History and Ethnic Identity Theme Analysis

The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down frequently evokes Hmong history to illuminate the circumstances of Lia Lee’s medical crisis. Writing both a literary profile and an in-depth ethnography, Fadiman devotes whole chapters to the history and context of the Hmong ethnic identity, which she characterizes as “independent, insular, antiauthoritarian, suspicious, stubborn, proud, choleric, energetic, vehement, loquacious, humorous, hospitable, generous.” This is a characterization that she draws from tracing the Hmong all the way back to 2700 B.C., when they refused to be ruled by China. Since then, she argues, they have been extraordinarily unwilling to bow down to any form of power that might compromise their traditions and ways of life. This sheds light on Nao Kao and Foua’s unwillingness to simply acquiesce to Neil and Peggy’s treatment plan, which clearly contradicted their own beliefs.

Far from saying that all Hmong are exactly the same, Fadiman highlights culturally salient historical landmarks to give readers a framework for understanding the beliefs and decisions of the Lee family and other Hmongs—beliefs that might otherwise seem inscrutable and lead to bigotry. For example, Fadiman sheds light on the origins of the Hmong tendency in America to readily accept welfare checks without seeking paying jobs. Rather than this being a symptom of laziness (as non-Hmongs frequently assume), many Hmong immigrants were members of a CIA-backed guerilla army that fought the spread of communism in Asia. Vang Pao, the Hmong leader of this army, promised his fellow Hmong all sorts of benefits in exchange for fighting—one of which, according to many Hmong living in the United States, was that they would receive welfare assistance upon reaching America after the war. As such, Hmong veterans see government benefits as a well-earned result of having risked their lives for the United States. By looking at history, then, Fadiman eschews cultural bias in favor of empathetic inquiry.

Fadiman also sheds light on culturally significant Hmong folktales and myths, many of which illuminate the attitudes and behaviors of the Lee family that that American doctors like Neil and Peggy find so difficult to understand. One significant myth is the story of the Orphan, an underdog who triumphs despite the mistreatment society shows him—obviously, this is a story that glorifies the resilience of immigrants. Another folktale tells of an “arrogant official” who is “turned into a mouse,” which evokes the arrogance of the doctors, who frequently wield their authority against the Lees. These archetypal characters shed light on the cultural context for Nao Kao and Foua’s resistance to authoritative doctors who discount their traditional beliefs; they have been raised in a culture that champions the disenfranchised and admonishes powerful bureaucrats.

Many of these myths and folktales are intertwined with the Hmong peoples’ health-related beliefs. Because their conception of health has more to do with religion than biology, the Hmong view health as being tied to the stories passed down through generations about evil or beneficent spirits. There are countless stories of dabs (evil spirits) who prey upon the human soul, and in response to these tales the Hmong have developed methods of healing that deal primarily with whatever metaphysical phenomenon these spirits are causing. This belief is crucial to understanding Nao Kao and Foua’s decisions to forego certain medically-advised treatments for Lia; since the Hmong believe that epilepsy can make a person spiritually distinguished by enabling them to negotiate with dabs, the Lee family felt that Lia’s “crisis was the treatment, not the epilepsy.” By showing readers the actual origins of Hmong beliefs, Fadiman enables Western readers to understand that the Lee family’s behavior was not blind stubbornness nor disregard for their child; they were doing what seemed best within their own cultural context.