Thanhha Lai's 'Inside Out And Back Again'

1257 Words6 Pages
In the novel “Inside out and Back Again” by Thanhha Lai, Ha a 10-year-old girl who was forced to leave her home In Vietnam, 1975. Ha and her family Khoi, Quang, Vu and their Mother all flee Vietnam and find a new home in America. Ha’s story relates to other refugees. One way Ha’s story relates to the other refugees is because Ha and her family left their country because of poverty, and violence. Another way Ha’s story relates to other refugees is because Ha’s family had challenges while fleeing and so did other refugees. Other refugees had to leave behind family, pets, and items. Refugees also have to learn the language of their new country and find a job or get an education. Refugees also have to adapt to their community and their surroundings.…show more content…
Ha also came back at the end of the novel when more people in the school noticed her and gave her places to sit during lunch, or invited her to a party. Since Ha has been at her new school she was being bullied by a kid Ha calls this kid “Pink Boy”, Pink Boy would make fun of her for just how she is, Ha finally stood up to Pink Boy. “...I run and shout, Bully!, coward! Pink snot face!”. This shows that Ha is becoming more courageous, and brave, instead of letting Pink Boy make fun of her and bring Ha down, she decided she no longer wanted to deal with the disrespectful attitude. Ha is coming back again because she is now making friends at school. “...ready for giggles to explode into laughter thrown at me...but smiles appear instead”. This is an example that Ha is coming back again because she is beginning to make friends. Ha is also relieved because she is no longer lonely in the school, but now she Has two friends she can talk to. The refugees in “World of Difference Benefit Luncheon” came back is when most of the refugees found jobs and learned English. “...these things are no longer a big problem for her….”. These refugees are in a country they do not know much about and do not know how to speak the language. They get through this problem and come back again when they find jobs, get an education, and learn the language. They also are back again…show more content…
Ha also had to adapt and change to a new environment, As Ha fled her home, she suffered from thirst and hunger, Ha as well had to try new tastes and different things. Ha is now in America and she wants to send a father to the north to see if Ha's father is still alive, Ha’s mother tells Ha she must learn English before she can do what she wants. “Until you children master English, you must think, do wish for nothing else”. Ha’s mother is very stressed now that they are in America and now she has to find a job and do many things she hadn't done before, she also has to take care of four kids while she is trying to provide for them. Because she is so stressed she tells the entire family, they can not even think about their father which they love and miss very much. Ha knows she doesn't really mean this, but it shows that Ha’s mother is having some troubles. Ha is in a new environment and is being exposed to different things. “I don't understand, but I see….I'm the only straight black hair on the olive skin .” Ha is the only olive skin with straight black hair and she is confused because in Vietnam most of the kids at school looked the same. So when she is in a new school with different people she notices she isn't the same. This is a challenge for Ha because she was made fun of at her new school because of her facial structure, skin color, and hair. Another the
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  • Inside Out And Back Again Analysis

    1003 Words  | 5 Pages

    Think back to a time when you lost something. Whether you misplaced an object, moved to a new home, moved to a new school, or lost a loved one, think of something that once mattered to you, and now is lost. Whatever it is that you lost, do you miss it? Does it sadden you to have lost it? It certainly saddens Hà. Hà is just one of the many refugees who loses everything they have when fleeing. On the other hand, Hà and her family also gain a lot after fleeing to America. In the realistic fiction

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