What are the motifs in A Vietcong Memoir: An Inside Account of the Vietnam War and Its Aftermath by Truong Nhu Tang?

The importance of tradition is a recurring idea in the story. The Vietnamese have many traditions with a wide array playing a role in the day-to-day lives of families. For example, it's tradition that the six sons in Tang's family are directed into a field of study by their father. Children typically don't have the option to decide this important matter for themselves. Though Tang denies both a love and an aptitude for chemistry, which is vital to a degree in pharmacology, he obediently goes to college to study as directed. It's important to note that Tang bucks this tradition, taking on another career for himself. Other aspects of tradition include the selection of names by the grandfather, which Tang's grandfather had done that for Tang and his five brothers.