What Is Inside Again By Thanhha Lai's Inside Out And Back Again?

In the novel Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai is set in South Vietnam in the year 1975. In this novel, Ha, her mother, and three brothers, Quang, Vu, and Khoi are Vietnamese refugees that travel to America. In America they find semi-permanent shelter in the state of Alabama. The family goes through challenges almost all refugees go through, such as devastation in loss and frustration in learning a new language. Ha is brave, persistent, and happy. Her traits change as her journey continues onward. Other refugees’ traits change as well while fleeing their countries. Ha was herself in Vietnam and was turned inside out as her travels began and continued. She was then back again to a normal and mostly permanent routine. In Vietnam, Ha
Her personality changed from brave and stubborn to more frightened and compliant. Ha became more frightened, “If the Communists catch us fleeing, it’s a million times worse than staying home.” (Lai, pg. 87). This quote is an example of how Ha has become more frightened than brave because how bad it would be if they got caught was mentioned. This idea of the consequences was mentioned to convey how them being caught would be one of the worst things that could happen in that moment. That idea in Ha’s head made her scared of what could happen to her and her family. Ha has become compliant, “They line up; so do I...I put down the tray and wait in the hallway.” (Lai, pgs. 143-144). This quote is an example of how Ha has become more compliant because she doesn’t understand so she doesn’t really try to make it all work perfectly. Ha is confused to she follows, when she gets to a time where she can’t follow she had to compromise. What she saw made her feel left out. Ha’s story compares to the Children of War stories because they had also became more afraid than brave, “It seemed like we had no worries...I had to crawl through my apartment on my hands and knees or risk getting shot.” (Children of War, pg. 2). This quote is an example of how the two stories compare because both had gone from nothing to worry about to frightened and afraid you won’t survive the day. The teenagers had great lives that went to having to hide in a private setting to survive. Ha’s experience was similar in that she was brave and happy in her country and home then as she left she became afraid of what might happen to her and her family. She worried about things that you shouldn’t have to worry about on a daily