Based on the book by Barbara J. Rolland and Houa Vue Moua
Trail Through the Mists
Final project of our 8th grade ELA novel unit "Rights and Responsibilities" with Ms. Wardean and Ms. Griffith
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Summary by Sydney
Trail Through the Mists is a book about the journey of the Xiong family as the Communists began to take over Laos. Their trouble begins when a couple of soldiers, known as the Red Ants, come to their house and order to conduct a search of their home. The Xiongs are now exposed to the fear that the soldiers can control their lives in the cruelest ways possible. Just a few days after the family’s initial meeting with the Communist soldiers, they pack up all of their prized possessions and leave for Bouam Long, a city that is supposed to be safe from the Communists. There were landmines on all of the main paths, which would give off enough force to blow up a person into nothingness. Also, as soon as they reach Bouam Long, the family quickly settles down for a moment of peace, but the peace doesn’t stay for long. As they stay in Bouam Long, they remain out of harm’s way, and are very happy. However, the Xiongs begin to feel homesick, and want to return as soon as possible to Hoi Hung. They eventually make the long journey back to their hometown, where they are greeted by a few days of safety and relief. Their home and land, while relatively unharmed, lacks the safety that the Xiongs were accustomed to. Their animals are missing and their pens are overgrown with weeds. Unfortunately for them, the Communists were still present in the area, and were being crueler than ever. Bombs began to fall from the sky, blowing away everything in their path. In order to be safe, the Xiongs and a handful of other families from their village took cover in a cave at the edge of a mountain: Thunder Cave. It was in that cave that the entirety of the family realized how serious this situation was, and that one of their only options at that point was to return to Bouam Long, so after the bombing was slowed down, Cher, Gao, Houa, and the rest of the Xiong family trekked back to Bouam Long.
Houa is now a young adult, with new responsibilities. One of those responsibilities was to travel back to her home town of Hoi Hung to harvest opium from the family’s poppy crop. Opium was a very valuable form of medicine, so it was important to harvest it as soon as possible. However, there were an unimaginable number of Communists in that area, and they were planning something dangerous. Houa was the only one to realize the danger associated with them, so she left for Bouam Long with her cousin, Ka. Fortunately for Houa and Ka, they made it home in time to miss the attack, but the others that came with weren’t so lucky, and had perished in the attack. Soon after returning home, Houa and another one of her cousins, Mai, took Mai’s sick sister, Mai Tong, to Ban Xon, where the best hospital in Laos was located, and did so without adult supervision. While in Ban Xon, the girls met a pair of boys, who took quite an interest in them. After spending a couple of days there, both girls received marriage proposals. Mai was ecstatic, but Houa was more reluctant to accept her proposal. Kay, the man who wanted to be her husband, wasn’t very understanding, so after Houa had returned to Bouam Long, he “kidnapped” her in broad daylight, and took her to Ban Xon, where they were married. However, Kay had no approval from Houa’s parents to proceed with the marriage, so the couple had to travel back to Bouam Long. Houa’s parents were very disapproving initially, but eventually agreed to the marriage, as long as the dowry was paid. After the couple got married, they began a peaceful life in Ban Xon. However, it wouldn’t remain that way for long. Houa soon received word that her father, Cher, had been killed while watching over the city of Bouam Long. This caused Houa to believe that her and Kay needed to go to Thailand, where Hmong people could be safe from the Communist soldiers. She managed to get her mother and a few of Kay’s siblings to accompany her, Kay, and their children to Thailand. They traveled to Vientaine, where they sought refuge for a couple of days before continuing on their journey. On the journey, they all had to pretend to be Loatians instead of Hmongs in order to remain unharmed by the Communists. When they finally got to Thailand, despite all of the illnesses and other health issues, they were all overjoyed to be safe together as a family.
There were many violated rights in Trail Through the Mists. When the Red Ants searched the Xiong’s house, they were violating Amendment IV of the Bill of Rights because they lacked a search warrant. Also, the soldiers were violating Amendment II because that right states that everyone has the right to keep and bear arms, and the Xiongs weren’t granted that because the soldiers took away all of their weapons. Another Amendment that was violated was Amendment I.. It grants the people the freedom of speech. In their first encounter with the Communists, Houa was forced into letting the soldiers into the house, and no one else in the family got to make any objections. They were forced to leave their hometown because of the safety hazards that followed them everywhere.
