Beginning in infancy,. Chapter 17: The Eight Questions. 13-14 Ch. Chapter 12 shows violence, starvation, and death became normalized for Hmong refugees in a way few Americans can understand. Illness had come when the wife of a wicked. Contrary to the belief that the qualities of one side do not merge with those of the other, however, it. Anyway, this sparks a rebellion that goes on for centuries, until the Hmong finally retreat into the mountains. Fadiman’s plot revolves around Lia, a Hmong girl born with severe epilepsy, and the. Purpose In this small-scale study, we pre-supposed that The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down wouldThe Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down tells the story of Lia Lee, a Hmong child with epilepsy, whose tragic demise reveals the dangers of a lack of cross-cultural communication in the medical profession. Lia ’s foster mom and Tom Korda ’s wife. Lia has her first seizure when she is three months old. Lia Lee suffered from seizures and eventually becomes vegetative for the rest of her life. The Lee family knew that the noise had awakened a dab, an evil spirit who stole Lia's soul. Examine and describe how these differences create disparities between U. , a Chinese emperor named Hoang-ti decrees that any Hmong convicted of a crime will be castrated. The family has two pigs to sacrifice—one for them and one for Lia—as well as a host of tasty Hmong food. At age three months Lia had had her first epileptic seizure—as the Lees put it, ``the spirit catches. Over two years after Lia's big seizure, she was still alive. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is the riveting narrative of a showdown between modern American medicine and ancient Hmong beliefs, a blow-by-blow account. Nao Kao gained weight and had high blood pressure, while Foua. Their advice was daunting and they felt her journey lacked promise. A little girl who is part of Merced, California’s population of Hmong immigrants. The Shared Qualities of Opposing Sides of a Border: How Cultural Relations can Merge Characteristics between Different. Members of 14 Hmong clans live in Merced. of 150 and a full-body tan from taking vacations at a nudist camp. Chapter 13 represents the falling action of Lia's story as the family adjusts to the reality of her fate. The s pirit catches you and you fall down is cited in 14 different citation styles, including MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, APA, ACS, and many others. “ […. In the Lees' view, Lia's soul had fled her body and become lost. " The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1997 A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. According to Hmong folklore, Shee Yee, the sorcerer who had turned into a tiny red ant and bit the evil dab on the testicle, had spent many years fighting dabs and restoring health to the sick. Between the ages of 8 months and four and a half years, the Lees brought Lia to the hospital dozens of times. Although the assignment called for a five-minute speech, he spoke for forty-five minutes by starting from the very. Downloadable / Printable Version. Many of Li’s healthcare provi. Birth. Analysis. On November 25, 1986, Lia has a severe seizure at home. Meanwhile, Western medicine is based on the advancement of science and technology. In California's Central Valley agricultural town of Merced, Hmong Americans make up one fifth of the population. • Chapter 7 - Government Property. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down explores issues of culture, immigration, medicine, and the war in [Laos] with such skill that it's nearly impossible to put down. 1. Lia's treatment is complicated by Nao Kao's and Foua's inability to speak English, making it all but impossible to communicate with her doctors. Nao Kao and Foua are devastated. They recognized the symptoms as qaug dab peg, "the. Print Word PDF. Chapter 3: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. If Lia Lee had been born in the highlands of northwest Laos, where her parents and twelve of her brothers and sisters were born, her mother. Terry drops a bomb on her—he believes that Lia had caught "septic shock" while at the hospital, which was the real cause of her health problems (17. It never occurred to Foua and Nao Kao that their children would be in danger once they arrived in America. When Fadiman told Foua that she’d gotten engaged, Foua was not surprised at all. Lia was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 1. Her parents, Nao Kao and Foua, were Hmong refugees from Laos who. Fadiman continues to examine the arrival of the Hmong in California, rehashing some of her earlier ideas about xenophobia and welfare. The Sacrifice. The doctors believe epilepsy is a pathological process in the brain, while the family believe “the spirit catches you and you fall down”. Although Lee and her family live in the United States, and thus receive medical care from Westerners, her family believes that Lee’s condition. Qaug means to fall over, and peg means to catch. