AssignmentGuidelines:
Length: 2single-spaced, polished pages. Please develop a central thesis and present your BEST writing.
Required Reading: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Anne Fadiman
Assignment Overview:
Anne Fadiman’s The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down explores various Hmong cultural practices and beliefs, some of which may seem unusual in mainstream U.S. society and other cultures. In particular, through her study of one Hmong girl’s family and of Hmong cultural history, Fadiman highlights differences between Hmong and Western perspectives on health and the body. When individuals with these different paradigms come in contact, the result is sometimes misunderstanding and mistrust; however, as Fadiman suggests, there is also hope for empathy and compassion, as individuals try to understand the other side’s paradigm.
The goal of this assignment is to help you become more conscious of the relationship between culture, communication, and intercultural intersections. Once we deepen our awareness of the cultural layers that shape human behavior, we develop a deeper capacity to empathize with and understand other “ways of knowing.” As we become more skilled with cultural mindfulness, we have the opportunity to better meet our needs and the needs of others.
Assignment Directions:
Complete your reading of Fadiman’s text, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, and answer the following questions in an essay form.
o Support your essay by incorporating specific examples and quotes from the book.
o Support your essay by including specific concepts and issues we have been discussing in class.
Questions:
1) What are the significant insights about culture, communication, and intercultural communication that you are taking away from Fadiman’s text?
2) How did Hmong history (and the Lees’ life in Laos) influence the choices the Lee’s made in the United States? How did this history contribute to the cultural conflicts that surrounded Lia’s medical care?
3) What did you learn from this book? How might your reading of this text help you improve upon your own intercultural communication practices, both in personal and professional contexts?