Reflective Tag: In this essay I discuss everything I learned in the Cultural Rhetorics of Appalachia class. I start by discussing the opinions I had of the Appalachian Region going in to this semester then I move on to discuss how those opinions changed and which artifacts helped me reach my new understanding. This essay was significant because it not only in shows the reader what I learned throughout the semester, but it also helped me further understand how all of my research is connected.

 

ERH 303wx Reflection

Throughout the semester in Cultural Rhetorics of Appalachia class I conducted a substantial amount of research regarding the Appalachian region. My research consisted of an interview with an Appalachian native, attending a speech and discussion with the author of The Rhetoric of Appalachian Identitity, multiple class readings, and personal research regarding the economy of Appalachia. This class was beneficial to me in that it focused much of my attention on discovering as much as possible about and gaining a firm understanding of Appalachia. The research I conducted throughout the semester has provided me with a more educated understanding of the region. I now understand that the region cannot be characterized by its alleged singular identity, I am now aware of the region’s cultural pluralism.

While taking this course, I have learned that the region does not consist of type of people that share the same particular identity. I now understand that the region is comprised of numerous different types of people that all identify themselves in their own way. Prior to conducting my research on the region, I did not recognize the plurality of the Appalachian population, nor did I realize that the concept of plurality in the region was widely debated. As I said in my fifth ePortfolio entry, “almost everyone with an opinion feels strongly towards one side or the other” (Dalton, 5th entry). I wrote this entry in response to my viewing of The Kentucky Cycle and reading of the introduction to Back Talk from Appalachia. I felt this was an important concept to discuss because there are several popular works that present the region in a homogenous way, namely The Kentucky Cycle and Deliverance. It is because of such works that many people, formerly including myself, do not understand that the region is home to a large variety of people. I also feel that it is important to discuss the interpretation that many Appalachians have of themselves and the region. On October 14, 2014 I conducted an interview with John Dalton, a man that has lived in the Appalachian region his entire life. During the interview I asked John whether or not he identified himself as an Appalachian. He responded by saying “I don’t necessarily identify with it because I don’t necessarily have the characteristics that you would associate with the Appalachian stereotype” (1). This quote is important in proving that the interpretation of the Appalachian identity, by outsiders and natives alike, has been the subject of ignorant distortion by the media. My interactions with Appalachian natives played a crucial role in expanding my knowledge of the region by giving me first hand interaction with the Appalachian population.

The population of Appalachia is not the only aspect that I previously considered to have singularity. My uneducated opinion on the practices of the region was that the vast majority of men worked labor-intensive jobs, such as coal mining and farming, and the majority of women were stay-at-home spouses. I did not think of typical Appalachian to have a college education, or even a high school diploma for that matter. Again, movies and novels were largely responsible for this perception. My recent exposure to the true Appalachia has taught me otherwise. For example, my personal interactions with Appalachian natives have primarily been through one of three people. My interviewee, John Dalton, my professor, Major Joshua Iddings, and the author of the widely respected book, The Rhetoric of Appalachian Identity, Dr. Todd Snyder. All three of these individuals earned a college diploma, and two of them earned a doctorate degree in their field. Moreover, neither coal mining, nor farming are included in their job descriptions. As I previously mentioned, I had little knowledge of Appalachian practices prior to taking this class, and what knowledge I did have was not based on any reputable source. However, I am now able to identify many practices, but more importantly, I am aware that there are virtually no limits to the work, hobbies, and overall lifestyles found in the region.

Throughout this course I have learned that the population and practices associated with the Appalachian region are less peculiar than most people tend to think. That’s where geography comes into play. I have come to find out that the geographical location and characteristics of Appalachia are the primary source of its distinction from the rest of the country. Appalachia’s distinctions are both social and economical and particularly noticed in the most rural parts of the region due to the physical separation from other regions of the country. The social distinctions of the population can be described as exploited, unified, and resistant to change. I have come to realize that music and the coal industry are the two most noticeable contributors to the social characteristics of the rural parts of Appalachia. In my eighth ePortfolio entry I mentioned the role music played in unifying Appalachians between the years 1880 and 1920. I said, “The music showed them they shared many of the same problems, thus they were not experiencing these struggles alone” (Dalton, 8th entry). This entry focused on the impact music had on the region over a century ago and that “many people found relief in knowing they were not alone” (Dalton, 8th entry). Despite my research on the subject, I still find that the economic struggles are more difficult to explain. It seems that the abundant natural resources were the reason for the industrial takeover and that the large, possessive industries were the major hindrance to economic development. However, blaming the region’s economic failures on this single factor would be an inaccurate judgment. Contributions to Appalachia’s economy were also made by the massive out-migration during the 20th century and the increased availability of federally funded welfare. The information I gather from Appalachia: A History showed me that these three factors impacted all social classes in Appalachia. In my ninth ePortfolio entry I mentioned, “The out-migration occurred in all social classes, however, the working class in Appalachia was most severely affected” (Dalton). My studies in this class have showed me that the Appalachian geography has had an impact in every part of the region, however, it is most significant in the rural parts that have fewer economic opportunities.

This Cultural Rhetorics of Appalachia class was beneficial to me because it enabled me to do research that I, most likely, otherwise would not have done. My research not only gave me a new perspective regarding Appalachian stereotypes, it showed me things I did not previously know about the region which I have been a part of for my entire life. This class was effective in encouraging me to do my own research and form my own educated opinion on the region’s population, practices and geography.