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is a book that highlights the struggles between two cultures in healthcare. For the Hmong people,. Even worse, the Hmong have lost their prized "self-sufficiency" (10. Foua and Nao Kao learned to recognize the signs signaling the onset of Lia's seizures, such as twitching. 00 Carol A Redding, MA, is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and an InformationSummary. Foua Yang is a Hmong American woman living in Merced, California, with her husband Nao Kao Lee and their family. 9). “Don’t do that, there’s a good boy,” said Martin, addressing the little girl in English, of which she did not speak a word. In-depth explanations of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down's themes. Exactly what every hospital needs. 10). The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down moves from hospital corridors to healing ceremonies, and from the hill country of Laos to the living rooms of Merced, uncovering in its path the complex sources and implications of two dramatically clashing worldviews. ‘The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down’ is the literal translation of the Hmong terminology for an epileptic seizure. This book reveals the tragic struggles between a doctor and patient because of. A Hmong mother, Foua took it upon herself to perform a marriage ceremony for the author of “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down”, Anne Fadiman. The author of The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down. Lia was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 1. Back then the dude worked eighteen hours a day and still couldn't make ends meet. 7-8 Ch. When she was forcibly taken into a foster home, word spread throughout the Hmong community, reinforcing the idea that American doctors are not to be trusted. Chapter 2 - Fish Soup. Lia has another, even worse seizure three days before Thanksgiving, 1986. There are interesting frictions and incongruities in these places, and often, if you stand at. 20). Jeanine Hilt Character Analysis. explores and documents how cultural barriers between the Hmong parents of Lia Lee and. Summary. This chapter is so intriguing, because it presents not only the frustrations of the Hmong with American medicine, but also the terrible stress it created within the medical staff. Yer, Lia’s older sister, slammed a door which triggered Lia’s first seizure. But the families—who don't trust hospitals or medical staff—are skeptical of her. In the Hmong language the term for epilepsy is qaug dab peg. Nonetheless, he asked her to marry him. A feast of traditional beef dishes followed the ceremony. Lia Lee. She grew only a few inches, gained only a little weight, and always looked younger than her age. Her siblings grew up around her, part of a close-knit family, some excelling in sports and others going to university. Anne Fadiman’s ethnography . Foua. Published in 1997, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures is a remarkable masterpiece that feels just as significant today, more than 20 years after being published, for its commentary on cultural differences, social construction of illness, and most important of all. One of Lia ’s primary doctors, and Neil Ernst ’s wife. the Hmong have established their own. CPS workers arrived at the Lee house with Sue Xiong , a Hmong interpreter whom. Chapter 10 - War. That is why it is so important to establish an appropriate contact to avoid a situation similar to Lia’s problem. When the United States military withdrew from Laos, former North Vietnamese forces came in to occupy the villages. The Shared Qualities of Opposing Sides of a Border: How Cultural Relations can Merge Characteristics between Different Groups. The book contains many Hmong phrases and many medical phrases, both unfamiliar to most readers. ” At this point in The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, the idea of right and wrong begins to blur. It was awarded many honors including: A Salon Book Award Winner Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for General Nonfiction Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest Boston Book Review 1997 Ann Rea Jewell Non-Fiction Prize A New York Times. Yet again,. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures Anne Fadiman, 1997 Farrar, Straus and Giroux 368 pp. (Fadiman, 2012. 5 Running Head: The Spirit Catches You and you Fall Down contributied to the developed of postcolonial theory. ISBN: 0-374-52564-1. Misunderstandings and disagreements manifested in day-to-day interactions reveal. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down was her first novel, published in 1997. 5). Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. 