What are the levels of forgiveness?

In the novel, Father Hùng outlines three levels of forgiveness (drawing from Stephen Marmer) that depend on the actions and attitudes of both the victim and the offender: - Release (Basic Level): The victim lets go of anger and the desire for revenge or retribution, even if the offender never acknowledges their wrongdoing. However, mistrust remains that the hurt might be repeated, leaving the relationship at a standstill. - Forbearance (Middle Level): The victim chooses to move forward and maintain a relationship for the sake of family ties or shared connections, even if the offender hasn't fully apologized or made amends. Mistrust is reduced, but hurt feelings still linger beneath the surface. - Exoneration (Highest Level): The victim completely absolves the wrongdoing, restores the relationship to its previous state, and wipes the slate clean. This highest level can only occur when the offender takes full responsibility, offers a genuine apology, and makes heartfelt amends. Father Hùng notes that while the basic level of "Release" is something the offended party achieves on their own, reaching the higher levels of "Forbearance" and "Exoneration" requires the offender to step into the discomfort of understanding how they caused hurt and committing not to repeat the mistake.