Whistlin' and Crowin'

For the first time in my life Sohn’s book let me take an in-depth look into Appalachian life. Before I opened this book the last thing on my mind was life in Appalachia because they’re a group of people I have very little in common with so, I’ve never had a reason to learn anything about them.  I certainly had my stereotypes, and very few of them were positive. From page one until the end, I maintained an open mind. I aspired to rebuild some of my stereotypes, hoping Sohn’s text would be a wide ranging study on Appalachians.

Instead, Sohn’s study only represented less than a handful of women. I think if Sohn truly wanted to change the way people felt about Appalachians, she would have written about more women, in all parts of Appalachia instead of just a few that attended the same college. For me, it takes more than just a few carefully selected women to rebuild an entire region’s stereotypes. Sohn did an admirable job going in depth about women she studied, but I found little in common with the situations she wrote about. Even though I see college as a valuable privilege, it’s a rite of passage for kids from my affluent suburb to attend college. Making a big deal about a few women who were eventually able to complete their degrees seemed odd to me.

Lastly, I think Sohn’s text didn’t do much to dispel Appalachian stereotypes. Her book is still valuable because it creates conversation and promotes a new way to think about Appalachia. Just walking around Athens and seeing the townies has really made me think about what their lives are like in Athens and I’ve actually been able to picture what life might be like for them. Before I read this book, I had no idea how Athens people lived, and frankly, couldn’t even fathom how they survived living in such a small town in the middle of nowhere. Sohn’s text definitely opened my eyes a bit, and made me capable to look around and think rhetorically about the group of people around me.