Within this class, there have been many complementary themes that have helped to give me a clearer understanding of Appalachia and its people. A few themes that resonated with me most include: the importance of diversity, competing narratives, and social inequalities. These themes are all universal and are evident in our everyday lives. What is the importance of diversity in society? Without diversity in society we would just be a very one-dimensional people. One of most appealing elements of diversity is just making the best of what everyone has to offer. If we all are born and raised with the same factors, then what hope is there to evolve and stay moving forward? With diversity, you have a constant cycle of fresh ideas, backgrounds, and …show more content…
connections taking place in a community. Appalachia is somewhat of melting pot. I think back to Stevan Jackson’s piece in A Handbook to Appalachia, where he takes an in-depth look at the genealogy of the Appalachian people. In his small excerpt alone, he identifies over a dozen different groups of people which each contributed to the formation of present-day Appalachia. Competing narratives is a term that, unfortunately, many people today don’t really have a concept for.
Essentially, competing narratives describes when two independent accounts of an event or reality are competing for acceptance. This class was meant to showcase the competing narratives of today when talking about Appalachia. The one the majority of people on the outside have, versus, the one that the people who live there have. There are many stereotypes that plague their people. Many believe that the people of the Appalachians are all illiterate, poor, behind-the-times, inferior, and simple. As harsh as they might sound, some have accepted them and that’s their narrative – one that is not shared, or necessarily …show more content…
true. Social inequalities is a real life theme for everyone. There’s a scale that we each have developed in our heads and we are constantly aware of our place on it. Each scale is independent because each person have different social conditions. The social inequality in Appalachia is especially prevalent and distinct. For the most part it goes: industry leaders on top, impoverished laborers on the bottom. It is easy to have a scale like this develop when a region has always been providing the same aging function. This class was brought together with an interdisciplinary approach, when I originally registered for a class called Appalachian Studies, I did not do so anticipating that the class would be examining studies from so many different angles. The experience was a pleasant and refreshing surprise. In an interdisciplinary approach, you gain more comprehensive perceptions because you have gained them through multiple focuses. This approach contributed to the class in multiple ways; one being the way the information was presented, and the other the type of information being presented. As a class we watched films, read novels and scholarly articles, and had discussions. Within these different mediums, I was given a broader look of Appalachia. I understand not only the landscape, but the history of how it came to be, as well as, the when, where, and how much questions. Without noticing, I applied the themes that developed in the class to other aspects of my life.
Being a criminal justice major and seeing the riots and unrest in black communities towards police, I see the importance of diversity. Law enforcement agencies have a great need for it. If the face of the police was a more well representative one, many conflicts would not exist. In addition, now I see the competing narratives in new things such as, the ones of Americans and the people of the Middle East. Our people believe we are fighting terror efforts and keeping peace against radical Islamists. Is our narrative the same as the one their people would tell? Are the average citizens that are most affected and disadvantaged in truth, concerned with us or our beliefs? Finally, after examining the struggle of social inequality in Appalachia it has become more apparent to me how my situation is. As a 19-year-old, I’m faced with student loans, rent, and many other expenses. I have to find a way to succeed in my classes to achieve the bigger picture, while making enough money to cover all expenses and make time for life. The better you understand the gaps in social equality, the more able you are to put yourself in a favorable
class.
In the world of Appalachia, stereotypes are abundant. There are stories told of mountaineers as lazy, bewildered, backward, and yet happy and complacent people. Mountain women are seen as diligent, strong, hard willed, and overall sturdy and weathered, bearing the burden of their male counterparts. These ideas of mountain life did not come out of thin air; they are the direct product of sensational nineteenth century media including print journalism and illustrative art that has continuously mislead and wrongfully represented the people of Appalachia. These stories, written and told by outsiders, served very little purpose to Appalachian natives other than means of humiliation and degradation. They served mostly to convince readers of the need for so-called civilized people and companies to take over the land and industry of the region, in particular the need for mineral rights, railroads, and logging as the mountain folk were wasting those valuable resources necessary for the common good.
