Saigon

The main setting used in "The Lotus Eaters" by Tatjana Soli is Saigon. Helen arrives in Saigon in the early days before the heavy fighting truly begins. The surroundings could not be more foreign. The heat is oppressive and the comforts of home in the U.S. have been removed. Everything is always covered with dust and mud. The streets are always crowded with bustling men, women and children, even in times of danger. However, as Annick points out to Helen early on, it is easy to tell Americans because they are always in a hurry and the Vietnamese tend to take things at a much slower pace.

Helen Lives in Saigon with Linh, her lover and fellow photographer. The building in which they live is relatively non-descript and certainly not luxurious by any means. It is not far from the United States Embassy, where Linh and...