19 - Afterword Symbols, Allegory and Motifs Metaphors and Similes Irony Imagery Cultural. Chapter 19: The Sacrifice. Nao Kao can tell that this one is serious, so he calls an ambulance for the first time. Fadiman focuses on the influence the Vietnam War had on the Hmong community in the 1960s and ’70s. While considered by some to be an illness, seizures are actually seen as a good thing. Makenzie Griffith EDSE 460 Denise Hitchcock 1 March 2018 Midterm: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down It is a story about a family who shows so much loyalty to their traditions and cultures, but it clashes with the strict American “norm” and creates conflict. In hindsight, Lionel Rosenblatt, the former United States Refugee. Naturally, they go through some serious culture shock. Summary. Because the Lees—like most Hmongs—came to the United States to escape war-torn Laos, their relationship to assimilation is complicated. Although The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down may sound like the debut album from an obscure EDM artist, this little non-fiction book has changed the world in more ways than one. Analysis. Their selection of this town is largely because of the influence of Dang Moua, an energetic Hmong American businessman. 20). Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Looks like you're viewing this page on a mobile device. Summary. Anne Fadiman wrote a nonfiction book entitled The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, which is the story of a young Hmong girl named Lia Lee who had epilepsy. She explains how, days after Lia came home. The Shared Qualities of Opposing Sides of a Border: How Cultural Relations can Merge Characteristics between Different. Analysis Of Midterm: The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down 1960 Words | 8 Pages. Fadiman rounds out the Lees ’ family story by detailing their escape from Laos. She would have been live longer with little illness in her body, she would have lived a happier life if the communication barriers got fixed from the start. Between the ages of eight months and four and a half years, Lia was admitted to MCMC seventeen times and made more than one hundred out patient visits to the ER and the Family Practice Center. Unlike other doctors, Fadiman points out, Neil Ernst remained unbending in his care for Lia, ultimately unwilling to compromise the quality of his services to accommodate Foua and Nao Kao ’s beliefs or abilities. Jeanine Hilt. Chapter 12 Summary: “Flight”. medical school curricula. Accepting that soul loss causes most physical illnesses, they think the invisible soul and the visible body are intertwined. ABOUT THE BOOK Anne Fadiman's seminal work of nonfiction, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, examines the myriad difficulties and complications. They spoiled her and treated her like a princess, believing that her epilepsy marked her as special and that she might someday. The phrase indicates the way the Lees, a deeply spiritual Hmong American family, think of. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Her seizures normally lasted only a few minutes, but when she didn't get better, Nao Kao's nephew, who spoke English, called an ambulance. Fadiman begins the chapter with an autobiography that May, one of Lia’s sisters, writes for a school assignment about her family’s experience fleeing Laos in 1979. ― Sherwin B. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman is an analysis of Western medicine and traditional Hmong medicine in the treatment of a young child with severe epilepsy in Merced, California. When the Lees left Laos, Foua explains, at least they hoped for a better future. …. A young Hmong man gave a presentation about how to make fish soup. She was interested in investigating the circumstances surrounding Lia's health care but was warned by fellow colleagues. From the creators of SparkNotes. Preface. In response, Lia's eyes rolled up, her arms jerked over her head, and she fainted. Chapter 17 - The Eight Questions (Cont. Chapter 7: Government Property. Having immigrated with Foua and the rest of their family to America from Laos, Nao Kao is a devoted father who advocates strongly for Lia, often allowing his strong temper and stubborn disposition to dominate the interactions he has with doctors and social. When Lia Lee was about three months old, her older sister Yer slammed the front door. The Orphan is one of the recurring characters in Hmong folktales. The book is crafty in its juggling act between the Lee Family perspective and the MCMC perspective. They call her condition qaug dab peg or "the spirit catches you and you fall down. The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down Book Report. 3-4 Ch. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. The timeline below shows where the character Arthur Kleinman appears in The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Her full name is used only five times in the narrative. 1-2 Ch. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman. I think people would really enjoy this book. 0 5 Stars 1,365 4 Stars 425 3 Stars 149. 