Discourse

Concerning the discourse of Appalachia I feel that their are many misunderstanding to their way of life. Before being in this class I myself was quick to judge and stereotype the people of Appalachia. But after reading all the different readings and passages assigned and listening to everyone talk about Appalachia my views have completely changed. At first I believed that Appalachia was just a community surround by poverty and people that wanted to escape but just could not. I thought they were just uneducated people struggling to survive. However, I am embarrassed to how wrong I was on the matter. 

When reading Katherine Kelleher Sohn: Whistlin' and Crowin' Women of Appalachia, I learned that there is so much more to everyone in Appalachia. They have struggled in many ways however, their sense of community will never be broken. They are not trying to escape from their communities they love their way of life. There is a strong family bond between each family of the community and the community itself.  They all have a sense of loyalty and pride. They are hardworking people who fight in everything that they believe in. Another value that Appalachians share is the love of place and sense of beauty. There is nothing quite like home for Appalachians. Some people may look at their homes and lifestyle and ugly or unbearable. However, for most of them it is pure beauty and their really is nowhere else they would rather be. One’s beauty may be another’s beast, everyone has a different sense of what beautiful truly is. Appalachians find their beauty in the woods that surround their homes and the people around them. It is unfair to automatically suggest that nobody would want to live where they live.

I am so grateful for being a part of this class and learning the truth about the people of Appalachia. I may have never learned what it mean't to be an Appalachian. I look forward to continuing to gain more knowledge of Appalachians and the Appalachia are. There truly is something special about the community!