Illiteracy, And Illiteracy In 'The Beverly Hillbillies'

The hillbillies are the most stereotyped of the rednecks. Television depicts the hillbillies as primarily being incestuous, no teeth, gun shooting, and trashy yard people. Most people in today’s time believe that

Different cultures and race are also widely accepted in today's sitcoms. Sometimes, programs may show racial difficulties like we see in real life. In "Gilmore Girls" Rory has friends who come from different

Throughout the book, Vance describes particular behaviors, customs, and attitudes that distinguish the hillbilly culture and set them apart from the White Anglo-Saxon Protestants or “WASPS” (3). For example, Vance describes hillbillies as those with “an intense sense of loyalty, a fierce dedication to family and country” who “do not like outsiders or people different from us, whether the difference lies in how they look, how they act, or most important, how they talk.” (3). Notably, throughout the entirety of the book, Vance continuously and consistently identifies himself as a hillbilly. In order to fully grasp Hillbilly Elegy one must understand that Vance writes not as an observer of the hillbilly culture, but as someone who has lived the hillbilly life and knows the culture from firsthand experience. All throughout the book, it

Anthony Storr says that, “Originality implies being bold enough to go beyond accepted norms “ Social norms imply that everyone is the same or does something the same way, to break that you need to go out of your comfort zone and be bold enough to break those norms. Although it is very common for there to be social norms in society, when someone breaks one it can be the very first step to making the world a better place.

It is important to put yourself in one’s shoes. By doing so, you can understand that person’s situation better. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Aunt Alexandra is prejudiced towards social classes, and Bob Ewell is prejudiced towards people whose skin color is different than his.

Suburban sitcoms coming out in the late 50’s early 60’s portrayed usually an average family with average problems it solves by the end of the episode, most sitcoms including “Leave It To Beaver” followed the same formula; two white parents, a mother, and father, and 2-3 children; every episode followed the same steps, there’s a problem, the problem is solved by the end of the episode, and a lesson is learned by the main character. This held up perfectly in the 50’s and 60’s society, but sitcoms needed to adapt to fit their society, as time progressed, more important issues showed up in the shows, and as the US became more diverse so did the sitcoms. Today suburban sitcoms couldn’t be more different. As society became more diverse, more sitcoms were made to cater to the new audience.

Good Times and The Jefferson’s are well known sitcoms that premiered in the 1970s focusing on African American families living in poverty, while offering a comedic twist. The 1970s was in the heart of the civil rights movement, and these shows were based on the lives of blacks during this time (Deane, 2004). Both shows aired during the same timeframe, and it was evident that Good Times and The Jefferson’s aligned with the traditional stigma that society had of African Americans (there were often offensive stereotypical aspects present, such as mammy and sambo characters).

‘The idea of The Cosby Show which was rejected by ABC, they felt that America was not ready to accept the concept of an intact, black middle-class family.’

People are not born prejudiced. “It is something that is learned". It can be learned in the same way other attitudes and values are learned, primarily through association, reinforcement and modeling. For example, children may learn to associate a particular ethnic group with poverty, crime, violence and other negative things” (2006 Anti-Defamation League). Also, prejudice in “children may be reinforced by listening to derogatory ethnic jokes, especially when others laugh along or think they're cool”. Lastly, children may simply imitate the prejudices of their older family members and popular friends. Prejudice is to pre- judge. “Prejudice is a baseless and usually negative attitude toward members of a group. Common features of prejudice

There are many different social classes in “To Kill A Mockingbird.” The factors that separate people into these social classes are their skin color and their occupation. For example, Atticus, Scout, and Jem are part of the highest social class. They are part of this social class because Atticus is a lawyer, which makes him a highly respected person in the community. He is also white, which, at that time was a very important factor that chose who belonged in what social class. Scout and Jem are his children and therefore are also part of this social class.

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.

There are both sides of positive and negative about The Cosby Show of the black middle class. Even negative opinions that are the show makes people happy, and gives positive images of black on television. Clearly there is a dialectical tension that acknowledges both the positive and negative aspects of the program. For example, many negative reactions have been centered on shows that do not provide a realistic depiction of black families or black middle classes. But many people feel that the show accurately reflects their lifestyle and friends.

How far do you think Harper Lee has effectively shown social class and family groups to be important at that time? The rigid class structure and social stratification of Maycomb County had a profound effect on the events in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The impact of this class structure was especially evident in the trial of Tom Robins on, a Maycomb Negro. The extreme prejudice of the town eventually led to the unjust conviction of Robinson for a crime he did not commit.

It is a popular stereotype that African Americans have low income. In this movie Mr. Hunkee and his family couldn’t afford first class. For the first time, they had the experience of a life time to experience low class. They noticed how everything is rigged such as: the place where you store carryon luggage, and the television. The overhead storage area for carryon luggage wasn’t made to look nice in any way; It was old and busted. You had to insert coins to unlock it and store your items in it, as well as taking your items out. The television was rigged. Normally on flights there is a television on the back side of every seat for everyone to view, but on this plane, in low class, there was one small boxed tv that was on a rolling cart for everyone to see. The television has no color on the screen, and they also had a piece of aluminum wrapped around the end of the antenna to receive signal, which was very poor. In first class, everything is served on a silver platter; luxury everything. As far as the food, first class received a choice of one meat and two sides. In low class, they didn’t have much of a choice. A 40 ounce of colt .45, and a box of chicken that was passed from the front until it reached the back and they could only take one piece of chicken per person. This scene shows quite a few examples of how African Americans live or what they have or what they are used to. It is very stereotypical that African Americans live this low life thoroughly. Anywhere as far as in rigging things, such as the storage area for carryon luggage, to make a living, from the tv being rigged, to make good use of what you have, from everyone receiving one piece of chicken, since all African Americans love chicken and are viewed as being cheap.

The first set of stereotypes that all the characters back are those associated with class. Lower class people are often affiliated with little to no savings, renting properties, and living in the inner city. In the first chapter of the film, “i. Little,” Chiron runs into an abandoned apartment that is known as a crack hole. This gives context into where Chiron lives: the inner city, and more closely related to the ghetto. Chiron returns home to a barred-window apartment complex. He is merely a child who has no control over his home, so this situation speaks more upon his mother, Paula. After a few days of being introduced, she sells the television set to use for drug money. To take a bath, Chiron heats the water on the stove and uses dish soap. It is obvious that this family is a stereotypical low class family. In the second chapter, “ii. Chiron,” Paula in a similar situation, but a smaller, more run down apartment complex. She physically and emotionally abuses Chiron for money. This aspect ties into the intersectionality of being a low class African-American. The stereotype that correlates to this issue is the crack victim. Paula’s need for money stems from a need of crack. Her addiction has run her family into the bleak stereotypes of low class. In chapter three, “iii. Black,” we are invited into the home of Chiron’s friend, Kevin. Kevin is similar to Paula in how he lives in a barred apartment complex, but he has a steady