Autobiography and Point of View. An autobiography is the story of a person’s life, written by that person. This selection is an example of autobiography, written by a young Hmong woman living in the United States. Most autobiographies use the first-person point of view, in which the narrator uses words such as I and we and is part of, or witness to, the action. As you read, think of words you would use to describe this and other autobiographical works.
Chronological Order. Events arranged in order of the time when they happened are said to be in chronological order. This method of organization is used in most stories, whether they are fiction or nonfiction. The first part of this selection is written entirely in chronological order. In what other ways could a piece of writing be arranged?
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• History Connection. The Hmong are an ethnic group from Asia. The Hmong migrated from Mongolia, a region in the north of China, into the Yellow River valley of China around 2500 bc. Around 251 bc, they moved again, traveling southwest to the Yangtze River. In the mid-1800s, they settled in the mountain jungles of Southeast Asia, in what are now the countries of North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. The Hmong moved so often because they had many conflicts with the Chinese over land and taxes, and were searching for freedom. Freedom is very important to the Hmong people. In fact, some scholars believe the word Hmong means “free.”
• In 1954, the people of Laos and Vietnam won their independence from France, which had controlled most of Southeast Asia since the 1860s. At the same time Communist groups, who believed that all people should share wealth and resources equally, began fighting to take control of governments in Southeast Asia. The United States entered Vietnam to fight against the Communists, starting a conflict now known as the Vietnam War. The U.S. government also began a war in Laos, organizing thousands of Hmong soldiers to fight against the Lao Communists, or Pathet Lao. However, the government didn’t tell the American people about the war in Laos for many years. For this reason, the war in Laos is sometimes called the “Secret War.” Thousands of Hmong men and boys fought against the Pathet Lao with the help of aid and supplies from the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In 1975 the Pathet Lao won the war. When they did, all the Hmong who had been fighting with the CIA against the Pathet Lao were in danger. The Pathet Lao killed many Hmong people and destroyed their villages. The Hmong became refugees—people who had to flee their homeland in search of safety. Many of them, such as the family in the selection you are about to read, were eligible to emigrate, or move to, the United States. California, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are home to the majority of Hmong Americans.
Write about an unforgettable journey you have taken or an experience you have had that has helped you grow as a person.
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