Summary Of Vance's Hillbilly Elegy

Emergence into a new culture requires courage, toppled with humiliation. Despite the energy or the will, unfamiliar territory/language and events present unrelenting and unavoidable tensions. Hispanic students encounter teachers who fail to support them in maintaining aspects of their cultural identity. For some ELL students honoring and respecting another’s culture may diminish some of the struggles these students face.

According to studies performed by Puncky Heppner, a professor at the University of Missouri, learning about other cultures positively affects communication with others. Although it is important for one to understand his or her own culture, it is equally as important for one to stay informed about other cultures. In the speech “Language and Literature from a Pueblo Indian Perspective,” Silko compares and contrasts the cultures of the Pueblo Indians to the cultures of those in the audience. In this reminiscently informative speech, Silkoś credibility, examples, and diction help her to introduce the way of life of the Pueblos to an audience who is not familiar with their traditions.

The multidimensional expression “hillbilly” carries different cultural significances throughout the book Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. First, Vance utilizes the term “hillbilly” to refer to the working class white Americans of Scots-Irish descent who have no college degree (3). Second, Vance uses the term hillbilly to refer to a group of people from a specific geographic area, namely the area of the Appalachian Mountains. According to Vance, the area stretches from Alabama to Georgia in the South to Ohio to parts of New York in the north (4). Third, hillbilly indicates the way of life, behavior, or identity of the people of Greater Appalachia.

Getting my new text and being filled with curiosity is always a great feeling prior to starting a class; Cultural Anthropology, such a foreign topic, so I thought. Once I began to read the first few chapters of the book I began to recognize words and details that I have previously been introduced too. Thinking back to when and what classes I have had the same experience, I recall Multicultural Counseling and Psychology. Stepping out my comfort zone is what really came to mind. Growing up in a society that has changed so much over the years you would think that I would be used to it; however, asking to look at your community with a different set of eyes is uncomfortable and brings feelings of disbelief most of the time.

In the Rusty Belt of America there a minority group of people whose income level has surpassed the poverty line. Inside the state of Ohio lies the poorest white American which describes themselves as hillbillies as they reside in the eastern Kentucky. In his personal analysis of culture in crisis of hillbillies, J.D. Vance tries to explain, in his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, what goes on in the lives of people as the economy goes south in a culture that is culturally deceptive, family deceptive, and in a community, whose doctrine of loyalty is heavily guarded. Like every poor Scot-Irish hillbilly in his community, Vance came from being poor, like the rest of his kind, to be a successful Law graduate from Yale Law school. As result of this transition and being the only child in his family to graduate from a highly respected intuition in the country, Vance thought out to analyze the ostensible reason of why many people are poor in his community.

Memoirs, and writing in general, reveal a truth about the author. Oftentimes, said truth is revealed intentionally. Universal truths such as struggle, endurance, and agony help authors influence their audiences. These truths cause the readers to become cognizant of and appreciate the authors. It is a writer’s duty to write from the heart—to write about the good and bad sides of a story. Annie Dillard’s An American Childhood fails to use universal truths and instead presents a very superficial presentation of its author’s life. J. D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis display the unconventional upbringing of Vance in order to give the audience a better understanding of the writer. Pure honesty

Since the first page of Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, perseverance is prevalent. No matter what comes J.D. Vance’s way he always works through it. There are many ways people respond to the adversity in life, and there are many ways people respond each distinct time. Perseverance has been key in my life, not just J.D. Vance’s; I would argue every person in this world as well. Whether it be in the military, like Vance, school, sports, or a job, there is no hiding from adverse situations. J.D. Vance talks about his adversity extensively in Hillbilly Elegy, and if success is wanted, perseverance is a major key in the process. Fighting through the challenging times in life is what will get the job done in the end.