7-8 Ch. Read the Review. By these dictates, Laos was declared a neutral country. The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down examines the ways in which people cling to various strongly-held tenets set forth by their cultures. Dan Murphy. Luckily, Lia ends up in the home of Dee Korda, a woman who fosters several children with special needs. Chapter 17 - The Eight Questions. Chapter Summaries Chart. health care and the Hmong in California. Animal sacrifice, a reverent occasion for the Hmong, is more difficult in America but still part of Hmong American life. The blogs will allow students to react to and reflect on each section's reading, keep track of Hmong. ''. When Peggy first saw Lia after the girl’s return from Fresno, she was heartbroken: Lia was hardly alive. They feared that the communists were more apt to threaten their autonomy. The doctors prescribed anticonvulsants; her parents preferred animal sacrifices. Because Foua and Nao Kao continued their pattern of noncompliance by neglecting to properly administer the drugs again, she was once more taken away on June 6th, this time for six months. The Big One. She remarks that, even though these recordings have already been transcribed. . ISBN-13: 9780374533403. They haven't been back since. They're only accessible on tablets, laptops, or desktop computers, so check them out on a compatible device. Home The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Q & A 1. Summary. In 1993 social worker Jeanine Hilt dies unexpectedly. The second student was a Hmong, who proceeded to speak about a recipe for fish soup. 5). Neil Ernst. In the Lees' view, Lia's soul had fled her body and become lost. Anne Fadiman. Chapter 1 - Birth. Hmong residents ask her if American doctors eat the organs of dead patients. Unlike her fellow Americans (Dee not included, obvs), this social worker falls in love with Lia and her family, making their plight her personal crusade. Like Shee Yee, they are courageous and tenacious, and will fight or flee rather than surrender. Chapter 5 - Take As Directed. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman. Neil admitted that, after all of his efforts and the building of tension before her cataclysmic seizure, he. Everything you need for every book you read. Analysis. Medical, Racist, and Colonial Constructions of Power: Creating the Asian American Patient and the Cultural Citizen in Anne Fadiman’s . Writing both a literary profile and an in-depth ethnography, Fadiman devotes whole chapters to the history and context of the Hmong ethnic identity, which she characterizes as “independent, insular, antiauthoritarian,. Neil is a good dude and a good doctor, but even he fails to look past his own cultural preconceptions and see the Lees as people. [5] ): a Hmong child born in Merced, California, in 1982. Anne, Chapter 1. A Review By Will Connolly. 1 Why did Nao Kao call an ambulance the night of Lia's big seizure? He thought that arriving in an ambulance would cause the doctors to pay more attention to Lia. Both Hmong patients and Western doctors have biases about one another. The book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall down by Anne Fadiman is one of the highlights of the Hmong culture and the challenges socializing a family from Laos faces in American society. No matter how hard he tries, Neil just can't get on Nao Kao and Foua's level. EDSE 460. The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down is a work of literary nonfiction that chronicles the life and medical troubles of Lia Lee, a young girl from Merced, California. 19 - Afterword Symbols, Allegory and Motifs Metaphors and Similes Irony Imagery Cultural. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down explores the clash between a small county hospital in California and a refugee family from Laos over the care of Lia Lee, a Hmong child diagnosed with severe epilepsy. She was seen by the staff on countless other occasions that did not require admission. Read the Review. One case involving the Lees' young. ”. He believed her fate was sealed, because everyone at MCMC focused entire on the seizures. On May 2, 1985, Child Protective Services (CPS) placed Lia in temporary foster care for two weeks, after which she returned home. On November 25, 1986, the day before Thanksgiving, Lia was eating as normal when she began to seize. Unlike violence, death, and exile, Lia's medical catastrophe is not a tragedy the Lees expect. The book also details Hmong culture, history, and their life as refugees. Neil Ernst constantly questioned himself over whether his uncompromising standard of care had actually compromised Lia’s health. Yikes. Summary and Analysis of Chapter 13 of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. Lia, on the other hand, is born in sunny Merced, California on July 19, 1982 (yes, we've flash. It's a bad scene. When Fadiman ’s boyfriend visited her in Merced, Foua decided that she would help get her married. We learn that the Hmong have very different birthing traditions; that they believe in evil spirits called ‘dabs’; and these spirits can steal that they believe a baby’s soul. When Peggy first saw Lia after the girl’s return from Fresno, she was heartbroken: Lia was hardly alive. Lia neither died nor recovered. Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 154 (12), 1277. In the presentation, he spent forty-five minutes painstakingly detailing the entire process, from choosing the right kind of hook to go fishing to preparing. Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6; Chapter 7; Chapter 8; Chapter 9; Chapter 10. The complicated politics surrounding this war reach back to the Geneva Accords of 1954, when Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam were recognized as independent states in what had been French Indochina. Get the summaries, analysis, and quotes you need. Lia can sense when her seizures are coming. For their part, the Lees respond by doing something even more powerful—making Jeanine a part of the family. They grew opium using a technique called. Lia, on the other hand, is born in sunny Merced, California on July 19, 1982 (yes, we've flash. Between the ages of 8 months and four and a half years, the Lees brought Lia to the hospital dozens of times. Yikes. Analysis. • Chapter 6 - High-Velocity Transcortical Lead Therapy. A Summary of National Trends, Department of Health, Durham University, Department for Education. Her parents assumed the noise of the door had caused her soul to flee. In 1973, 150,000 members of the Hmong ethnicity—the Lees included—were forced from their homes after "their country fell to communist forces" (1. This Hyperink Quicklet includes an overall summary, chapter commentary, key characters, literary themes, fun trivia, and recommended related readings. When two cultures collide in defending their beliefs on western medicines versus spiritual practices, the life of a young Hmong girl hangs in the balance in Anne Fadiman’s 1997 book, The Spirit. Although Dee follows "the anticonvulsant prescriptions to the letter," Lia continues to have seizures—more frequently than she did at home, in fact. Lia's parents and her doctors both wanted what was best for Lia, but the lack of understanding between them led to tragedy. Since the seizure happens right after her older sister Yer slams the door, the Lees think the loud noise startled Lia's soul and made it flee her body. Neil is a highly intelligent and inquisitive pediatrician who specializes in infections, asthma, and allergies. In which I celebrate Nonfiction November by discussing my favorite nonfiction book of all time, Anne Fadiman's The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down--the. 11-12 Ch. Lia at the age of three months began to seize, the family had diagnosed her with qug dab peg which also means the spirit. When the Lee's settled in the United States Foua gave birth to a baby girl named Lia. The Lee family was convinced that the door's slamming had been so frightening as to make Lia's soul fly away. Explain the meaning of the book's title. At the end of Chapter 12, Fadiman introduces the character of Shee Yee, the hero of the greatest Hmong folktales. Writing both a literary profile and an in-depth ethnography, Fadiman devotes whole chapters to the history and context of the Hmong ethnic identity, which she characterizes as “independent, insular. We watch Lia, the little Hmong girl diagnosed with epilepsy, slowly fade from. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Quotes Showing 1-30 of 44. Yet again, however, the medical system has the power. By the time Fadiman meets her. When the Lees refuse to give in to their doctors' demands they demonstrate the historical. 14). S. Vangay explains that for a Hmong, unlike an American, "it is never everyone for himself" (247). Lia Lee. Bill didn’t assign blame to Neil for not catching the sepsis. In Fadiman’s unbiased book I learned that there are many cultural differences betweenThe Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down has been shown to facilitate important discussions about health disparities as well as serve as a teaching tool to better engage a broader dialogue (Fadiman, 1997; Lie et al. Anne Fadiman's The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures (Noonday Press, 1997) is widely used in "cultural competence" efforts within U. Anyway, this sparks a rebellion that goes on for centuries, until the Hmong finally retreat into the mountains. Downloadable / Printable Version. Bill Selvidge Character Analysis. Lia 's family celebrates her permanent return home in April 1986 by sacrificing a cow. However, the Lees become discouraged when they notice Lia's verbal skills have regressed. • Chapter 7 - Government Property. The fact that it has a divine nature to them and the fact that the doctors see it only as a disease to be either cured or controlled foreshadows problems yet to come between the 2 cultures. When Fadiman ’s boyfriend visited her in Merced, Foua decided that she would help get her married. