Chapters Nine through Eleven Summary and Analysis

Le Ly relates the story of a woman who watched as her son was shot down because he ran from the American soldiers - a sure precursor of death. She is then shot as well and is paralyzed so that a young grandchild has to care for her until he is also killed. Le Ly says that it's these stories that make her realize that the only chance for her survival and that of her son is to escape Vietnam. The story reverts to 1986. Le Ly arrives at the home of Tinh to find her mother there. The older woman is initially very cool but later warms to Le Ly and they are there when Bon Nghe, her oldest brother, arrives, saying that he'd managed to take off work in order to see his sister...