How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
The Lees took about a month to reach Thailand, though some lived in the forest for two years or more, moving constantly to evade capture. (12.21)
This real-life journey is more harrowing than anything you'll find in Lord of the Rings. Many families arrived in Thailand with fewer people than they started out with, the Lees included. It's hard to even imagine the mental toll that this must take on the parents. And that's not even mentioning the Orcs.
Quote #8
"You will not be like what you were before you get through the Mekong. On the other side you cannot say to your wife, I love you more than my life. She saw!" (12.3)
Here we go again with the mental and emotional aspects of exile—which get wrapped up pretty tight with the physical part. When our lives are in danger, we don't worry about keeping up appearances or looking good—we think about surviving. There's no room for shame and sometimes there's no room for other folks, either: this is life or death and the mantra for most folks is stay alive.
Quote #9
The Hmong are what sociologists call "involuntary migrants." It is well known that involuntary migrants, no matter what pot they're thrown into, tend not to melt. (14.5)
You've heard of the ol' American melting pot, right? A bunch of immigrants show up in the U.S., each group adds its own flavor, everyone is an ingredient, and eventually it all blends into something tasty? Well, over the course of their history, the Hmong have been exiled more times than they can count. This part of past is a big reason they're so resistant to American culture. After all, how long is it going be before they're booted from the U.S. like they were from Laos and China? It's hard to melt if you think you're bound to be scooped out again before you can even come to a boil.