Whistlin' and Crowin' allowed me to view education from a different perspective. In past courses, I've researched Appalachian culture through documentaries and photography. This was my first opportunity to read about how education personally influenced 3 individuals lifestyle. I enjoyed approaching this widely studied topic from a different perspective.
I think what surprised me the most was the amount of motivation that these women had to pursuing their degrees. Although there were a few times when the women would talk about how certain classes were difficult, they never actually complained about the workload they had to do. It was a bit of a reality check, because I complain about classes all the time. Jean, Sarah, and Lucy all have children to feed, bills to pay, and chores to be done around the house. My most stressful situation outside of the classroom is when my laundry hamper is full. What I'm trying to say is, if these women could graduate college while raising children and a home, there is no excuse for any regular college student to be less motivated than they were.
My only real complaint about this book was how detailed it was. I think the topic at hand could be interesting, but I didn't really enjoy reading about all of the tedious, detailed tasks that each woman does in her workplace. Like I said in my rhetorical analysis, I think the book could've been spiced-up a little more if Sohn had included interviews from the husband or children's perspectives.
I think that Sohn succeeded in making a point about stereotyping Appalachian culture. What is portrayed in the media might look true on the surface, but when you sit down and talk to people, you'll see that they're human too. They have their faults, but they're also kind, smart, organized, and motivated. They should not be placed on a lower pedestal than anyone else just because they earn a lower salary. They choose to live the life that they life, and use what they're given to excel in the world. That is what I got out of reading this book.
I agree that the personal approach of three women's stories had an interesting twist but definitely could have used less detail. The book did get boring. On Sohn's influencing stereotypes though: Did you think that she tore them down in a way or encouraged them? In my response I said she encouraged the negative male stereotypes. Somthing to think about...
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