Stereotypes not Negativity

ERH 303, Section 1

Date Due: 18 October 2016

Date Sub: 18 October 2016

Research Essay 1

Help Received:

Discusses thesis with Lydia Snyder

my girlfriend, Cadet Wyatt, and Cadet Abel, MAJ Iddings

Timothy Wenholz

Timothy 1

Stereotypes are commonly used in our society to identify certain differences in people from one culture to another. Why is this bad you may ask? If these stereotypes are just pointing out differences, they should be okay right? The problem arises when these stereotypes are used to create a negative image of the people of a culture, and people start to think it is acceptable to apply negative stereotypes. One example is that prejudice towards the Appalachian people has been made acceptable. Through a strong connection to their culture the Appalachian people show the foolishness of negative stereotyping by challenging the authority of those who do it. They bring into question the norm of negative stereotyping that is fueled by the media, literary sources and an American attitude of superiority. Using stereotypes to promote a negative image of a culture through the media and literary sources is not acceptable because stereotypes should not be fuel for negativity.

America has this idea that it is okay to take the unwanted parts of itself and pin them on a particular group of people. In short, it is basically a scapegoat method. Donesky states, “By scapegoating Appalachians as greedy, savage children wantonly destroying their environment, the rest of America can feel grown-up, responsible, and civilized.” (Donesky 297) The media and literary sources feed off of this idea and promote it, making it seem like a normal, acceptable thing to do. This is not okay. America as a whole needs to own up to every part of itself, even the unwanted parts. The people need to work collectively towards the common goal of eliminating the unwanted parts, rather than taking stereotypes of the Appalachian people and giving them a negative twist. Donesky says, “Until America is able to recognize violence and greed in its own self-image, then America will continue to need hillbillies.” (Donesky 297)

The media and literary sources are a large promoter of creating negative stereotypes that make it appear acceptable to be prejudiced towards the people of Appalachia. Cunningham states, “The Kentucky Cycle phenomenon asks how Schenkkan’s part could eventuate in such a damaging and disempowering portrait of Appalachian people.” (Cunningham 300) Schenkkan did this by perpetuating in his play the Kentucky Cycle the idea of an American experience and an Appalachian experience. He makes them appear separate to his audience, like Appalachia isn’t a part of America. He encourages the idea of a dominant culture. His audience is made to think that they are better than those who aren’t part of the American experience, which in turn means they are better than those in Appalachia. Cunningham says, “The dominant culture does not realize that it is in fact victimizing a particular group of people, thinking they are speaking for a presumably silent group. This is what Schenkkan has done.” (Cunningham 301) These ideas have been spread throughout the country and it continues to be credible to negatively stereotype Appalachian people.

The Appalachian people confront this negativity by holding on tightly to their culture. They own and reclaim many of these negatively perceived stereotypes. For example, in an interview where five people from the Appalachian area were interviewed, one man had this to say about reclaiming stereotypes, “A true redneck don’t care about nothing but putting food on the table, working, and getting drunk. A man ain’t got a job and can’t provide for himself can go to hell as far as I care.” (Vice) This allows them to challenge the authority behind the judgement. If the judgement has no effect because the stereotype has been re-claimed then the dominance from those making the judgment has been removed. There is a proud people with a unique culture living in Appalachia. Giardina states, “There is another America hidden in the Appalachian hills.” (Giardina 172) They set themselves apart from other cultures and show everyone that just because they are different doesn’t mean they should be negatively stereotyped.

The Appalachian people show us the mirror image of the drive behind the creation of negative stereotypes. They show us that we need to be more aware of who they are and realize that just because we are different doesn’t mean that there is something wrong. Just because we are different doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to negatively stereotype “Within the shadows lie the depth and beauty of human beings. Until we understand our own darkness, we won’t understand their beauty.” (Smithsonian) They embrace this with a pure honesty that when perceived negatively appears to come across as foolishness. However, this supposed “foolishness” shows those who insist on the promotion of negativity that their way of thinking is wrong. Ballard states, “The hillbilly fool may get his way without trying because his actions are based on common sense and honesty, exposing the base ignorance and greed of someone with more power who considers himself superior.” (Ballard 141) Their honest foolishness shows that using stereotypes to create an image of superiority over another culture is the actual foolishness- like a mirror’s refelection. Ballard says, “They reveal through their foolishness our own absurdities.” (Ballard 147) This directly challenges the authority behind negative stereotyping.

There is in large part some very powerful driving forces behind the negative creation of stereotypes. These negative stereotypes have given such a bad idea of stereotypes that any stereotype, even if it isn’t negative, is perceived to carry a negative connotation. The media and literary sources encourage people to think it’s okay to promote negative stereotypes about the Appalachian people. The American image makes it seem okay to make ourselves better than another person just because we perceive ourselves to be different. One should take a look at the Appalachian people and learn from their desire to own their stereotypes and their pure

honesty in questioning the negative way of thinking. They provide a mirror to show the error in promoting negative stereotypes. America as a whole should be better than this. We need to take the cue from the Appalachian people and realize that we are all part of the same collective American experiences.

References:

Ballard, Sandra. “Where Did Hillbillies Come From?”, edited by Dwight Billings, Gurney Norman, and Katherine Ledford, The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, pp. 138-147

“Capturing Appalachia’s Mountain People” Smithsonian, Mar. 2010, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/capturing-appalachias-mountain-people-7194840/?page=1.

Cunningham, Roger, “View from the Castle”, edited by Dwight Billings, Gurney Norman, and Katherine Ledford, The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, pp. 300-308

“Appalachian Images”, edited by Dwight Billings, Gurney Norman, and Katherine Ledford, The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, pp. 161-172

“What it means to be a Redneck or Hillbilly” Vice, 2 April 2016,

http://www.vice.com/read/what-it-means-to-be-a-redneck-or-a-hillbilly-ang.

Donesky, Finlay. “America Needs Hillbillies”, edited by Dwight Billings, Gurney Norman, and

Katherine Ledford, The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, pp. 283-297