Fadiman Essay

the Hmong living in the U.S. are now located in specific cities and regions of California, Minnesota, and Wisconsin (Lee and Green 2010). The Lee family moved to the Merced, California in 1980 and has had to adapt to life in a new host country (Fadiman 1997). Acculturation is used to describe how the culture of immigrants changes over time as they adapt to living in a new country (Vang 2013). Fadiman’s depiction of Nao Kao and Foua Lee’s life Merced indicates the couple resisted shedding any aspects

Distinct World Clashes In the novel, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures, Anne Fadiman exposes the clash between the Hmong culture and Western medicine, in addition to the lack of communication and language. Fadiman uses Lia Lee, a Hmong epileptic girl, as a symbol of cultural dissonance and reveals the effects of how a language barrier can have in the health care system. It is believed that all Hmong people have many souls

the officers from Long Tieng, leaving everyone else behind” (Fadiman, 2012, p. 215). Frustration is understandable since the Hmong “risked their lives to rescue downed American pilots” which consequentially led to the forced fleeing from their country (Fadiman, 2012, p. 215). The next betrayal occurred when those “who wanted to come to the United States were not automatically admitted” especially after what they had done already (Fadiman, 2012, p. 215). By this point, patience and understanding would

Spirit Catches you and you Fall Down, the early Hmong settlers of California are observed to have certain issues with Western Medicine, resulting in a conflicted relationship between the Hmong community and the Merced Medical Center Merced (MCMC). Fadiman begins with introducing and explaining the Hmong culture and how their lifestyle differs from the West. Then, the story starts focusing around Lia, a Hmong baby born with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. From here on, the Lees had

The topic of sexual education and women’s reproductive health is one that draws very polarized opinions from individuals drawn into the discussion. The United States holds very strong beliefs about sex education and women’s reproductive health. Although statistics on sexually transmitted diseases (TDSHS, 2014) show that these beliefs are medically harmful, they are so completely ingrained in our culture that we choose to ignore the research that says otherwise. Our textbook does not cover sex education

Her family was aware of her condition, and they had alternative healing methods for Lia, however, the U.S. medical profession did not value these wishes. Instead, they performed multiple procedures on her that went against her family’s beliefs (Fadiman 1997). Lee Family’s Social Environment In this novel, there are different social environments that interact with the Lee family. Each of these environments interact with the Lee family in different ways. Some environments interact for the better

children are achievement orientated and feel entitled to rank. Since they were born first they always prefer to be on top. (Frager&Fadiman, 2013)According to research done parents are more anxious with their first born and therefore push them harder then any of their other children. Research also shows that many first born’s are type A personalities. (Frager&Fadiman, 2013) He tried hard all his life to stay on top in his parents eyes. George has always been an achiever. When he was young he attended

claims that wicked spirits are continually searching human souls, mostly those of defenseless or unappreciated children. For the Hmong culture, epilepsy is known as qaug dab peg which means, "the spirit catches you and you fall down" in English (Fadiman, 1997, p.3, 4). Epileptic episodes are seen as affirmation of the epileptic's capability to enter and

Culture plays a major role in the spirit catches you and you fall by Ann Fadiman. Every chapter shares some aspect of Hmong history and culture: food, clothing, language, family structure, birthing rituals, and so on. The Hmong traditionally lived high in the mountains of Laos, where they practiced agriculture and subsisted primarily on rice, vegetables, herbs, and occasionally pork and chicken if the family could afford it. They believe most diseases have a spiritual cause that can be alleviated

Fall Down In this book written by Anne Fadiman in 1997, Fadiman tells the story of a Hmong family from Sainyabuli province Asia. The Lee’s family’s story is one filled with perseverance and mishap. With majority of the book being about Lia Lee, a child with epilepsy. Thought to be caused because of her younger sister slamming a door which released her soul from her body. Leading to the onslaught of problems between the Lee’s family and western medicine. Fadiman discusses these problems in the book