Appalachian Literature Class: An Analysis

3. My whole family knew a philippic from my grandmother was brewing as soon as her breath started to shorten.

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is a piece of fiction that is so strongly written it can be conceived as the truth. Mark Twain’s ability to paint a clear and realistic picture of the Southern way of life in 1885 is unparalleled in any author. The story of Huckleberry Finn is one that gives ample opportunity for interesting sights into the South at that time. The story consists of Huck and a runaway slave, along with two men and Huck’s faithful friend Tom Sawyer and some points of the novel, floating down the Mississippi’s shores and encountering different feats of Southern culture, tragedy, and adventure. A nice example of Twain’s ability to turn an event on a river into an analysis of Southern culture is a fun bit of the story where Huck

Jem and Scout, throughout “To Kill A Mockingbird,” learn to consider things from other people’s perspectives. Atticus, Jem and Scout’s father, says “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in” (Lee 39). They learn this through experiences with their neighbor Boo Radley as they mature beyond their years. At the beginning of the novel, Jem and Scout make fun of Boo and assume that all of the rumors going around about him are true. However, later on in the story the children grow an admiration for Boo and learn to understand him. As they matured, Jem and Scout naturally learned many life lessons of appreciation, respect, and courage

Harper Lee is best known for writing the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel takes place during the depression in Alabama with the main character, Scout, viewing her lawyer father, Atticus, defending a wrongly accused black man of rape. The reader gets to understand Scout’s childhood view of this controversial situation. Scout’s character in to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is really the author’s own life playing out in the novel, which is most likely why this novel is thought to be one of the best American Novels of the 20th century.

Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” is set in a small Southern United States community called Maycomb during the Great Depression era. The whole book primarily revolves around segregation and racism and how it relates to Maycomb’s history. It eventually leads to the trial of Tom Robinson where he is accused of beating up and raping Mayella Ewell. Even though it was clear that Tom Robinson did not do anything wrong he was convicted by an all white jury simply because he was black. The trial of Tom Robinson and its verdict shows an example of how segregation in the court system prevents fair trials from occurring.

The memoir Hillbilly Elegy, written by J.D. Vance, is the remarkable story of a young man’s challenges of growing up in poverty. The book focuses on the difficulties that come along with living in Appalachia, and the family issues that go on as well. Living in poverty introduced Vance to a world filled with toxicity and violence. This unhealthy environment caused Vance to develop a conflict within himself, making him struggle with his self-identity. In Hillbilly Elegy, Vance uses Conflict to empathize the toxicity that surrounded his family.

The novel not only helps teach valuable lessons, the novel educates youth about slavery and prejudice. If the novel is taken away, the youth’s education is degrading and furthermore society as a whole. When a topic is controversial that does not mean the novel should be banned solely because it may raise questions and leads to intellectual discussions; rather that topic should be shared to educate everyone to think deeper and to question society. Discomfort and controversy lead to a greater

“‘You want to grow up to be a lady, don’t you?’ I said not particularly” (Lee). Jean Louise Finch is a tomboy growing up in a world where a girl is expected to become a lady. Submissive housewives and proper ladies were the expectations set for women in the time To Kill A Mockingbird took place. Scout Finch lived in a household that had a strong male influence; aside from Calpurnia, she had no real present example of what she was supposed to become. Because of this, Scout refused to conform to the ways of the rest of the women in Maycomb and the world (Lee 84).

Great authors use different literary elements to display their thoughts. To Kill a Mcokingbird, a novel written by Harper Lee, takes place in Maycomb, Alabama, during the years of the Great Depression. The novel focuses on Scout Finch, a 6 year old tomboy, and her brother Jem. They both begin realize all of the social issues, such as rape and inequality, that happens in their community throughout the course of the plot. Many people were racist against black people and judgemental against people who were not like them during this time period in the south but Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, did not want his children to become influenced by these people. Harper Lee uses literary devices such as characterization, symbolism, and conflict to develop

The skyline of Cumberland is full of church steeples, yet with the background of religion, Cumberland has a major drug problem. Cumberland has always had an underlining drug problem that has only recently gotten the attention of more in the community. According to the Maryland health department, increased from 16 drug intoxication deaths in 2015 to 45 in 2016. In June of this year, the total death rate was 24.

The beautiful skyline of Cumberland is filled with the sight of church steeples, yet with a heavy background in religion, Cumberland has a major drug problem. Cumberland has always had an underlining drug problem that has only recently gotten the attention of more in the community. According to the Maryland health department, increased from 16 drug intoxication deaths in 2015 to 45 in 2016. In June of this year, the total death rate was 24.

The novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, written in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe is an anti-slavery novel that changed how Americans viewed treating people as property. The book How to Read Literature Like a Professor provides 27 insightful chapters on how to find a deeper meaning in any given novel. The topics I chose to use to analyze Uncle Tom’s Cabin are chapter twelve, “Is That Symbolism?”, chapter fourteen, “Yes, She’s a Christ Figure, Too” and chapter six, “The Bible”.

Courage is the quality of mind that enables one to face danger with confidence, resolution, and gain a firm control of oneself. Many of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird showed courage in their own way. Courage can come in many different forms: physical, mental, emotional and moral. Courage is not the only main theme displayed in To Kill a Mockingbird; prejudice and education are also very important themes exhibited throughout the progression of the novel. Through the eyes of Scout Finch, a bright, sensitive and intelligent little girl, these themes of the novel are explored in great depth.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe, is arguably the most influential novel in American History. Stowe’s sentimental writing style seized the imagination of her readers and Uncle Tom’s Cabin became the standard of the abolition movement. Uncle Tom, one of the protagonists, spreads Christianity and dies for his faith, like Christ. By equating Uncle Tom with Jesus Christ, Harriet Beecher Stowe deliberately provokes her audience to social change and abolition.

It is commonly acknowledged that Literature is the reflection of the society. It is indeed true that literature reflects the attitude and perception of the society where it is written. Literature mirrors the vices of the society with an intention to make the society realize its mistakes and make amendments. The vast literature, produced from time to time, bears evidence to the fact that man is prone to discrimination. Treating a person or particular group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people, because of their sexuality, skin, and class has, been core theme of the Harper lee’s master piece To Kill a Mocking Bird. The novel is told from Scout’s perspective; through Scout, we witness the social construction of race, class, and gender. The novel continues to be taught in classrooms due to its illustration