A Long Way Gone By J. D Vance Sparknotes

Author J.D Vance, born and raised in Middletown, Ohio, grew up a hillbilly. He, unlike many others in his area, however, was able to break free from the detrimental culture of the white poor. Through education and perseverance, he has come to write a memoir with the purpose of enlightening readers about the true lives of hillbillies. Vance’s ability to fluently utilize tone and diction contributes to the purpose of the memoir, for his vivid anecdotes allow the reader to experience the culture vicariously through him. The author also produces a cultural notion with respect to the American Dream; he employs that, contrary to popular belief, that dream can still be achieved today. This incorporation of culture, effective tone, and effective diction

This fluctuation promotes the overall purpose, for when Vance sets the stage for a particular time in his life with strong tone and diction, the reader is then more capable of understanding and appreciating Vance’s life and the hillbilly culture as a whole. For example, when expressing one of his most traumatizing childhood stories, the author evades alleviating the scenario. Blatantly telling of the time in which his Aunt Lori nearly overdosed on drugs, Vance writes, “Lori woke up when Mamaw and her friend Kathy placed Lori in a cold bathtub. Her boyfriend, meanwhile, wasn't responding” (45). Vance’s candid tone and unconcealed imagery observed in this anecdote employ effective rhetoric and fulfill the purpose, for the intimate details of his own life as a hillbilly provide great insight to the still existing problems and experiences faced by hillbillies today. In a different part of the book, Vance transitions the mood by relaying another anecdote, this time with a completely different tone and diction. He discusses the sorrow he faced with losing his Mamaw, writing, “That was when I broke down and released the tears that I’d held back during the previous weeks” (172). Introducing a tone of despair adds variation to Vance’s writing and introduces an intimate side of the author, thus pulling the reader closer to the story. The different

In order to inform the reader on life as a hillbilly, the novel investigates the group as a whole by analyzing, discussing, and recounting the culture (parallel structure). For example, Vance discusses the American Dream- the notion that through hard work, any US citizen is capable of success. In the present day, it is not uncommon (litote) for a person to believe that the American Dream is no longer of substance. However, Vance makes evident that, despite what the general population believes, the American dream is absolutely achievable as of today. He writes, “What separates the successful from the unsuccessful are the expectations that they had for their own lives. If you believe that hard work pays off, then you work hard and you succeed. And I want people to understand something I learned only recently: I am lucky enough to live the American Dream, and so are you” (9). Growing up with a drug addict of a mother, no father figure, no money, and barely any education, Vance is almost guaranteed lack of success. Through determination, will, and ethic, however, Vance freed himself from the burdens of his town and family and emerged as an author and lawyer who uses his own life as an example to all that with hard work and intention, anyone can break from an unhealthy, inimical environment and strive to become successful. Additionally, this cultural aspect is connected to the purpose of the memoir; Vance’s intention is that through