The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down by Ann Fadiman is a very interesting book. It’s amazing how difficult it is for Americans to understand other cultures because the United States is such a diverse country. However, as an American, I understood the frustrations that Lia Lee’s doctors’ felt when trying to diagnose and treat her properly. In this book both the American doctors and the Hmong peoples faced many hardships and barriers when trying to communicate with each other. After having read this book I can understand where both groups were coming from and reasons for their actions. I could only imagine the level of difficulty and anger that the doctors and Lia’s parents must have experienced over that time period.…
With the barrel of her musket propped firmly on the limb of a tree, Charity took steady aim at the deer. The medium-sized buck was grazing at the edge of a thicket of wax myrtles, near where she saw the deer tracks the day before. John and Uriah were squatting in the bushes behind her. She had brought them along to help with the bleeding out of the deer, should she kill one, and to help carry it back to camp. They could then dress it out and help her prepare the meat for making jerky and so forth. She also hoped to can some of the meat so that it would last a lot longer. She was glad that Nancy had shown her how and taught her how to preserve food in glass jars- it was much better than having to dry it all into tough leather strips… Taking careful aim, Charity squeezed the trigger, while saying a quick prayer that the bullet would hit its mark. She was worried that she wasn't close enough to the deer, but if she had tried to get any closer, it would have seen her and ran off into the woods.…
throughout this book is very visible. It has to do with her search for a name,…
She is using her own experience – and also her own body – as source material for the…
The question of readership plays a large role in the methodology of Fadiman’s novel The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. The terminology and language within the novel clearly illustrates that the novel was intended for readers that have grown up surrounded by Westernized influence. The opening chapter of the novel depicts the typical birth methods within Hmong’s traditional beliefs. The language within this chapter specifically implies that readers must already understand modern medicine with Westernized influence for two reasons. First, Fadiman does not give any insight into the “typical” child birthing process to compare Hmong traditions to. Second, Fadiman assumes readers already have sufficient enough insight into modern medicine by using terminology such as “birth attendant” without giving any hints toward what purpose this birth attendant might serve. This first glance into the values of Hmong people is central to the novel’s storyline due to the fact that is illustrates the shockingly different methods of childbirth between the Hmong and Westernized medicine.…
In Imitations' it is the complete opposite, Danni Abse is speaking as the father and talks about his son. He reflects on the passage of time and the fact that his son is growing up. He observes his son as he grows up into a man. The whole poem has a white theme which is rather peculiar since it is set in the…
Ghost in the Nursery; Repercussions of abuse and neglect in child development and family dynamic…
In this essay I will review the question of how the Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down exemplifies the techniques of ethnographic research that we have studied in class. Also I will consider the question if there are ways in which Fadiman could have improved her methods to be a better anthropologist. In the essay I will look at the specific methods and techniques that Fadiman utilized. I will discuss where she conducted her research and also cover how she conducted her fieldwork. I suggest Anthropological studies on cultural difference would have a practical application to Lia’s study for the following fact that the Hmong do not completely believe in western medicine.…
Three brothers with three very different personalities, and many issues have to come together to make their living situation work. The Curtis brothers throughout the course of the novel, learn more about each other and their relationships change greatly. After a gruesome incident that killed the boys parents, Ponyboy and his brother Sodapop are left in the care of Darry Curtis, their older brother. The changes in their relationships go from resentment and disappointment, to understanding each other in ways that they hadn’t before and lastly, they learn how strong their love and loyalty really is for one another.…
I have lived in the same small town of Bonner Springs, Kansas my entire life. My parents and I have always been close and I guess one could say we are a “normal” American family. My heritage derives from German, Native American, and a Bohemian background. I honestly do not know much about my ancestry except for the few things my parents and grandparents have shared with me. How I see it, I am a mix of hundreds of amazing individuals from different races, cultures and backgrounds. Residing on a farm taught me a lot about hard work, medicine, and caring for others. I always knew I wanted to be a nurse even as a small child. At a young age my grandmother entered a nursing home, so I essentially grew up watching others care for her and from then…
This was the part of the book where she showed life through the eyes of “the help.” In that she…
I. Action Code – the part of a narrative or a story that builds tension, referring to any action or event that indicates that something else is going to happen.…
One of the most important aspects a leader should possess is the ability to change his approach to the dynamic environment and culture that leaders phase in all organizations. Jawarlal Nehru said “A leader or a man of action in a crisis almost always acts subconsciously and then thinks of the reasons for his action”. In this thesis I will like to point out two significant events that have changed my leadership style and will carry over not just to my military career but my personal life as well. The first crucible, that has helped to make me a better leader as a young battery commander I had with one of my Lieutenants that changed my approach towards what I believed is the perfect combination of a strong character leader and the sensitivity every leader should display at all levels of command. The second crucible event I will describe in this paper is the experience of working for a toxic leader who was reluctant to listen, understand and visualize problems during critical situations. As a future organizational leader I believe leaders need to understand and facilitate the legal orders given by their superior officers and at the same time display respect to the Soldiers affected by such orders. The organizational leader is the most important leader in the military because is the bridge that senior officers use in the military use pass order down the chain of command while at the same time the organizational leader needs to recognize the subordinates needs an pass these needs up the chain to the senior leadership to reach harmony in organization’s climate.…
The myth that "all men are equal" has created false hopes for the people of color, who continually seek opportunities to excel, that just aren't there. They have been led to believe that intelligence and ambitions are key contributors to one's success. Even if they do possess ambition and intelligence, the dominant majority of the white population oppresses them. This type of oppression points out that new methods of struggle are needed, such as whose employed by Martin Luther King, Jr., Franz Fanon and W.E.B. Du Bois.…
EMILY is a small commercial vessel operated as a passenger launch and skippered charter vessel in and around Port Fraser Harbour.…