Category Cultural Rhetorics of Appalachia

This week we have been watching the movie Deliverance, one of the most criticized films about Appalachia from our textbooks. For this week’s prompt, I want you to look at how people talk about the movie online. Find a website,… Continue Reading →

Now that you’ve begun watching Matewan, in what ways does this film Appalachians differently than Deliverance? Compare the two films and discuss why Matewan is considered to be less negatively criticized for the ways in which it depicts Appalachians. Within… Continue Reading →

I think this play could be called a “drive by shooting” because its shoots down this family generation after generation. Not only does the play attack the families who lived on the land year after year, but the others who… Continue Reading →

By now you’ve read The Kentucky Cycle. This week’s prompt asks you to think about the “so what?” aspects of thinking about the two sides. What’s the big deal? Why are so many Appalachian scholars offended by the play? Do… Continue Reading →

For today’s prompt, I want you to reflect on The Kentucky Cycle‘s first part. What are some of the key themes explored in the text so far? Why are they significant?   The first part of The Kentucky Cycle was… Continue Reading →

One of the topics that is discussed in APP Chapter 4 is the role of music in labor struggles. For this writing prompt, I’d like you to discuss the role music played in the labor struggles in Appalachia in this… Continue Reading →

In his introduction to Back Talk from Appalachia, Billings points out that many stereotypes of Appalachian people have been perpetuated by so-called “progressive” people. What is the significance of this statement?   After reading the introduction and the chapter from Back… Continue Reading →

For this week’s prompt, I’d like you to use your favorite search engine to search the terms “hillbilly” and “redneck.” What sorts of results come up in your search? How are these terms used both derogatorily and positively? Where do… Continue Reading →

Both Harney and Frost have been highly criticized for the ways in which they depict Appalachian people in their articles. Do you find the depictions problematic? If not, why not? If so, in what ways? For this answer, you should… Continue Reading →