Are The Similarities Between Sticks And Growing Up Hmong In Laos And America?

Although some stories are written by completely different authors, countless stories can and have shared similar themes and ideals. One example of two stories that share similar concepts is the example of the stories: Sticks and Salt and Growing up Hmong in Laos and America. In the story, Sticks and Salt, Phuoc Nguyen talks about his life growing up as a Vietnamese refugee in America. On the other hand, in the story, Growing up Hmong in Laos and America, Pa Xiong Gonzalo talks about his life growing up as a Hmong refugee and his life growing up in America. Even though some stories may share similarities, there will always be differences in the stories and in the writing of the stories. The two stories, Sticks and Salt and Growing up Hmong in

According to Evelyn Nakano Glenn, family has multiple definitions—the most popular being “a unit in a household consisting of a mother, father, and children residing together.” Another definition of family is “two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption residing in the same housing unit” (Glenn 87). In both stories, it can be seen that the role of a mother is an important role in the family. One characteristic that both mothers resemble in the stories is that of a caring mother. In the story, Sticks and Salt, Nguyen’s mother showed love and compassion toward Nguyen (as a child) during their dangerous boat ride to America. According to Nguyen, his mother stated, “We're almost there son. Don’t worry,” as they faced the life-threatening and frightening conditions of the sea (Nguyen 21). As any other loving mother would, Nguyen’s mother comforted him during the dreadful event. In addition, Nguyen stated that his mother repeatedly told him a proverb as he was growing up: “Loving your child means giving them sticks and salt; hating your child means giving them sweetness and candy” (Nguyen 27). This proverb helps show that Nguyen’s mother only raised him as she did because she loved him. Likewise to Nguyen’s description of his mother as an important individual, Gonzalo shares her views and describes the importance of mothers. In the story, she states, “It was women, after

In the story, Sticks and Stones, Nguyen states, “The Confucian ideal dictates that you must respect and pay homage to your parents both while they are alive and after they pass. You must support them in their old age even if it means not supporting yourself first” (Nguyen 30). Nguyen follows the Confucian ideal in which you have to provide money to your parents in order for them to have a good life while they are still alive. In addition, Nguyen quotes his mother, “The money that I do save every month I want to send to Vietnam. You know Grandpa and Grandma are much poorer than we are. So we have to tighten our belts a little so that they can enjoy their old age” (Nguyen 29). According to Nguyen, the importance of family and giving back to your parents is crucial in the Vietnamese culture and tradition. On the other hand, Gonzalo states that, “Hmong men were given higher status because only men were able to carry on the family’s clan name, and it was men who would be responsible for taking care of aged parents” (Gonzalo 60). Alike to Nguyen’s Vietnamese traditions, the Hmong men were expected to care for their aged parents in the future. Unlike the American tradition of leaving the elders in a senior home, these stories show that there is a similar importance in taking care of one’s elders between the