How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
For as long as it had been recorded, the history of the Hmong has been a marathon series of bloody scrimmages, punctuated by occasional periods of peace. (2.3)
Sounds like the start to an apocalyptic movie, probably involving zombies. But this is real, and the Hmong people are no strangers to suffering. As a tight-knit and super insular community, the Hmong are faced with scrutiny wherever they go and forced into conflict with groups much larger and more powerful than they are. Like the Rebel Alliance going up against the evil Galactic Empire, the Hmong are holding on by a thread.
Quote #2
"I felt a tremendous responsibility to stop the seizures and to make sure another one never happened again, and they felt more like these things happen." (5.35)
We watch Lia endure a lot of suffering, and we also see how folks from different cultures have a range of responses to what she's going through. Even though they're beefing with Lia's parents, Neil and Peggy are genuinely moved by the poor girl's plight, making it their personal mission to help her get better. In fact, they're shocked by Nao Kao and Foua's seeming apathy about their daughter's condition. It's really just a different way of thinking about suffering, but the miscommunication it leads to is a whole 'nother bundle of struggles.
Quote #3
Because they were so depressing to be around, Hmong with "total body pain" were among the clinic's least popular patients. (6.26)
Let's go out on a limb and re-diagnose "total body pain" as some form of PTSD. Most Hmong—even those who weren't directly involved in combat—saw plenty of awful, heart-breaking stuff over the course of the "Quiet War." Those experiences still haunt them, leading to plenty of shame, fragile identities, and pariah-hood in those hospital hallways.