Vietgone

One of the two lead characters in Vietgone, Quang represents the father of Qui Nguyen, the Playwright. Quang is a former South Vietnamese soldier trying to return to his family in Vietnam after becoming a refugee in the US. Throughout the play, Quang is a foil to Tong, wanting to return to his family and old life in Vietnam rather than work to build a new life in the US. In Scene 0, he emphasizes his desire to leave the US since he doesn’t believe in the possibility of a new life there: “We don’t belong here. We belong there. There, we’re heroes. We’re sons. We’re men. There, we count for something. Here, however, we ain’t shit” (13). Quang firmly believes that his life is in Vietnam, where his family is and his place in society is more elevated. He recognizes his refugee status in the US and doesn’t want to once again build a life. His desire to return stems not only from missing his family but also from the notion that building a new life in the US is impossible because Americans treats refugees as second-class citizens.

Despite his firm belief that the US holds no future for him, Quang is a dynamic character and changes over the course of the novel as his experiences influence his values and goals.