Voices from Appalachia

           Throughout taking Appalachian Literature, I’ve learned reoccurring themes that are tied with the Appalachian Mountains and the people born and raised in Appalachia. The themes I’ve caught onto is revenge and poverty. Both the insider perspective, the author of Storming Heaven, had similar themes as the outsider of Appalachia, Robert Schekkan, the author of The Kentucky Cycle. Appalachians take offense to the themes and plots in the play and the book, but if it wasn’t somewhat accurate, why would both an author from Appalachia and an author that isn’t write about similar themes?

           Our area is known to be poor because we make ourselves out to be and outsiders believe it. Our pregnancy rate in West Virginia is so high which causes a lot of young moms to resort to welfare. Another financial issue is how many in the southern part of West Virginia rely on coal mining which in modern day; many mines have been closing down leaving those without much education jobless. In the past though, coal mining was expected as the man’s job and wages were low causing poverty. Poverty is everywhere but since we don’t hide the fact such as the southern part of West Virginia having a high poverty rate, outsiders of our region will attack on that idea.

            Revenge seems to be the main theme in most Appalachia books. Whether the author is from the area or not, they know to cover the theme of revenge. I think everyone knows to tie revenge with Appalachia because of the Hatfields and McCoys. Whenever someone thinks of Appalachia, one instant relation may be their story. Although revenge is seen in all parts of the world, it’s easier to attack Appalachia because we have a story like Hatfields and McCoys representing us to some people.

          I feel as if the themes in all the Appalachia books are self imposed. Outsiders and natives writing about Appalachia have to be inspired from something. A lot of the fictional books do get too far-fetched for what our area is actually like. Even though they do too get too far-fetched, I still believe there is a part that is said to be true or loosely tied and the writers just stem their idea off of that.

-M