James McCaffery

5/23/17

Help Revived: A STRANGE LAND AND A PECULIAR PEOPLE, Our Contemporary Ancestors in the South Mountains   James McCaffery

     Will Wallace Harney & William Goodell Frost both present unique perspectives of Appalachia, and while a first time reading may seem negative that is the farthest from the truth.  Harney is actually rather spell binding in his story of his own travels, describing in detail almost a fairy tale as he mentions in his story. Further enticing is the stories he tells his readers as we go along. Its unique, and while at times harsh, we can see Harney is simply being honest. He is a blunt man and not holding anything back. While perhaps slightly off putting, he does paint a full picture for what life was like, and how no place is perfect, its key to note beauty when it is there. Further is the beginning. Thinking of crushing something, with which in the story he said he would, yet now he never will. It means more to him as it is. Perhaps because of enlightenment, perhaps because even in something we think has no meaning, once we look at it further, we find it wealth to us was greater than ever perceived.
Frost does come off harsher and seemingly more biased. but finding the subtle undertones of Frost’s work actually opened up the one secret to see how Frost is not being cruel in his assessment, but perhaps is awe inspired. There is a feeling of what and why in his usage, but also a sense of respect. His observation of how these people can survive without constant need of things, living without, in the harsh environment without the need to advance is impressive. Frost comes off as looking down at these people, and perhaps he is, but a level of respect continuous throughout the entirety of the paper. Thus really, with every bit of examples Frost uses, especially at the end in which he starts realizing and personifying his questioning of what makes us city slickers better than these mountain folk, you see a flower blossoming. From there all thoughts of cruelty and looking down upon fade away.