The beginning of the semester we discussed stereotypes in general, as well as Appalachian stereotypes. We called out words like uneducated, hillbilly, superstitious, backwards, poor, isolated from modern society. Yet in texts that we have read since then, I have come to understand the Appalachian culture more and more. I realized that the movie Deliverance does not in fact portray Appalachian people accurately whatsoever.
They, the people of Appalachia, are actually an integral part of American history and culture. The unions of the Appalachian coal industry, which stretches from eastern Tennessee to Pennsylvania, played a significant role, whether local or federal, in the economy and politics. Unions were able to organize and strike for better wages for just shy of half a year.
However, it is most interesting that the literature of the region played/plays a significant role in the perceptions of “outsiders” on Appalachia. From the first journal articles that described the region to the Pulitzer Prize winning play The Kentucky Cycle, to the blockbuster movie Deliverance, there has been countless literature that negatively depicts the way of life that the majority of Appalachians live. They are seen as those stereotypes that I listed earlier when in all actuality, they are just the same as you and me: Americans who are just doing their best to provide for their families and pursuing happiness. But what is it that makes the media portray Appalachia like that? The answer is simple: it sells. It makes those of us who are not from the region feel good about ourselves because we see ourselves as better than them.