What happens at the end of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down?
What’s Up With the Ending? The Spirit Catches You closes with a neeb ceremony—a Hmong religious ritual meant to bring Lia’s soul back to her body after a big seizure leaves her officially brain-dead. The txiv neeb then falls into a trance, navigating the spirit world to free Lia’s soul from her prison.
What is the main theme of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down?
Cultural Values, Spirituality, and Medicine 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.
Does Lia Die In The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down?
But Lia Lee’s life bridged worlds and changed American medicine. Lia, the subject of Anne Fadiman’s 1997 book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down,” died Aug. 31 in Sacramento at the age of 30, after living decades longer than doctors said was possible. “Medicine couldn’t have kept her alive.
What type of book is The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down?
Biography
How do you cite the spirit catches you and you fall down?
MLA (8th ed.) Fadiman, Anne. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1997.
Who published The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down?
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
| Author | Anne Fadiman |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
| Publication date | 1997 and 1998 |
When was the Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down published?
1997
What is a Tvix Neeb?
At the center of Hmong culture is the Txiv Neeb, the shaman (literally, “father/master of spirits”). According to Hmong cosmology, the human body is the host for a number of souls. The isolation and separation of one or more of these souls from the body can cause disease, depression and death.
Is Lia Lee still alive?
Deceased (1922–2011)
What did fadiman ultimately think ruined Lia’s life?
Fadiman thinks that “[Lia’s] life was ruined not by septic shock or noncompliant parents but by cross-cultural misunderstanding” (262). In short, the parents’ “noncompliance” (255) had little to do with the outcome of Lia’s illness.
Is The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down a true story?
Written by Anne Fadiman, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is the true story of a Hmong toddler named Lia Lee and her immigrant family’s experience in the American health care system. Lia had epilepsy, a condition that causes seizures.
What does fish soup Mean In The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down?
Fish Soup. In Chapter 2, a young Hmong man’s story of fish soup is used as a metaphor for the way the Hmong see the world. The man was supposed to give a five-minute oral report in French. For this reason, Fadiman begins the tragic story of Lia Lee by recounting the history of the Hmong people.
When you fail one Hmong patient you fail the whole community?
Dan Murphy once told the author that when you fail one Hmong family, you fail the whole community. “Lia’s case had confirmed the Hmong community’s worse prejudices about the medical profession and the medical community’s worst prejudices about the Hmong.”
What do the Lees initially think of Lia’s illness?
The Lees were no different than any other Hmong in their attitude toward Lia’s illness – a mixture of concern and pride. The Hmong are exceptionally well known for the gentleness with which they treat their children. They consider them as the most treasured possession a person can have.
What happened in the refugee camp in Thailand that made the Lees think that Western doctors could sometimes be additional help?
Although they maintained their beliefs about illness (for instance, in Thailand they moved to a new house because they thought a dead person buried under their old house might have wished to harm them), they realized that Western doctors could also be of help.
What does QUAG dab peg mean?
the spirit catches you and you fall down
Why did Neil feel he had to report Lia’s parents to Child Protective Services?
Neil had a right to file a report with Child Protective Services once he realized her parents were endangering her health, and in fact, by state law he was required to. Her parents were not told of the decision ahead of time. Foua was out of the house, and Nao Kao was so angry he nearly killed the translator.
How did the Lees View Lia’s epilepsy?
11 How did the Lees view Lia’s epilepsy? They were extremely worried due to the seriousness of the disease. They were concerned that she had been possessed by an evil spirit. They were concerned for her health but also proud, as epileptics are often chosen to be shamans and can see things others cannot.
Is epilepsy a disease?
Epilepsy is a common disorder of the brain that causes repeated seizures. It is sometimes called a seizure disorder. A seizure is a short change in normal brain activity. Seizures are the main sign of epilepsy.
What causes epilepsy?
What causes epilepsy? In general, epilepsy and seizures result from abnormal circuit activity in the brain. Any event ranging from faulty wiring during brain development, brain inflammation, physical injury or infection can lead to seizure and epilepsy.
What do Hmong epileptics often become?
Lia’s parents also felt a special pride because, in the Hmong culture, epileptics often become txiv neeb (shamans or spiritual healers) when they grow up.
What does Dr Kleinman mean when he says that the term compliance implies moral hegemony?
When Kleinman used the term “moral hegemony,” he meant that Lia’s doctors unwittingly implied to the Lees that the set of ethical standards of Western medicine were superior to those of the Hmong tradition.
What might American health professionals learn from a TXIV Neeb?
American doctors can also learn that medicine can’t always heal. A tvix neeb could learn from an American doctor on how to implement western medicine techniques into their practice, and not just focus on the soul.
What foods should you avoid if you have epilepsy?
white bread; non-wholegrain cereals; biscuits and cakes; honey; high-sugar drinks and foods; fruit juices; chips; mashed potatoes; parsnips; dates and watermelon. In general, processed or overcooked foods and over-ripe fruits.
What food triggers seizures?
Stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, sweets, soft drinks, excess salt, spices and animal proteins may trigger seizures by suddenly changing the body’s metabolism. Some parents have reported that allergic reactions to certain foods (e.g. white flour) also seem to trigger seizures in their children.