The Xiong family also had several responsibilities. As they were traveling between cities, the women were responsible for packing the items and for making the food that would be needed on the journey. Also, as the Xiongs were in Thunder Cave, Cher volunteered to scout the area for Communist soldiers. As Houa got older, her responsibilities increased. She had to travel to Hoi Hung where the poppies and opium were harvested. While in Bouam Long, she also had to help with the different banquets and community meals that were hosted. Also, after she married Kay, she now had the responsibilities of a housewife, including cooking, cleaning, and doing a variety of jobs.
Houa is now a young adult, with new responsibilities. One of those responsibilities was to travel back to her home town of Hoi Hung to harvest opium from the family’s poppy crop. Opium was a very valuable form of medicine, so it was important to harvest it as soon as possible. However, there were an unimaginable number of Communists in that area, and they were planning something dangerous. Houa was the only one to realize the danger associated with them, so she left for Bouam Long with her cousin, Ka. Fortunately for Houa and Ka, they made it home in time to miss the attack, but the others that came with weren’t so lucky, and had perished in the attack. Soon after returning home, Houa and another one of her cousins, Mai, took Mai’s sick sister, Mai Tong, to Ban Xon, where the best hospital in Laos was located, and did so without adult supervision. While in Ban Xon, the girls met a pair of boys, who took quite an interest in them. After spending a couple of days there, both girls received marriage proposals. Mai was ecstatic, but Houa was more reluctant to accept her proposal. Kay, the man who wanted to be her husband, wasn’t very understanding, so after Houa had returned to Bouam Long, he “kidnapped” her in broad daylight, and took her to Ban Xon, where they were married. However, Kay had no approval from Houa’s parents to proceed with the marriage, so the couple had to travel back to Bouam Long. Houa’s parents were very disapproving initially, but eventually agreed to the marriage, as long as the dowry was paid. After the couple got married, they began a peaceful life in Ban Xon. However, it wouldn’t remain that way for long. Houa soon received word that her father, Cher, had been killed while watching over the city of Bouam Long. This caused Houa to believe that her and Kay needed to go to Thailand, where Hmong people could be safe from the Communist soldiers. She managed to get her mother and a few of Kay’s siblings to accompany her, Kay, and their children to Thailand. They traveled to Vientaine, where they sought refuge for a couple of days before continuing on their journey. On the journey, they all had to pretend to be Loatians instead of Hmongs in order to remain unharmed by the Communists. When they finally got to Thailand, despite all of the illnesses and other health issues, they were all overjoyed to be safe together as a family.
There were many violated rights in Trail Through the Mists. When the Red Ants searched the Xiong’s house, they were violating Amendment IV of the Bill of Rights because they lacked a search warrant. Also, the soldiers were violating Amendment II because that right states that everyone has the right to keep and bear arms, and the Xiongs weren’t granted that because the soldiers took away all of their weapons. Another Amendment that was violated was Amendment I.. It grants the people the freedom of speech. In their first encounter with the Communists, Houa was forced into letting the soldiers into the house, and no one else in the family got to make any objections. They were forced to leave their hometown because of the safety hazards that followed them everywhere.
The Xiong family also had several responsibilities. As they were traveling between cities, the women were responsible for packing the items and for making the food that would be needed on the journey. Also, as the Xiongs were in Thunder Cave, Cher volunteered to scout the area for Communist soldiers. As Houa got older, her responsibilities increased. She had to travel to Hoi Hung where the poppies and opium were harvested. While in Bouam Long, she also had to help with the different banquets and community meals that were hosted. Also, after she married Kay, she now had the responsibilities of a housewife, including cooking, cleaning, and doing a variety of jobs.
Citations:
Jyrki Salmi. "Silent Forest." Flickr. Yahoo!, 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
Samantha Forsberg. "Poppies." Flickr. Yahoo!, 28 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 Dec. 2014.
Rolland, Barbara, and Houa Vue. Moua. Trail through the Mists. Eau Claire, WI: Eagles Print., 1994. Print
Jyrki Salmi. "Silent Forest." Flickr. Yahoo!, 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
Samantha Forsberg. "Poppies." Flickr. Yahoo!, 28 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 Dec. 2014.
Rolland, Barbara, and Houa Vue. Moua. Trail through the Mists. Eau Claire, WI: Eagles Print., 1994. Print
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Website Created: Monday November 24, 2014
Website Last Updated: Thursday January 8, 2015
Website Last Updated: Thursday January 8, 2015