English language a success. Therefore, you help us become rich Thank you, America” 2012:220-221
According to the Murphy, the development of the character is revealed through speech 1972:163. Percival has started to have a close relationship with the
American. According to Broom and Selznick, the less ethnocentric people take the other culture for granted, but still reject others, so does Percival. Even though
he begins to interact with others, he still does not like them. He just uses to them to increase his benefits. “Even after years of association with the Americans,
Percival still dislikes having their sweat, their smell, on his hands” 2012:270. According to the mannerism, Percival still hates the American‟s appearance. In
the same time, he opens himself to the American. The situation in the Vietnam War made Percival meet and interact with many Americans.
3. The Growing of Nationalism
At the past, Chinese people were well known as bourgeoisie in Vietnam. Their strong-ethic work had made the Vietnamese hated them. When the war
started, the Vietnamese started to discriminate the Chinese, especially in South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported by China, therefore southern Vietnamese
always thought that the Chinese was the one of the agent that caused disunity of Vietnam. “Mak turned to face Percival. “To what end? Mr. Tu spoke clearly---
this policy is a patriotic and political issue. You know that some in Saigon dislike the Chinese-
run English schools in Cholon”” 2012:22. Ironically, Percival who is underestimated by the Vietnamese always believes that he has the best culture
and underestimates the Vietnamese.
When the war becomes worse, not only the south Vietnamese who does not like the Chinese, but also the north Vietnamese. The north Vietnamese makes
the Chinese as the target of anti-comprador bourgeoisie. During the war, China influenced and supported North Vietnam too much. North Vietnam started to
realize that China wanted to take over Vietnam. Therefore, there was a disunity between North Vietnam and China. Percival, as a Chinese, is for sure being the
target of Viet Cong. When Tet offensive started, Percival is on the list of assassination. Actually, they have been come into Chen Hap Sing, but Mak who
is a comrade of communist can prevent and convince Viet Cong that there is a mistake by putting Percival on assassination list.
The officer‟s face was flat. “Did you know that your name was on a list?” “A list?”
“Yes, an assassination list. It was in the pocket of one of the Viet Cong who was shot outside of your school.” Percival thought of the men who
had burst into the room where Jacqueline was giving birth. Percival had told himself it was just bad luck, that the assassination team had stumbled
into Chen Hap Sing. They had seemed defeated, exhausted. Was that why they were so willing to kill, because they knew that their own end would
surely come soon? “The communist were on their way to kill you. That is the reason I have not arrested you for providing your car to the enemy . . .
yet.” The officer laughed. 2012:248
Through character as seen by another 1972:162, Percival is under suspicion by the Vietnamese. Percival used to humiliate the Vietnamese. He,
actually, is the inferior group in Vietnam, but he acts like he is the majority group. Percival‟s anxiety describes through reaction 1972:166, the quotation will be
stated as follows: The more fortunate victims were the foreigners, army officers, and
prominent local officials and business people. They were targeted on the night of Tet and shot by North Vietnamese assassination squad. Most of
the Vietnamese who died in the drawn-out occupation of Hue---teachers, police, and anyone who spoke a foreign language--were bound by the
hands and feet, pushed into pits alive, and buried by the shovels of those who were next to killed. As the fighting dragged on, the Northern troops
needed to conserve bullets. The graves were not deep and were easy to find, wrote the journalist, as the rotting bodies stank through the shallow
mud. Percival read this, opened the coal box of the kitchen stove, shoved the glossy magazine into it, and watched the pages burst into flames.
2012:244
After reading the magazine, Percival burns it. His reaction shows that he is, actually, afraid of the situation. Percival used to bribe government, like when
he bribed Mr Tu, but he can not do anything. Percival can not fight for his freedom or power. He can only burn the magazine. His action shows that he does
not have power anymore to defeat the Vietnamese. He started to realize that he is the inferior group in Vietnam, not a superior group anymore. Viet Cong can kill
him anytime. Now, they are more powerful than him. The situation of the growing nationalism makes Percival‟s ethnocentrism diminish. He has to survive,
so he can not hold to his culture tighly.
4. The Northern’s Victory
