Summary

In "Somaly Serey, Serey Somaly," when Serey was born, Somaly's spirit entered her body. This is not only her "dead grandmother's second cousin" Ma Eng's superstition (216). Serey is also haunted by dreams of Somaly's traumatic past.

Serey is a nurse "in the Alzheimer's and dementia unit" at the hospital (214). Not long ago, Ma Eng was admitted to the hospital. She talks to Serey as if she is her niece, Somaly. Whenever Serey tries telling her that she is Serey, "her grandniece . . . Ma Eng gets mad" (217). Therefore, Serey is forced to play along with Ma Eng. Being around Ma Eng transports Serey into the past. Then, when she goes home to sleep, she is even further "drowned by the past, by Somaly's memories, her torrent of unresolved emotions" (221).

The dreams are vivid and depict Somaly's suffering during the Cambodian...