The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Preface Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Afterword
Themes
All Themes Cultural Values, Spirituality, and Medicine Blame and Power History and Ethnic Identity Integration and Assimilation
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Lia Lee Anne Fadiman Foua Lee Nao Kao Lee Neil Ernst Peggy Philp Dan Murphy Jeanine Hilt Dee Korda Sue Xiong Sukey Waller Bill Selvidge Terry Hutchinson Jonas Vangay Blia Yao Moua May Ying Xiong Arthur Kleinman Vang Pao Martin Kilgore Yer Lee
Symbols
All Symbols Fish Soup
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The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

by

Anne Fadiman

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Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Preface
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7
  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9
  • Chapter 10
  • Chapter 11
  • Chapter 12
  • Chapter 13
  • Chapter 14
  • Chapter 15
  • Chapter 16
  • Chapter 17
  • Chapter 18
  • Chapter 19
  • Afterword
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Cultural Values, Spirituality, and Medicine  Theme Icon
    Cultural Values, Spirituality, and Medicine
  • Blame and Power Theme Icon
    Blame and Power
  • History and Ethnic Identity Theme Icon
    History and Ethnic Identity
  • Integration and Assimilation Theme Icon
    Integration and Assimilation
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Lia Lee
  • Anne Fadiman
  • Foua Lee
  • Nao Kao Lee
  • Neil Ernst
  • Peggy Philp
  • Dan Murphy
  • Jeanine Hilt
  • Dee Korda
  • Sue Xiong
  • Sukey Waller
  • Bill Selvidge
  • Terry Hutchinson
  • Jonas Vangay
  • Blia Yao Moua
  • May Ying Xiong
  • Arthur Kleinman
  • Vang Pao
  • Martin Kilgore
  • Yer Lee
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Fish Soup Symbol Icon
    Fish Soup
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
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Fish Soup

Throughout The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Fadiman often references the Hmong’s maximalist worldview, which takes into account all aspects of life and seeks to acknowledge the interconnectedness of all things. As…

read analysis of Fish Soup

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