Dhruv Agarwal - dhruvag@seas.upenn.

edu
Writing Diagnostic PRP The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

It is always easier for one to fully understand and appreciate the nature of the argument from a point of
tangency rather than from its center. When two cultures such as that of the Lees and the Americans
clashed with each other, it was hard for both of them to come to empathize with each other due to their
dissimilar, yet not necessarily conflicting, methods for attaining a goal: Lia Lees good health. Clashes,
such as the ones mentioned in the book, are bound to happen whenever two cultures meet. The extent
of their damage is determined by the series of events leading up to the event. In Lias case, matters
were worsened by several unlucky events that worked to bolster the inconfidence that the Lees had in
the doctors and that the doctors held in the Hmong practices.
Humans as a species, much like the laws of physics, resist change. An influx of refugees from South East
Asia during the war was one such change. With both groups, desperately trying to cling to their own
cultures, the Hmong and the Americans were never able to completely assimilate. Had the transition for
the Hmong been handled more effectively by all parties involved, matters would have had been
different. Armed with information about the Hmong cultures and traditions, the American doctors
would have been able to appreciate the Hmong practices of cupping and herbal medicine and relate it to
similar practices held by western physicians just a few decades back. Likewise, with knowledge of the
American beliefs and practices, the Hmong would have not viewed Lias doctors as their opponents but
rather seen them in their original role as caregivers.
Despite the fact that two cultures can never completely adopt and embrace each other, it is always
possible for them to reach a point where they can coexist in harmony. As pointed out in the book, Five
Questions was a way for the patients to explain their disorder to the doctor, giving the patient a chance
to become involved in an otherwise passive process and thus appreciate the motives and methods of
the doctors.
In Lias case, extenuating circumstances such as the lack of a translator and her move to a foster home,
worked to widen the gap between the understanding of her doctors and parents. A case that could have
had been handled with care, became a victim to an unfortunate series of events, each of which worked
to further deteriorate the condition.