In “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui, the girl describes how terrified she felt when they fled Vietnam. Thi’s thought bubble, “Did he realize he scared us?” is tiny, which suggests that she is hesitant or anxious. The author has contrasted recollections of the war in Vietnam and contemporary life by combining conventional ink and pen illustrations with computerized coloring. Her work of art has more texture and depth attributable to this approach, which also conveys a sense of anxiety and emotional upheaval. The author employed red, a hue commonly associated with strong emotions like fury, passion, and warmth, and gray and black, which show uncertainty. Given the author’s method, it is evident how the colors enhanced the profundity and sentiment of the illustrations while maintaining a crisp, professional appearance. Using subdued tones to evoke nostalgia, the artist effectively recreated the coarseness of the girl’s memories.
The girl is gazing at her father as her left-hand clutches a doll turned away from the viewer. Compared to her father, who chills and smokes in the common area, the young daughter is depicted as despairing. With her back pointed to the observer and a hidden stare fixed on her father, the girl may be attempting to distance herself and her father. Her body is also rigid, with her shoulders elevated and her hands gripping the doll firmly (Bui 74). The overprotective nature of her father is to blame for this circumstance. Her father has rendered her more fearful of him and apprehensive about problems she might encounter by being extremely worried about her being secure and speaking to her angrily and callously. Her doll is significant in helping her appear secure and at ease, which is vital given how terrified she is. She declares how the doll’s company comforts her when she inquires about her dad’s admission of his troublesome sense of guardianship. Additionally, if she holds onto a cuddly, puffy doll, she finds it easier to generate beneficial feelings and deal with her anxious thoughts.
The girl appears afraid, fragile, and possibly attempting to hide from an outsider based on her posture and the reality that her presence is concealing herself behind the bookshelves. There is a sense of haste and anxiety since the bookshelf’s disorder implies that the family may be packing or moving out of their home. Due to her hunched-over position and apparent mental anguish, the girl may suffer psychological trauma likely connected to the war and displacement-related events. Her father is conscious of his daughter’s fragility and is trying all in his power to shield her, as seen by his imposing stature and guarded posture. The girl abandons her doll because the book she picked up was all that was on her mind.
The family’s experience of living without a residence following the war may have something to do with the father’s overprotectiveness. The dread and unease can result from being uprooted and losing one’s home, especially in children who might not completely comprehend the uprooting circumstances. The father’s protectionism can be interpreted as an effort to give his daughter a sense of tranquility and safety in an alarming and chaotic situation. The little girl hides behind a bookcase, looking at a book, trying to escape her father’s ferocious fury. The scene is depicted, conveying the girl’s fear and anxiety. The girl’s sensation of helplessness is heightened by the low-angle picture, which also emphasizes the father’s intimidating presence. The girl is seen in the panel after immersing her visage in the book while keeping her eyes closed, presumably trying to forget about the natural world and find solace in the material she is perusing.
The bookshelf is depicted as a haven, with books and toys around to suggest a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The girl’s fetal position, with her limbs snuggled close to her body, portrays her vulnerability and longing for security. The dearth of color also emphasizes the importance of the girl’s book as an instrument of comfort and retreat by drawing attention to it. Additionally, the author adds the caption, “More that he just did not know…” This implies the girl’s endeavor to explain her father’s actions and develop a coping mechanism for the traumatic experience. A close-up shot of the ringing telephone in the first frame of the next page builds anxiety and suspense. The message box in the next panel shows that the girl answers the call with a worried expression. The scene’s aesthetics successfully portray the character’s feelings and desperation and uneasiness over who might be calling.
The little girl’s expression suddenly changes in the next strip as she receives the words, her eyes enlarging in amazement and her lips gaping. The girl’s emotions are correctly depicted visually, successfully portraying the issue’s seriousness. The next panel underlines the significance of the issue and the requirement for prompt action by depicting the girl frantically hanging up the line. Bui’s choice of color is restrained in this situation, with the panel being dominated by red and grey tones. The suspense in the situation is increased by the employment of these tones, which imply a feeling of uneasiness and insecurity. The depth of emotion of the scene is also highlighted by the absence of ambient detail and the emphasis on intimate views of the girl’s face (Bui 75). The importance and emotional significance of the phone conversation are well communicated through the artistic interpretation of this scene. The close-up, restricted color scheme, and simple backdrops all contribute to the stress and reflect the girl’s erratic psychological state.
The word “ring, ring” is written in solid characters over a magnified view of a telephone receiver in the first panel after that. The observer contemplates who is contacting them and why it is crucial, heightening the impression of immediacy and stress. The next panel shows Thi holding the phone while maintaining a worried expression. We witness her father’s anxiety reemerge as he inquires how the person calling was aware Thi was a female while Thi presses her father to clarify the purpose of the message. The true nature of the circumstances is subsequently thrust upon Thi’s father. His body language conveys embarrassment and hints that the call might have something unpleasant associated with it. An image of the father staring at his daughter while displaying a painful expression suggests he is about to disclose a sad situation. Thi tries to comprehend the seriousness of the predicament as the father starts to convey the significance of the telephone call, which creates a chaotic and confusing scene.
The scene’s conclusion is the panel that depicts the father standing close to a window with his arms ready for confrontation and a determined expression on his visage. The panel’s text is printed in a large, strong font to emphasize the seriousness of the father’s statement that “The pervert is probably watching you through the window.” The visual examination in this chapter emphasizes the psychological impact that the talk has on both the father and daughter while also conveying the tension and anxiety of a challenging topic. The use of various fonts, image dimensions, and gestures all contribute to the vibrant and compelling story that is being told about the complex relationship and circumstances that both Thi and her father are experiencing.
Work Cited
Bui, T. “Home: the holding pen.” The Best We Could Do, 2017, pp. 74-75.
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