Hillbilly Elegy Essay

J.D. Vance's memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" examines the challenges of rural Appalachian working-class Americans. The narrative chronicles Vance's personal journey, starting with his relieved upbringing in Kentucky and ending with his achievement as a Yale Law School alum. Vance covers the social and economic issues that his neighborhood faces throughout his story, including poverty, addiction, and family dynamics. By the use of literary devices like pathos, tone, and conflict, J.D. Vance's "Hillbilly Elegy" reveals a touching representation of the American struggle. By portraying the problems of working-class Americans in a captivating and relatable way, Vance's writing style strives to have a strong emotional impact on his readers. In conveying

Vance reveals pathos from his vivid memories and moving conversations. Vance states, “For kids like me, the part of the brain that deals with stress and conflict is always activated—the switch flipped indefinitely. We are constantly ready to fight or flee, because there is constant exposure to the bear, whether that bear is an alcoholic dad or an unhinged mom” (Vance 228). He also quotes, “Sometimes, honey, you have to fight, even when you’re not defending yourself. Sometimes it’s just the right thing to do. Tomorrow you need to stand up for that boy, and if you have to stand up for yourself, then do that, too. Then she taught me a move: a swift, hard (make sure to turn your hips) punch right to the gut” (Vance 68). “It would be years before I learned that no single book, or expert, or field could fully explain the problems of hillbillies in modern America. Our elegy is a sociological one, yes, but it is also about psychology and community and culture and faith” (Vance 144). This reveals pathos as he explains his experience through strong emotions such as broken homes, defending others or yourself, and the difficulty of fitting into the

The text explains, “I was able to escape the worst of my culture’s inheritance. And uneasy though I am about my new life, I cannot whine about it: The life I lead now was the stuff of fantasy during my childhood” (Vance 253). This shows a tone of feeling proud and strong after going through a rough time in his life. Another quote says, “The truth is hard, and the hardest truths for hill people are the ones they must tell about themselves” (Vance 20). This has a tone of self-awareness and honesty, as he acknowledges the difficulty of facing the truth about one's own community and