The Vietnamese Films
The Vietnamese films symbolize Thanh Nguyen's existential predicament regarding his past. The films are violent and show Americans' role in the Vietnam War. Nguyen reveals that the Americans played a major role in destabilizing Vietnam to score selfish interests. Therefore, Nguyen regrets being an American and Vietnamese simultaneously because he is the killer and the one being killed.
Ban Mê Thuột
Ban Mê Thuột is a symbol of the scars of the Vietnam War. Ban Mê Thuột is the village in Vietnam where Nguyen was born. Whenever Nguyen visits Ban Mê Thuột, he remembers the day his family became refugees and fled to America for safety. When Nguyen and his family fled as refugees, he was four years old and witnessed the reckless killings of people, including young children. Consequently, Ban Mê Thuột remains an important symbol in the novel because it represents the effects of the War in Vietnam.
The sunny façade
The sunny façade is mentioned more than once in the biography to represent the dark side of America. Nguyen says that the violence hidden behind the sunny façade is unimaginable, which represents the violent acts against immigrants in the United States of America. For instance, for no good reason, the white man shoots Nguyen's parents in their grocery store. Nguyen reveals the dark side of America due to rampant racism, unfair treatment, and unequal opportunities.
