Ecopedagogy, War Memories, and Sensory Experiences of Nature in Contemporary Vietnamese Children’s Literature

Abstract

This article discusses Nguyễn Ngọc Thuần’s famous work of children’s literature, Open the Window, Eyes Closed (Vừa Nhắm Mắt Vừa Mở Cửa Sổ), and its ecopedagogical function in awakening environmental awareness. In this story, Nguyễn Ngọc Thuần presents nature as a source of healing and reconnecting Vietnamese readers with their heroic but painful past. Scenes of rivers, jungles, gardens, trees, flowers, and animals in this story can be seen as a source of contemplation. The essay begins by investigating how natural and historical landscapes are represented and interconnected as well as how war memories and local wisdom are integrated into Vietnamese children’s literature. It also examines how sensory experiences of nature and close encounters with local animals are employed to create a balanced relationship between humans and nature. In this way, it shows the ways in which children’s literature helps enhance both ecological consciousness and environmental literacy. Through textual analysis, the article demonstrates how the relationship between history and the natural landscape in literature reveals the subtle transformation in Vietnamese society from local memories to a global concern about the environment.