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down explores the clash between a small county hospital in California and a refugee family from Laos over the care of Lia Lee, a Hmong child diagnosed with severe epilepsy. Chapter 13 Summary and Analysis. The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down Analysis. " LitCharts. In one story, he offers his home to two sisters, one good and one snotty. Animal sacrifice, a reverent occasion for the Hmong, is more difficult in America but still part of Hmong American life. Lia's parents and her doctors both wanted what was best for Lia, but the lack of understanding between them led to tragedy. This case study illustrates and analyzes the tension an ESL science teacher encountered when his science curriculum came into conflict with the religious and cos-mological beliefs of one of his Hmong immigrant students. Although Jeanine works for the government, she manages to establish a connection with Nao Kao. Lannamann, Taylor. Write a 350-word summary of the chapter that includes the following: Identify the historical events or cultural practices in your selected chapter. "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Her record nearly always noted the communication difficulties brought about by language differences. Summary See All. Regardless, both parents still blame the hospital for Lia's condition. What's crazier is that he does, and a mere week later. The book was written by Anne Fadiman, a journalist with some serious pedigree. Lia Lees’ story shows the importance of communication in the medical profession dealing with different cultures. Chapter 17: The Eight Questions. After much debate, a lot of planning, and a ton of help from Jeanine Holt, the doctors finally agree. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (1997) is an ethnography written by Anne Faidman. There was obviously a great difference between American doctors and Hmong shamans. Even though she had a dirt floor, she would have been very careful to never allow her to. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1997. Chapter. At first they stay with relatives in Portland, Oregon. In Hmong culture, epilepsy is known as "quag dab peg," which means "the spirit catches you and you fall down" (3. This book reveals the tragic struggles between a doctor and patient because of. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis. It has sold almost 900,000 copies, according to its publisher, Farrar, Straus. After graduating in 1975, she wrote for a variety of publications, including Harper's, Life magazine, and The New York Times. Summary. On December 5, 1986, Lia returns to. Fadiman continues to examine the arrival of the Hmong in California, rehashing some of her earlier ideas about xenophobia and welfare. Incredibly driven and willing to seek out the truth even if it unearths his own mistakes, Neil eventually comes to. . A public health nurse who makes house calls to provide Lia with medical checkups after her final neurological crisis. You'd think Saran Wrap would be less tough to navigate than, say, a brick wall. Lia was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 1. The TV was off, a candle had. In Anne Fadiman’s book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, two cultures clash with each other in the struggle to save Lia Lee, a Hmong child refugee with severe epilepsy. The non-fiction book offers a skillfully written depiction of the plight of the Lee family, one of many Hmong refugees absorbed into the United States followingIn Hmong culture, however, epilepsy is known as qaug dab peg, which is translated as "the spirit catches you and you fall down" (that's right, the title). 1617 Words | 7 Pages. He knew that Lia needed the medical support of the EMTs during transport. Lia's treatment was complex—her anticonvulsant prescriptions changed 23 times in four years—and the Lees were sure the medicines were bad for their. Chapter 19: The Sacrifice. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down was her first novel, published in 1997. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down explores the clash between a small county hospital in California and a refugee family from Laos over the care of Lia Lee, a Hmong child diagnosed with severe epilepsy. The colored dots and icons indicate which. Writing both a literary profile and an in-depth ethnography, Fadiman devotes whole chapters to the history and context of the Hmong ethnic identity, which she characterizes as “independent, insular. Bill is a veteran of the Peace Corps with a passion for learning about other cultures, and he was once the chief resident at MCMC. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. At the age of three months, Lia had her first seizure caused by the sound of a door. ”. Jeanine takes thorough notes about Lia’s circumstances, notes that Fadiman draws upon extensively to illustrate the specifics of the young girl’s story. Fish Soup Symbol Analysis. Cultural and geographical borders within any society are believed to create boundaries that limit similarities between those on opposite sides. For many American doctors and patients, Western biomedicine is accepted as the default setting. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Introduction. The Hmong community in Merced grows even more distrustful of. Luckily, Lia ends up in the home of Dee Korda, a woman who fosters several children with special needs. 17).