Family is the mirror and foundation of culture, as it is the primary source of socialization. It is the agency through which children learn their roles and expectations of society, which ultimately shapes the culture we live in (Andersen 82). Studying family dynamics is a great tool to gain insight in the belief and value systems of a society, which is what J.D. Vance does is his autobiography Hillbilly Elegy. He analyzes his own upbring with a sociology perspective that gives the reader a deeper understanding on the conflicts of America’s white working class. In the following analytical book review of J.D. Vance’s work, Hillbilly Elegy, I will summarize the book’s contents, analyze how the content relates to the in class material, and

“We tend to overstate and to understate, to glorify the good and ignore the bad in ourselves.” (20) J.D. Vance introduces his readers to a world which many didn’t know existed, the world of white working class people, known as hillbillies, living in Rust Belt towns. Vance gives an inside look by telling stories of his life that are common circumstances in the hillbilly society. But as he says in the quote above, humans, no matter their race, background, or hometown, have a tendency to stretch the truth. Often we avoid putting ourselves or those we love in a bad light, we make our stories more grand so we can gather peoples interest, or we simply leave things out because its easier than reliving things that cause us so much heart ache.

The book Hillbilly Elegy is a story about a man that achieved things he never thought possible. J.D. Vance grew up in an extremely small town in Ohio which did not present much opportunity to him. Most of his family members had worked in places like steel mills in the past where physical labor was done in return for low wages. Throughout his childhood, J.D.’s mom battled a drug addiction and was emotionally unstable. Eventually J.D. moved in with his grandma, Mamaw, who saw the potential J.D. had to succeed. She encouraged him to do better with his life in many ways, one being giving him his first calculator. This motivated him to learn math and was the first step in achieving his goals. J.D. soon went on to graduate high school and

In the memoir Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, Vance is portrayed as achieving the American Dream. This comes from Vance being determined and by working very hard so he can make something out of his life. So, in the memoir Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, it is shown that Vance's argument about developing success is that hard work leads to success.

Teachers must learn about their student’s cultures if they want to educate them to the best of their ability. Many of the students in culturally diverse classrooms will want to learn in different ways. Some will want to learn in pairs, groups, as a class, or just alone. If the teacher is educated in their culture then lessons can be adjusted to appeal to every student as much as possible instead of forcing some to forget about their culture and learn like others. Students from

To develop, encourage, and embrace cultural consciousness, students in third grade will work together to create a multicultural environment, where the teacher will help students develop a positive attitude towards different race, ethic and cultural groups, in addition each student will receive equal educational opportunities (1997). Countries and Cultures Around the World is an integrated social studies unit that will promote an atmosphere of inquiry in the classroom and help students gain a broader appreciation for other cultures. The unit is comprised of interdisciplinary lessons, with activities that teach social studies, literacy (reading and writing), art and music.

As an educator it is important to be aware of the various learners in the classroom as well as being able to shift lessons accordingly to adapt to a greater number of students. In addition it is essential that culturally responsive practices is adapted in the classroom in order for all students to have a sense of belonging and are able to participate. For this reason, a teacher must actively use culturally responsive practices to engage students and their families because it helps to develop a relationship and maintain a level of communication. Learning “facts” about different cultures is not enough, it is more important that we make

Education is one of the most important factors in every person’s life regardless of where they’re from, their race, or their culture. Becoming educated not only makes life easier for us but also can help people become more successful in all things. However with so many people of various races, ethnicities and backgrounds in the United States it is difficult to create an education system that attends to each student’s individual culture. Ones own culture influences their actions and lifestyle, therefore this can create conflict if it is different from their schools cultural teaching style. Multicultural and multilingual classrooms have become the norm in many educational and professional settings throughout the U.S. because of changing immigration patterns caused by globalization (Institute for Educational Leadership, p. 2). For teachers today, it is essential to understand the role of culture and have the ability to interact interculturally in the classroom to create an effective learning environment. Analyzing cultural issues or differences can help teachers to understand some of the unconscious processes that shape individuals’ actions and interactions, as well as their language use and communication. “Teachers who understand cultural diversity…are more likely to be successful in their multicultural classrooms” (Samovar, Pg.2).