Nathaniel Breier
ERH-303WX-01
Prompt 1

In their essays on Appalachia, Harvey and Frost present the Appalachian people in similar ways. Both present Appalachians as being what could be said as innocent, even idealized in certain regards. This is perhaps most obvious in Harney’s depiction of the girl that he calls ‘Lassie’, a simple country girl who is willing to go above and beyond what is expected of her in order to protect the reputation of the man she loves.
Likewise, in Frost’s depictions of Appalachia, he presents the people there as comparable to the original frontiersman of the country, who were so vital to its foundations. He dwells in some depth on their virtues, and even appears to defend their intelligence, making the argument that with an education tailored to their situation, they could be the reincarnation of the idealized frontiersmen to whom he compares them.
Perhaps the largest issue with these presentations is that it presumes the superiority of non-Appalachians. In Harney’s essay, there is Mrs. G——-, who is characterized as being sophisticated in a way that Lassie is not and who is able to use this sophistication to aid Lassie. Similarly, in Frost’s essay, there is the need for non-Appalachians to lend a hand as it were to lift Appalachians out of their stagnation. Both instances reflect stereotypical views of Appalachians in that, being simpler that non-Appalachians, require outside interventions in order to improve. However, this is somewhat of a gray area, as their need to improve is debatable. Frost himself gives examples such as Lincoln who were able to achieve great things through their own efforts.