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Genre

When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War to Peace is a memoir.

Narrator

Le Ly Hayslip is the narrator of When Heaven and Earth Changed Places.

Point of View

The story is told in first person, parallel narrative.

Tense

The tense of When Heaven and Earth Changed Places shifts from past to present as the narrator reflects on her childhood in Vietnam during her return.

Protagonist & Antagonist

Le Ly Hayslip is the protagonist of the work. War serves as its antagonist.

Setting (Time & Place)

The events described in When Heaven and Earth Changed Places take place from the years from the 1950s until 1986. It is set in Vietnam, with a few scenes in the Philippines.

Rising Action

Le Ly spends her adolescence confused about where her loyalties should lie—with the Viet Cong who raped and exiled her yet fight for her country, or with the invading Americans who are her friends.

Climax

After her father's death, Le Ly is able to understand her purpose in life and where her loyalty should lie. Le Ly reunites with her family in Danang.

Falling Action

Le Ly continues to work in Danang to support her family and also to save enough to leave the country. She leaves the country with her two sons without telling her family.

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