Paradise of the Blind Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 8 Summary

Chapter 8 Summary

Back on the train, Hang's traveling companion offers her a juicy peach, which she relishes. They pull into a station and Hang watches a couple tearfully saying goodbye. She reflects on separation as being the "greatest human sadness". It reminds her of the vulgarity of separations at Noi Bai Airport where she left Vietnam for Russia. She remembers the fears and anxieties of people trying to make it through customs in the stifling heat, while their loved ones watch from behind an iron grill. Emotions are mixed between hope and loss, which Hang describes as a "grotesque joy". No one is at the airport to see Hang off. Her mother is in the hospital and her Aunt Tam is angry, though she knows she is probably crying at home.

She remembers a time three years before leaving Vietnam. Hang is going through entrance exams so Aunt Tam comes to stay...
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