Ocean Vuong’s first novel explores the issues of racism and the relationship between a son and his mother. Ocean has been publishing poetical work for decades now and now he experiments with this new form of literature that he himself was not quite familiar with but it is still awesome. It all starts with a letter that the son posts to his mother, ironically the mother cannot read and when she gets the letter it is nothing for her and the true meanings will perhaps remain hidden.
Ocean Voung narrates the stuff himself because he wanted to feel the passion in his work again and again so that he would be able to convey it in the same way.
The letter narrates the family history that is full of secrets and though the son wants to make many things clear to his mother but she cannot understand the purpose or the meaning of his words. Issues like racism, color and creed are discussed in true sense and if someone has not noticed or seen such things in America than it is an eye opener for them.
The history of America is loaded with such incidents and stories that have come into families from generations to generation and literature too is providing some space to them.
The ways that the black people adopted to survive are too corrosive for the people who never read about gender and racial issues in their life exaggerated to such an extent. Strong words are put into the mouth of the characters to make them appear more daring, bold and strong under the storms of persecution.
