The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.
In Anne Fadiman's, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, the reader feels many emotions rush through them as they read the novel, confusion, pain, sorrow, and anger just to name a few. This book provides the reader with a first hand look at how cultural diversity can rip into a family's world and create utter commotion and disillusionment. .
When the Lee's arrived in America in late 1980 they knew absolutely nothing of American culture. The world they had lived in was one of small huts with dirt floors where they lived off the land and ate off the land. Nothing could prepare them for America, all of the luxuries we take for granted, toilets, electricity, phones, television, etc, were unheard of to them. The Hmong had a long history of fighting for individuality and moving to America was no exception. They were fearful of America, a country many Hmong fought for in the War in Laos and in return were left behind by the American Airlifts. When the Hmong entered the United States they imagined in return for their heroism they would be granted land to live off of and to farm, they were denied both. The Hmong elders couldn't speak English and though many attempted to learn it was unsuccessful. Migrant farm workers filled hard labor jobs and many owners were hesitant to hire a foreigner who couldn't speak any English. "We want to go back. We born over there, we come here. Very nice country but we don't speak the language, we cannot drive, we just stay home isolated"(205). This is how many elders felt in America, isolated and deeply depressed. Hmong children on the other hand were put into American schools, taught to speak, read, and write English and adapted to American life easier than their parents. The roles therefore were reversed in many households. Children were translators for their parents; many of them had driver licenses that their parents were denied because of the language barrier.