The Appalachian mountaineers have been discovered and forgotten many times. Their primitive agriculture disrupted by foragers and incessant guerrilla warfare, thousands of them straggled out of the mountains in search of food and shelter. Their plight was brought to the attention of President Lincoln, who promised that after the war a way would be found to aid the poor mountain people whom the world had bypassed and forgotten for so long. The war ended, President Lincoln was assassinated, and so therefore Appalachia was forgotten. Appalachian people are considered a separate culture, made up of many unique backgrounds - Native Americans, Irish, English and Scotch, and then a third immigration of Germans and Poles - all blended together across the region. The mountains also figure into the uniqueness of Appalachia. The mountains kept Appalachia isolated from the rest of the country and from other people's involvement in their lives that they developed a distinctive culture. (arministry.org)
Greed is a large part of the American culture whether we realize it as a society or not. Many countries around the world view the United States as a selfish country that does what it wants on a global scale, and does not share or allocate its predominate wealth. I am very thankful and proud to be a citizen of this country. Even though I would risk my life to protect our country and its freedom, there are aspects about our civilization that I wish could be different. Black Elk, “a holy man and a warrior of the Lakota Nation Indians,” was a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe during the most horrific period for Native Americans in the Western part of the United States. In excerpts from the novel of his life story Black Elk Speaks, he is able to relate the differences in the ways of life from his people and the white settlers. Although he lived in the late 1800s, he is able to make reference to issues that are relevant to us today. His observations display issues such as human bonds, ethics, economics, and politics. He describes how the excessive acquisitiveness of one society led to the cultural displacement of another.
The first theme is that of white supremacy. The Native American is seen as a child like race to be taken advantage of. This is seen in the chapter concerning the Fourth of July celebration. The Indians as well as the half-bloods are portrayed as second class citizens. The Kootenai tribe is described as gamblers and servants to the white men. The Kootenai’s were always playing three card Monte and were known cheaters and drunks. The ranch hands at the H-B were always losing their money while gambling and were victims of the bootlegger. The second theme is closely related to the first and is extremely important. For it’s the first attempt by a Native American to tell their side of the assimilation polices and how these policies created a society that left no place for the Native American to enter or to succeed. The discrimination faced by the Native American is portrayed in chapter 6. In this chapter the Fourth of July celebration is held. During this celebration two horse races are to be run one the ladies race the second the squaw race. Cogewea enters both races during the ladies race she is insulted by her white competitor and told this race is for ladies next she is disqualified for striking her white competitor despite the fact that the white lady hit her first because the judge believed that the half-blood Cogewea was guilty only because she was a half blood. In the squaw race Cogewea is insulted by a full-blood because she is a hated half-blood whose father was white. Cogewea wins the squaw race but when she asks for the total of forty-five dollars the judge chastises her and tells her she is only due the amount of twenty-five dollars for winning the squaw’s race. When Cogewea continues to demand the full prize money an argument breaks out Jim the foreman of the H-B ranch comes to Cogewea’s defense and is nearly put in irons and sentenced to several months in jail before Cogewea is
Louise Erdrich’s short story “American horse” is a literary piece written by an author whose works emphasize the American experience for a multitude of different people from a plethora of various ethnic backgrounds. While Erdrich utilizes a full arsenal of literary elements to better convey this particular story to the reader, perhaps the two most prominent are theme and point of view. At first glance this story seems to portray the struggle of a mother who has her son ripped from her arms by government authorities; however, if the reader simply steps back to analyze the larger picture, the theme becomes clear. It is important to understand the backgrounds of both the protagonist and antagonists when analyzing theme of this short story. Albetrine, who is the short story’s protagonist, is a Native American woman who characterizes her son Buddy as “the best thing that has ever happened to me”. The antagonist, are westerners who work on behalf of the United States Government. Given this dynamic, the stage is set for a clash between the two forces. The struggle between these two can be viewed as a microcosm for what has occurred throughout history between Native Americans and Caucasians. With all this in mind, the reader can see that the theme of this piece is the battle of Native Americans to maintain their culture and way of life as their homeland is invaded by Caucasians. In addition to the theme, Erdrich’s usage of the third person limited point of view helps the reader understand the short story from several different perspectives while allowing the story to maintain the ambiguity and mysteriousness that was felt by many Natives Americans as they endured similar struggles. These two literary elements help set an underlying atmos...
When people hear the word 'diversity', they often think in terms of black and white. I believe the true meaning of diversity is not simply about skin color, economic background or the face value of any other characteristic, rather it is the increased knowledge and sensitivity gained from unique experiences. The strength of diversity then comes from having many points of view and trying to reconcile them by finding common truths or resolving differences amongst people. Being a person of mixed heritage, my father is black and my mother is white, has definitely affected my life and contributed to the development of qualities that enhance my ability to embrace the uniqueness of those around me. Being raised in a single parent household and the values passed on to me by my mother have also been strong influences in my life. My greatest contribution to my community is the ability to create relationships between people of diverse backgrounds and a desire to understand others' beliefs.
