J.D Vance is a tall, white man. He graduated from Yale Law School, and is principal at a leading Silicon Valley investment firm. Outwardly, it appears as if Vance has led a life of privilege, including an upbringing in upper-class America; however those were not the circumstances Vance was brought up in. In his book, Vance describes the psychological impact that being a child living in poverty had on him, and many others who live in similar situations. Despite the limitations Vance faced, he was successful in acquiring the American dream. Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, is his personal journey of upward mobility. Hillbilly Elegy portrays the lives of the white, working class of Appalachian America, and the struggle for those in the working
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Class mobility in modern America is unmoving, and J.D. statistically should not have made it out of Middletown. Many of his old friends and acquaintances from Middletown fell to the pressures of the environment around them, whether through drug addiction, prison, etc. J.D. attributes his successes to the supportive family and mentors who enabled him throughout his life. The difference between J.D. and other children of similar situations was that he had a support system which encouraged him to seek a better life, and to strive for greatness. The crux of Hillbilly Elegy is threefold. Firstly, Vance wants to shed light on the political and economic stresses that those of the white working class face. Additionally, Vance portrays the struggle of ‘making it’ in modern American society, and expresses how upward mobility truly feels. Finally, and perhaps of utmost importance, is Vance stresses the idea that we need to gain an understanding of what goes on in the lives of lower-income …show more content…
These issues include: a long line of generational poverty that began with sharecroppers and is still present today; drug addiction and single-parent households are both common amongst Vance’s childhood community. Another issue which plagues hillbilly society is the lack of social support needed to enable children from impoverished families to do well. Additionally, there is an attitude amongst the white working class that their choices do not matter, and a pessimistic sense that their situation will not improve regardless of the amount of effort they put into
Class mobility in modern America is unmoving, and J.D. statistically should not have made it out of Middletown. Many of his old friends and acquaintances from Middletown fell to the pressures of the environment around them, whether through drug addiction, prison, etc. J.D. attributes his successes to the supportive family and mentors who enabled him throughout his life. The difference between J.D. and other children of similar situations was that he had a support system which encouraged him to seek a better life, and to strive for greatness. The crux of Hillbilly Elegy is threefold. Firstly, Vance wants to shed light on the political and economic stresses that those of the white working class face. Additionally, Vance portrays the struggle of ‘making it’ in modern American society, and expresses how upward mobility truly feels. Finally, and perhaps of utmost importance, is Vance stresses the idea that we need to gain an understanding of what goes on in the lives of lower-income …show more content…
These issues include: a long line of generational poverty that began with sharecroppers and is still present today; drug addiction and single-parent households are both common amongst Vance’s childhood community. Another issue which plagues hillbilly society is the lack of social support needed to enable children from impoverished families to do well. Additionally, there is an attitude amongst the white working class that their choices do not matter, and a pessimistic sense that their situation will not improve regardless of the amount of effort they put into