The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down Essay

The question of readership plays a large role in the methodology of Fadiman’s novel The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. The terminology and language within the novel clearly illustrates that the novel was intended for readers that have grown up surrounded by Westernized influence. The opening chapter of the novel depicts the typical birth methods within Hmong’s traditional beliefs. The language within this chapter specifically implies that readers must already understand modern medicine with Westernized influence for two reasons. First, Fadiman does not give any insight into the “typical” child birthing process to compare Hmong traditions to. Second, Fadiman assumes readers already have sufficient enough insight into modern medicine by using terminology such as “birth attendant” without giving any hints toward what purpose this birth attendant might serve. This first glance into the values of Hmong people is central to the novel’s storyline due to the fact that is illustrates the shockingly different methods of childbirth between the Hmong and Westernized medicine. Importance of beginning story with point of minority in order to exclude biases developed between the author
In the eighth chapter titled “Foua and Nao Kao,” Fadiman describes the process in which Foua and her daughter, May, transform the narrator into a picturesque bride. Fadiman explained, “Foua’s work must in some way have had the intended effect, because a week later [her boyfriend] George asked [her] to marry him (103).” Though this story seems quite simple on the outside, it serves a much larger purpose within the novel. By infusing herself into the telling of the story, Fadiman portrays the idea that The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is not only a medical reference or dedication to Hmong culture, but a personal and complicated