the Auteur's film in Chapter 10?

In Bangkok Signup and view all the answers

Who is described as the A-Team's only black soldier in the Auteur's film?

Sergeant Pete Attucks Signup and view all the answers

The narrator says in Chapter 11, 'The longer I worked on the movie, the more I was convinced that I was not only a technical consultant on an artistic project, but an infiltrator into a work of' what?

Propaganda Signup and view all the answers

Who is the young student that the narrator describes discussing Mao with him and Man in Chapter 11?

Ngo Signup and view all the answers

Where does the narrator wake up in the hospital after the accident on the movie set?

Manila Signup and view all the answers

What do the extras bring to the narrator at the hospital in Chapter 11?

A fruit basket and bottle of Johnnie Walker Signup and view all the answers

The narrator describes working his first assignment under whose supervision at the National Interrogation Center in Saigon?

Claude's Signup and view all the answers

How does the narrator describe having broken the Watchman during interrogation in Chapter 11?

By threatening to falsely reveal the Watchman is gay. Signup and view all the answers

Where does the narrator land after returning from the movie set in Chapter 12?

Los Angeles Signup and view all the answers

Who awaits the narrator when he arrives back in the U.S. from the movie set in Chapter 12?

Bon Signup and view all the answers

What business has the General decided to open to raise money for the movement in Chapter 12?

A restaurant Signup and view all the answers

Where did Madame organize a Tet celebration, according to the narrator in Chapter 12?

Orange County Signup and view all the answers

Where does Sonny say Abe is now in Chapter 13?

Japan Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator bring to Ms. Mori's house in Chapter 13?

Vodka and cigarettes Signup and view all the answers

What color beret does the General wear in Chapter 13?

Red Signup and view all the answers

Where does the grizzled captain say he lost contact with his family in Chapter 13?

Da Nang Signup and view all the answers

Whom does the narrator cite in having said 'men will die for bits of ribbon pinned to their chests' in Chapter 13?

Napoleon Bonaparte Signup and view all the answers

The narrator begins Chapter 14 saying, 'Sometimes the work of a subversive is purposeful, but sometimes, I confess, it is' what?

Accidental Signup and view all the answers

What is the title of the newspaper article Sonny writes about the field maneuvers in Chapter 14?

Move On, War Over Signup and view all the answers

What is the revue that Lana performs for in Chapter 14?

Fantasia Signup and view all the answers

Where did the narrator, Bon, and Man swear their blood oath?

In a tamarind grove Signup and view all the answers

Where do the narrator and Bon go to see Lana sing in Chapter 14?

The Roosevelt Hotel Signup and view all the answers

What do the narrator and his friends drink at the nightclub in Chapter 14?

Cognac Signup and view all the answers

What is the first number that Lana performs at the club in Chapter 14?

I'd Love You to Want Me Signup and view all the answers

What drinks does the narrator buy for Lana at the club in Chapter 14?

Vodka martinis Signup and view all the answers

Where does the narrator learn that Lana works in Chapter 14?

Art gallery Signup and view all the answers

Where does Lana say she'd like to live if not in Los Angeles in Chapter 14?

New York Signup and view all the answers

What word from Chapter 15 refers to a celestial nymph?

Delphine Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator describe marriage as in Chapter 15?

Slavery Signup and view all the answers

What does Bon threaten the shoplifters with in Chapter 15?

A baseball bat Signup and view all the answers

Where does the Congressman invite the General in Chapter 15?

To a country club Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Opening Quote and Themes

Friedrich Nietzsche's quote, "Let us not become gloomy as soon as we hear the word torture," sets a tone of dark humor and philosophical contemplation at the novel's outset.

Historical Context

The Fall of Saigon, a pivotal historical event marking the end of the Vietnam War, occurred on April 30, 1975.

Key Characters and Relationships

The narrator's father was a priest, shaping his complex views on religion and identity.
Bon's wife is named Linh, and their son is Duc, highlighting familial ties crucial to the narrative.
To the narrator, his mother referred to him as "love child," while his father was silent about him, illustrating familial dynamics and emotional disconnect.

Significant Concepts and Terms

"Epicurean" refers to a lover of sensual pleasures, emphasized in Chapter 1's exploration of indulgence.
The term "steganography" describes concealing messages within other messages, reflecting themes of subterfuge in the novel.

Cultural References

Alexandre Dumas is introduced as an influential author for the narrator and Bon.
The song "Yesterday" by the Beatles serves as a nostalgic element in Chapter 1, connecting characters through shared experiences.
Rudyard Kipling's quote about the East and West emphasizes the cultural divides encountered.

Detailing the Journey

The narrator and Bon first arrive in the U.S. at San Diego in Chapter 4, marking their transition to a new life.
The Minox camera represents the narrator's secretive and observant nature, tucked away in his rucksack.

Personal Struggles and Growth

The narrator claims guilt in his confession for "honesty," revealing his internal conflict and moral dilemmas.
The character of James Bond is referenced to illustrate the absurdity of spy clichés, while also acknowledging the genre's romanticized violence.

American life and cultural corruption are critiqued through Madame's statement about living in America, expressing disillusionment.
The arrival in America leads to various businesses, including a liquor store and plans for a restaurant, showcasing the struggle for livelihood amid the diaspora.

Interpersonal Dynamics

Relationships with characters like Ms. Mori and the General form a web of social interactions that affect the narrator's journey and identity.
Wedding scenes in Chapter 7 symbolize both celebration and the tensions of cultural integration.

Film and Media Critique

The narrator's involvement in the movie industry serves as a commentary on propaganda, identity, and representation.
References to famous films, such as "Breakfast at Tiffany's," highlight racial stereotypes and the Hollywood portrayal of Asians.

Final Notes on Transformation

The narrative's progression through various cities (Guam, Los Angeles) mirrors the personal evolution of the narrator and his friends.
Emotional states fluctuate between nostalgia, ambition, and regret, encapsulating the immigrant experience and the search for belonging.

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Enhance your understanding of 'The Sympathizer' with these study guide flashcards. Test your knowledge on key quotes, historical events, and important vocabulary from the novel. Perfect for students seeking a deeper exploration of the text.