The Concept of Caring for One Another - Book Report/Review Example

? “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Book Review The book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” focuses on a number of themes and aspects that are present in the society and that are highly sensitive. One of these is the cross-cultural differences between members of different societies and the challenges that people go through as they attempt to integrate into new societies for different reasons. In the book by Anne Fadiman, cultural differences are illustrated in the medical and belief systems that two cultures have the Hmongs and the Americans. Lia Lee a patient suffering from Epilepsy, her parents and Jeanine Hilt represents Hmong, while Doctors Neil Ernst and Peggy Philp represent American culture. The book opens with the birth of Lia Lee and the mention of Lia’s soul installation into her body, which is the first indication of the cultural values and beliefs of the Hmong, where the presence of the soul in the body is crucial for consciousness (Fadiman 114). However, the first instance that Lia falls unconscious her parents highlight or notice the symptoms of a condition by the name of “The spirit catches you and you fall down”. The author continues to highlight details of Hmong culture through the meaning of Lia’s condition and its spiritual implication towards healing of other patients and spiritual enlightenment of Txiv need (Fadiman 2012, p.119). Although being a spiritually distinguished condition, Lia’s parents attempt to get her condition treated at the local hospital, although with doubts of how efficient western medicine functions (Fadiman 2012, p.6). This brings up their sceptical attitude towards western medicine, and brings out the cultural divide, in that hospitals were further known to them to have both chances of success and failure. This is while they placed all their beliefs, staunchly, in their own culture and spiritual beliefs of their own people. The differences are provided by means of spiritual perception of the world whereby it is viewed to be a fully spiritual place and the things provided to people, by nature, should be respected. As a result, both the soul and body are taken to be closely related such that diseases affecting the body then affect the soul, which then means that the soul must then be treated along with the body. For such reasons, the American culture is perceived to be none-wholesome as it only treats the body and not the soul along with it, as seen in her parents expressing how they think the medication provided to Lia is hurting her (Fadiman 2012, p.256). The above aspects from the book are then explained by the presence of systematic details based on the story of the Lee family and the Hmong culture in alternating chapters. This is as seen in chapter one and two, whereby chapter one explains the birth of Lia Lee, while the second goes deep into the culture of the Hmong in order to foreshadow issues that come up in succeeding chapters. In addition, the book illustrates concepts of caring for one another or the relationship between people, especially between caregivers and their dependents. This is best highlighted in the events that follow the numerous conflicts between the Lee’s and the western doctors at Merced hospital in that they all believe in providing the best of care to their dependents (Fadiman 2012, p.171). However, this concept is brought out with a bit of weakness in that there appears to be a lot of conflict emanating from the cultural issues presented by Hmong and western beliefs, which bring about the vegetative state of Lia Lee. From this perspective, the author is able to highlight the need for healthy relationships between different cultures for the wellbeing of dependants such as the sick whereby cultural conflict brought about her vegetative state. As a result of her brain death, the two cultures continue to be in conflict due to the differences that could not be set aside, and these continue to split the need to look after dependants. Consequently, this clearly highlights the need for understanding and accommodation of differences to certain levels for the benefit of all. In addition, the book represents spirituality in relation to scientific issues, and their acceptance to the world, especially amongst conservative groups. Western medicine includes using anaesthesia, which makes people unconscious and this is spiritually taken to mean that their souls are at large (Fadiman 2012, p.114). The above issue conflicts with acceptable Hmong beliefs and culture, thus highlighting the role of science and culture in spiritual or religious aspects of life. The sense of expression in the book is depictive of the need to have background information that can be used to make sense of different conflicts that exist in interests and culture. Following the state of events throughout the story supports the storyline of the author by use of information from the Hmong culture and system of belief. Evidence of this is indicated in the application of objectiveness, where both cultural and personal aspects are covered and the author does not take it upon herself to take sides and show the superiority of any of the two parties. The author achieves this by concentrating on the frustration of both the doctors and the Hmong people represented by Lia’s parents and Jeanine. Consequently, the book covers multiple cultural and interpersonal perspectives that would otherwise be lost, and this approach of lack of bias that presents the objectivity of the story, where the reader is not inclined to take sides (Fadiman 2012, p.290). There is, however, one feature in the book that seeks to paint the Hmong people in negative light, which the application of religious principles in almost every aspect of their culture and even the environment. Mention of Txiv needs amongst Hmong portrays prejudicial perspectives against the Hmong in favour of western medicine and failure by the two sides to agree on the way to go puts the blame on Lia’s parents for her brain death (Fadiman 2012, p.119). In conclusion, the book by Fadiman highlights a number of key issues such as culture difference, role of science in culture and the need to provide care for dependents. As a result, the book manages to provide a relatively unbiased view of Lia’s life and culture, as well as her people’s expectations from other cultures from which she does not come. Reference Fadiman, A. (2012). The spirit catches you and you fall down: a Hmong child, her American doctors, and the collison of two cultures (Pbk. ed.). New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Read More