Journal Entry 2

For this week’s prompt, I’d like you to discuss at least two of our readings for the week. You should discuss them in relation with one another, thinking about how the author’s might speak to one another about the issues they bring up in their articles.

The two readings that I would like to discuss are “A Strange Land and a Peculiar People.” and “Our Contemporary Ancestors in the Southern Mountains.”.  First off I’d like to talk about these titles, “Strange Land” what do you mean a strange land? You are not going to talk about Narnia, you’re talking about Appalachia. And “Strange People” You’re also not late for a tea party with the mad hatter, you’re discussing a culture that just because they have some differences that your own you criticize. Do not get me started on “Conteporary Ancestors” (mainly because I do not have a witty comment about it at this very moment). I think that both of these authors would get along very well because of the way that they both view Appalachia. To me Appalachia is not just hicks and rednecks walking around with a big lip in their mouth, it is the blue collar culture of a hard working man that has not had something handed to him his entire life. Although I am not from the region I grew up in an area that has parallels to it and I feel like there are certain aspects in which I can relate. Throughout oth of these readings I kind of felt as if the authors were both trying to poke fun at Appalachia and depicted the region in such a stereotypical way. I believe that these two authors would be able to discuss Appalachiaian culture in the same negative tone and demeanor because in my opinion when referring to a culture and calling them “white trash” does not seem to be very positive.