When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: Ch. 14 Letting Go

In the final chapter of When Heaven and Earth Changed Places, Le Ly goes to her land ay, Hoa, to get papers for Le Ly to go to the United States with Ed. Without her family's approval, Le Ly gets married to Ed in Vietnam. Though she opposes Le Ly going to the United States with Ed especially as a minor, Le Ly's mother signs the papers allowing Le Ly to leave Vietnam. Le Ly has her second child, Thomas with Ed in Vietnam. Ed leaves Vietnam before Le Ly as his contract in Vietnam expires. Le Ly follows Ed a few weeks later with Thomas and Hung. In 1986 Vietnam, as Le Ly is about to leave to return to her family in the United States, Le Ly's mother tells her, "I'm very proud of you Bay Ly. You've grown up to see the side of things that's hidden from most people" (358).

From one of my favorite authors, Nicholas Sparks, Dear John, captures the same feelings Le Ly's mother has about Le Ly going to the United States. In the book and movie, John Tyree, is sent to fight in a war overseas. He must leave his father, much like Le Ly's mother, behind who has Aspergers. John's father as well as John's girlfriend are deeply saddened about his departure and then re-enlistment in the army while overseas. When John finally returns, his father has died and his past girlfriend has moved on and married another man.