Inside Out

and Back
Again
A Visual Timeline by Michelle Suarez
 Quote
#1 Summary
P.16

“... when Mother insisted

one of my brothers
must rise first
Due to the cultural context
this morning
Ha exists in, men are favored
to bless our house
to bring luck for the new
because only male feet
year. In this part, Ha is
can bring luck.
rebelling in her own way by
An old, angry knot
waking up early to “bring the
expanded in my throat.
luck” first. Even though her
I decided
mom and siblings are asleep,
to wake before dawn
she still feels compelled to
and tap my big toe
undergo this act.
to the tile floor
first.”
 Quote
#2 Summary
P. 53

Ha reflects on her
relationship with her father
“Sometimes I whisper
and the relationship between
tuyt sút to myself
her father and her mother.
to pretend
Sometimes she feels
I know him.
connected to him via distant
memories and some things
I would never say tuyt sút
she feels like she hardly
in front of Mother
knows him. Either way, she
tries not to vocalize these
None of us would want
thoughts much since they
to make her sadder.”
would upset her grieving
mother.
 Quote
#3 Summary
P. 102

Vietnamese President Thieu

“On TV President Thieu is on TV offering his
looks sad and yellow; resignation to the country
what has happened to his and saying he can no longer
tan? be in the role of the
His eyes brim with tears; president.
this time they look real.
I can no longer be your Ha thinks he looks unwell
president and unlike himself. He says
but I will never leave my that he is not abandoning
people anyone but Ha’s mom is
or our country.” skeptical about what he is
saying.
#4 Quote Summary

Ha is eating old rice. She

describes it as moldy on the
“I chew each grain
outside but sweet on the
s-l-o-w-l-y.
inside. The family is at sea
I hear others chew
and have started their
but have never seen
voyage out of Vietnam. Even
anyone actually eating.
though they are leaving due
No one has offered
to hardships, they are also
to share”
experiencing hunger, thirst,
etc. on their journey as well.
 Quote
#5 Summary
P.180

The family docks in the

“We have landed island of Guam. The family is
on an island dealing with
called Guam, cultural/language barriers, as
which no one can well as barriers to food and
pronounce resources. They are given
except Brother Quang, limited rations of food they
who becomes don’t find appetizing so they
translator for all.” are only eating the fruit
preserves.
 Quote
#6 Summary
P. 214

The family has recently

arrived on land and staying
with the cowboy and his
“The wife insists family. The cowboy’s wife
we keep out of insist that they are not seem
her neighbors’ eyes. by their neighbors or other
Mother shrugs. passerbys. The mom tries to
More room here look at the bright side of
than two mats on a ship.” having to stay enclosed by
thinking about the increased
space they have relative to
their situation on the ship.
 Quote
#7 Summary
P.261

“Hair the color of root on

milky skin. Ha is starting at her new
Lots of braids on milk school. She is feeling the
chocolate. social pressures of being a
White hair on a pink boy. new student but also with
Honey hair with orange the added layer of feeling
ribbons on see-through skin. like she doesn’t look like the
Hair with barrettes in all others. She is aware of the
colors on bronze bread. physical differences (like her
I’m the only hair and skin color) between
straight black hair her and the other students.
on olive skin.”
#8 Quote Summary

The students at Ha’s schools

have been engaging in
“I understand discriminatory behavior
because Brother Khôi against her. This includes
nodded into my head making fun on her name,
on the bike ride home joking about racial
when I asked if kids stereotypes, and making
said the same things jokes about her home
at his school. country. She is confused at
I understand first but then discovers her
and wish brother is also experiencing
I could go back this. She wishes she could
to not understanding.” go back to being confused
about what it all means to
save her feelings.
#9 Quote Summary

Ha is able to make a
connection with one of her
teachers. Miss Washington’s
son fought and died in action
in Vietnam. He sent her
“By the time I teach her
many photos throughout his
du-du
time there. The teacher
and she teaches me
shows Ha the photobook of
doo-doo
the compiled photos and Ha
we’re laughing so hard
is able to reminisce about
we’re hungry for
her country’s food,
pancakes.”
celebrations, and culture for
the first time in a while. They
laugh, and talk, and the
teacher lets Ha take the
book home.
#10 Quote Summary

Despite their hardships, Ha

“Mother invites our and her family have been
cowboy able to build some remnants
and MiSSSisss of a chosen family in their
WaSShington new home. Ha’s family hosts
for egg rolls. a dinner for Miss
They brought gifts, Washington and Mr.
not saying Johnston. Despite the joy
Early Christmas, that Ha’s mom and sibling
not wanting are expressing, she is
to embarrass us frowning and continually
for not having anything upset. She ends up throwing
to exchange.” the gift of dried papaya in
the trash.