Native American literature from the Southeastern United States is deeply rooted in the oral traditions of the various tribes that have historically called that region home. While the tribes most integrally associated with the Southeastern U.S. in the American popular mind--the FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole)--were forcibly relocated to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) from their ancestral territories in the American South, descendents of those tribes have created compelling literary works that have kept alive their tribal identities and histories by incorporating traditional themes and narrative elements. While reflecting profound awareness of the value of the Native American past, these literary works have also revealed knowing perspectives on the meaning of the modern world in the lives of contemporary Native Americans.
Williams, Michael Ann. "Folklife." Ed. Richard A. Straw and H. Tyler Blethen. High Mountains Rising: Appalachia in Time and Place. Chicago: University of Illinois, 2004. 135-146. Print.
One problem that affected my family pretty deeply was diversity issues when they both started working in their careers. My mom and dad both started out in their careers working for Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). “The treatment of Native Americans, Asians, African Americans and Hispanics by California Anglos has been characterized by systematic and individual violence at worst, and consistent political, economic, and social discrimination at best” (DeBow, pg. 238) During the start of their careers, my mom and dad faced difficult challenges, a lot of racism and bullying. My mom would be bullied by her boss and I remember she would complain on a weekly basis of her boss treating her poorly and embarrassing her in front of other employees, until one day her boss moved on to another job. Meanwhile, my dad was bullied by other employees and was constantly being picked on, calling my dad with racial slurs and treating him with a hazing-like mentality. It was brutal, but they both persevered in a way I have never seen to this day. They stuck it out like true champions, but it was a time in their life where they really had only each other. My mom continued to stay, while my dad left for an even better job, thus with City and County. Diversity is still an issue today because I still hear from my dad that he witnesses diversity issues in the workplace.
Diversity is a notion, when applied to the majority of circumstances, can create a positive conclusion. The trick to producing a positive outcome is often how the different aspects are brought together. Consider a classic dinner combination peas and carrots, the two colors look appealing and the two flavors comes together as one making a superb side dish. Now consider oil and water, these two substance are not often considered a good combination. Although, this is not always the case; olive oil and vinegar (which is water based) when mixed, come together into a delectable salad dressing. Diversity and inclusion should also apply to humans by bringing people together who are different it can creates a whole that is enhanced by the uniqueness of each individual.
Diversity is a value that shows respect for the differences and similarities of age, sex, culture, ethnicity, beliefs and much more. Having a diverse organization, helps notice the value in other people and also how to teach respect to people that might not know how. The world is filled with different cultures and people that might believe in different things as you, but that doesn’t mean you need to treat them any different. It is imperative for people to grasp diversity because it’ll help people how to engage with others in a respectful yet a hospitable way.
Diversity is defined as a difference or a variety in many a dictionary. In others, it is also defined as unlikeness. Everything in the world is different from each other; even identical twins don’t have the same fingerprints. This goes to show that the world is a huge variety, a diversity of creatures that can be scientifically proven. Thus, we must be thankful to God for the harmony that comes with being diverse. Without diversity in every creation, there is a possibility of no harmony between all living beings on Earth. That is why we, as humans with the amazing ability to think, and best of all, to think rationally, must do our very best to nurture and cherish the harmony that exists within every kind of diversity on Earth.
Diversity should be respected and definitely noticed because it shows our uniqueness and self worth (McHale). Culture is a very strong part of everyone's life. Instead of trying to ignore our differences we should embrace differences and be proud of who we are. We can learn many different things if we give people who are culturally different from us a chance. Cultural diversity gives us an opening to learn about the uniqueness of the world. People can't go around wanting everything to be the same. They can't go tell themselves that cultures and differences aren't important (“Section 1”).
To wake up determined to improve the world. Do not settle for good when great can be obtained through hard-work and sacrifice. Once greatness is achieved, lend a helping hand so that others may get there as well. Greet everyone with a smile and love. Go to bed with no regrets and ready to do it all over again.
Some of my favorite memories from when I was younger are of Hanukkah dinners at my grandparents’ house with all of my aunts, uncles and cousins. At the time, I thought of it just as a time to get together and eat a lot of good food, but, looking back on it, we were learning Hebrew prayers and stories from the Torah and celebrating our unique cultural heritage. I have never really thought of being Jewish as a handicap, but, historically, Jews have been the targets of persecution in many times and places. I am fortunate now that being Jewish is not something that I have to worry about as my ancestors did. While this specific group of people does not face as many issues today, many other groups have come under fire. One group that is currently facing this is immigrants coming to the United States. This racial and ethic discrimination stems from ignorance or lack of understanding. To broaden one’s own diversity, one must step into the cultures of people that are unknown to them.