First They Killed My Father: Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

The story begins in Phnom Penh in April of 1975. The bustling city comes to life early as people try to avoid the extreme heat of midday. The streets are full of food vendors, children playing, and people on their way to work. Loung Ung is five years old and lives with her family in a third-floor apartment in the middle of the chaos. She enjoys traveling with Ma via cyclo, a sort of “big wheelchair attached to the front of a bicycle,” as police officers stand on metal boxes at intersections to direct traffic. This morning Loung struggles to sit still as she and her parents eat a traditional breakfast of noodle soup. Ma scolds her and Loung believes it must difficult for Ma—who is tall, slender, and beautiful—to have such an unruly daughter. Despite Ma’s efforts, Loung cannot walk daintily like a proper young lady.

The family’s food comes and Loung adds two whole red chilies to her bowl, reflecting that Pa told her that eating spicy food is good for people in hot climates because it makes them drink more water. Loung knocks over a salt shaker and Ma becomes angry once again, pointing out that Loung frequently gets into trouble—such as when she carried around a chicken to join in chicken fights with her friends. Pa, meanwhile, asserts that Loung is clever for getting herself out of tricky situations.

Pa is five-foot-five with a stocky frame and a warm smile that reaches his eyes. He was a monk when he met Ma but, smitten by her beauty, left the monastery so they could marry. Because he was poor and dark-skinned, however, Ma’s parents did not approve of the match and the two eloped. Pa had a serious gambling problem early in their marriage; he lost his house and money in a game, and stopped gambling when Ma threatened to leave him. As a result, he does not allow playing cards in the house. He works as a military police captain, and though Loung does not get to see him often because of his job, she insists he is “everything a good father should be” and is respected by many.

Loung is extremely curious about the world, though her incessant questioning annoys Ma. After she has finished eating, her parents let her leave the table and she buys fried crickets for a snack. She notices that many of the more successful street vendors are pretty girls, and that beauty is a powerful commodity. She recalls friends of her parents frequently saying she is “ugly,” which in Cambodia is a compliment; people believe that evil spirits become jealous when they hear a child being complimented outright.