In the novel Paradise of the Blind, Duong Thu Huong tells the story of Hang, a native Vietnamese girl, following the establishment of independence in Vietnam and the imposition of Communism. Vietnam, with a historical background of invasion by foreign entities, initially accepted the communist system because it allowed them independence from previous colonial oppressors. However, as corruption began to infiltrate the system, the flaws of the idealistic system of government came to light. Through the allegory of the rape of orphans in the Blind's Paradise, Huong demonstrates the failure of communism in its implementation due to the Vietnamese's ignorance of political injustices and the inevitability of corruption in a repressive Vietnamese regime. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Through the characterization of the deputy director, Huong demonstrates the inevitability of corruption in a communist system in Vietnam as a result of human weakness. The director is initially described in a very benevolent manner, stating that “every time he opened his mouth, it was always to lecture on morality” (Huong 213). The deputy director is described as a moral figure, dedicated to preaching a “revolutionary spirit, a sense of discipline, international obligations, [and] civic duty” (213). Likewise, the communist system idealized concepts of morality, teaching the practice of supporting each other and uniting members of different social classes. The deputy director's characterization changes dramatically as the allegory progresses, revealing the hypocrisy of his character. The director is seen "crushing a nine-year-old girl beneath him [while she] ... writhed beneath him in pain" (213). Rape is typically associated with lust and the desire for power and dominance. The rape of the little girl highlights the deputy director's human weakness, as he upholds these sinful vices of lust and greed in contrast to the traditional values ​​of love and moral integrity he once had. In comparison, the communist system was dedicated to moral values ​​and sharing among all. However, in its implementation, the system became corrupt due to the inability of the Vietnamese to respect these principles. Lured by the opportunity of wealth and power, many abandoned the original values ​​and concepts idealized by the system of communism. The juxtaposition of the character Bich with the seven deadly sins reveals the inevitable corruption of communism as a result of human weakness. The character Bich had a past as a “soldier expelled from the French colonial army” (25). Bich has a background in the military, a position that is often associated with nobility and dedication to nationalism. However, his allegiance was not to the Vietnamese people but rather to the French colonizers, Vietnam's previous oppressors. Furthermore, Bich is described as “very lazy” (25). This alludes to one of the seven deadly sins; the sloth, which is characterized by avoiding engaging in physical work or tasks. Bich was promoted by Chinh to the status of “'agricultural proletarian' and 'pillar of land reform'” (26). As soon as he achieved this ironic rise to power, he became “intoxicated with himself. His satisfaction was that of a creeping, parasitic vine” (26). Bich's description again alludes to the seven deadly sins, as he is created with the sin of pride in his very misplaced abilities and achievements. It seemed noble to assist Bich because of his background as a war veteran dedicated to nationalism and equality, the epitome of communist values ​​in Vietnam. However, his commitment to theseprinces is tainted by the weaknesses of his character, which are shown through the description of his sins. Likewise, Vietnam's communist leaders were unable to implement the system with its original intent due to their weakness when faced with opportunities for wealth and power. Huong's characterization of the orphan girl demonstrates the natives' vulnerability to corruption due to their lack of education and cultural background. The little girl is described as “mentally ill, the orphan of a railway worker” (213). The quality of the little girl's mental state is similar to that of the natives, disillusioned and manipulated by communist leaders due to their lack of education. Furthermore, the little girl is “the orphan of a railway worker” (213). Having no roots, the little girl is representative of the natives of Vietnam. The little girl is without a father figure, who is typically responsible for providing structure and purpose to a child's life. With a long history of colonization and occupation by foreign entities, Vietnam lacked infrastructure similar to that of its father figure, having no roots or background to support its own country's development. They were therefore vulnerable to exploitation and corruption due to the possibility of a foreign entity or ideology assuming power in Vietnam. The deputy director, while raping the orphan, “gagged her with his hand” (213). The mouth is a mechanism of expression and communication. His inability to speak and express his voice is similar to the way the voices of the Vietnamese people were drowned out by corrupt leaders. People have failed to speak out against corruption and violence for fear of conforming to political pressure within the government. Furthermore, the orphan girl is described as very “sweet and very generous, she shares everything with us, even a tangerine or a guava” (214). The characterization of the orphan girl as very sweet and generous is juxtaposed with the description of the rape scene. This juxtaposition suggests that these characteristics of the orphan girl are exploited by the director, leading to his manipulation. This is shown through Chinh's characterization of his treatment of his own family. Chinh asks Que for money at the beginning of the novel, stating that “My wife and I asked for a transfer here to the capital… they allocated money for us for an apartment. But we will need money to fix it up and furnish it” (52). Que agrees to give Chinh money because of his devotion to the Puritan values ​​of family and sharing, similar to the values ​​held by the orphan girl. However, when Hang went to Uncle Chinh's house to ask for money to supplement the medical expenses of Que's surgery, Chinh argued with Aunt Chinh about these expenses, asking her "Can we borrow some [money]?" [to which Aunt Tam replied] 'Absolutely not. We never borrowed money from anyone”' (223). Uncle Chinh, although apparently devoted to communist concepts of sharing and equality among all people, refused to help his sister as she was dying. With respect to the rape of the orphan, Que is exploited by Chinh for money, and when Que's health worsens, Chinh does not express the same devotion to these values, despite having more than enough financial stability to do so and has very ironically preached these same philosophies in the past as a member of the communist party. The laughing children witness the rape of the orphan girl are made to represent the passivity of the natives due to their ignorance, resulting in the severity of corruption under the communist government. A group of children, including Bohemian as a toddler, heard “muffled screams coming from the other side [of the courtyard]” (213). They could see the “deputy director,.