OutlineWhat did you like in the reading and why?
What did you not like?What questions or points of confusion are you left with?Did the reading make you reflect on any personal experiences?
What did you like in the reading and why?
The article focuses on the tribulations of the Hmong child and it depicts the sequence of events. As the introduction progresses the theme merges with the story line. The topic the spirit catches you and you fall down emanates from the meaning of the word epileptic which refers to the same thing according to the Hmong (Fadiman 1998).
The remarkable use of distinction is captivating. First there is the use of distinction created by the seriousness of the condition and whether it is an honor. The disease is regarded as incurable yet it is viewed as an honor among the Greeks who refer it as a sacred disease. In addition the aspect of distinction is used repetitively to expose the characteristics of the Hmong. This is used in order to captivate the reader. For instance the Hmong people in Thailand hills are highly regarded as being good parents because they are very concerned about their childrens well-being. On the other hand the Hmong from the United States are considered to be inattentive parents. The use of distinction among similar objects to portray different characteristics is very captivating (Fadiman 1998).
The use of family views is also evident. For instance it is quite clear that for medical attention Lee is not taken to the hospital. This shows that there is mutual care for the sick in such settings. In addition the flow of the story is quite clear. The story depicts the tribulations that the Hmong underwent. This is compounded by the fact that the Hmong lived in refugee camps and were subjected to unreliable health care. This flow enhances vivid mental pictures of how the Hmong thrived (Fadiman 1998).
What did you not like
I did not like the denial of epilepsy as a scientific disease and considering it as magic. This notion contributed to the death of many people in the past. In this case instead of seeking medical help many people sought help from the people who were thought to have spiritual powers. However the United States has done little to restore the belief of the Hmongs in the American health care system (Fadiman 1998).
Did the reading make you reflect on any personal experiences?
The condition used to define Lias status is rather common with young kids. For kids having this condition lack of oxygen is detrimental because it sparks the disease. In the past while I was attending preparatory there was a kid who lived the same life as Lia. The number of times this kid attended the school clinical outlet were uncountable. Reading the article generates clear memories of the seizures that distracted learning in the institution. Seizures are usually very untimely. This implies that just like Lia the child would fall on any object that would cause him harm during the seizures. In addition kids dislike swallowing the prescribed medication. Therefore this adds to the personal experiences acquired when dealing with a kid suffering from epilepsy. The same happened to the kid at the school who often missed on taking the medication that had been prescribed. For many students and teachers epilepsy has been regarded as an evil spirit. This causes parents to resort to spiritual powers other than the conventional medical help. Many kids lose their lives as a result of the misguided thought (Fadiman 1998).
What questions or points of confusion are you left with?
Confusion about the subject being discussed is greatly reduced by the fact that over the years epilepsy has been a common phenomenon. However the reason as to why the Greeks viewed epilepsy as a sacred illness is not clear. This has left many questions unanswered (Fadiman 1998).
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