The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Stepheny Saavedra Anthropology 340 Dec. 1, 2016 “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” is one of the many cases that exemplify the barriers and obstacles people from distinct cultures encounter due to their ethnocentrism and lack of cultural relativism. After escaping to the U.S., a place completely different from what they called home, the Lees had to adapt and place their trust on strangers (to save their daughter) who viewed a condition with spiritual origin to the Hmong as a neurological disorder that had to be stopped rather than controlled. As a result, treating Lia’s epilepsy caused contradictory approaches between Lia’s parents and the Western doctors as to how to treat the Hmong child. Anne Fadiman, author of the book, takes an…

There are several social determinants that effect the community’s wellbeing and they generally fall within the board categories of policymaking, social factors, healthcare services, and individual lifestyle and behavior. Social determinants play a crucial role in an individual’s heath and the community’s well being. Inequalities in social determinants often are what cause an individual to suffer poor health, which causes the wellbeing of the community to suffer as well. After reading The…

Book Critique: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Culture creates morals, values, and beliefs within an individual, and these characteristics must be understood and respected. Anne Fadiman brings this issue to light in her book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Common culture-barriers in the medical field can cause medical malpractice, disagreements on necessary procedures, and religion malpractice. Throughout her novel, Fadiman explains that the difficulties in cross-cultural…

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down offers an insight into the clash of modern western medicine with the traditional methods and people of another culture, in this case the Hmong. 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 following their allied involvement in the “silent war”. A complex and detailed presentation of two disparate cultures without preference for one over…

So many times we forget to ask why – a simple, yet profound question. Anne Fadiman’s poignant book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, delves into the tragic consequences that arise due to the result of cultural discord and misunderstanding. The book illustrates the story of Lia Lee, a young Hmong child who has been diagnosed with severe epilepsy. The stark contrast in beliefs, values, and cultures between Lia’s parents and those of the physicians tending to Lia eventually snowballed into…

important to my mother and myself that we keep in some sort of contact with my nonna. There will be times in which I have special events in my life, such as graduation, that my mother will take pictures from and mail them to my nonna so that she never forgets what I look like. The photo I chose to represent my understanding and connection with “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” was chosen because it is positive. Though most of the story is negative, I found it important to find a…

SUMMARY In the article The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, written by Anne Fadiman, starts off by talking about the Hmong cultures idea of birthing. Fadiman uses Lia Lee’s mother birthing experience of her thirteen kids to illustrate just how the culture viewed such a process. Lia’s mom, Foua, would typically have her children in her own home and without the attendance of a birthing attendant. Foua would vaginally deliver the baby without screaming or even moaning as she was afraid that…

It is common for patients to feel detached from their medical care providers. Properly implemented communication, understanding, and trust are vital for any successful patient encounter. Differences in education, expression, beliefs, and culture in the setting of diagnoses made and treatments rendered can be stumbling blocks in these exchanges. The ineffective communication between patients and providers exemplified in The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, and the frustration that follows,…

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is a narrative nonfiction that revolves around a family who struggles with keeping their culture identity in a place where it is not welcome. The Lee family Struggles with discrimination, cultural differences, spirituality, language barriers and immigrant assimilation when they move to California. These are some of the things that get in the way of having one of their 15 children, Lia get the best care she can…

In the novel, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, cross cultural medical communications are addressed through the story of a young, Hmong girl, Lia. Through her medical journey with epilepsy, the book shows how traditional boundaries and medical beliefs can clash and at times, bringing some negative outcomes to patients and their families. The novel introduces us to the Hmong culture, stressing their dire need to hold on to their culture so much that even some older traditions can make the…