For the past several weeks we have been reading memoirs on multiple sources, ranging from the hills of the Appalachian Mountains, to the streets of Chicago. Both of these places come off not only as different in geography but in lifestyle as well. They also share similarities in some instances. In Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, and Our America by LeAlan Jones, and Lloyd Newman, both stories share similarities in the fact that the people in these stories are restricted by the environment in which they are raised in, but also stricken by poverty which is responsible for the frustrations and hardships in life they face, and the path which was paved for their life.
Our America focuses on two boys living on the southside of Chicago, where they …show more content…
There is a quote by LeAlan’s sister Janell that is a great example of how, “ Well there’s a lot of people out there whose mommas just don 't care. They don 't give them money, and I feel if they have to sell drugs to get stuff they need...but I do think that the kids out here selling drugs should be able to do something to get them a little extra money. Because some of them might be too young to get a regular job at Mcdonald’s”(63). Since a lot of people have no money and have no parents to rely on, people start resorting to other things such as selling drugs, robbing others at gun point, or just flat out stealing. Because of their shortage of money the boys are forced to live in the low income housing around and at Ida B. Wells, which puts these boys in that tough environment.
Hundreds of miles to the south in Jackson Kentucky in the Appalachian Mountains people are faced with similar problems in terms of the environment in which they were raised in, and the extreme poverty that hinders them. J.D. Vance shares his experiences of growing up in the Hills, and how it has shaped his life. Similar to Lloyd and LeAlan J.D. loves the area in which he grew up in, but also recognizes its …show more content…
Not to say that your life is set in stone, which many in these areas do believe, but the road ahead will come with many more challenges compared to those who are not raised facing such problems. J.D. Vance says something that really sticks to this idea, he says, “The statistics tell you that kids like me face a grim future.” (2). It is true anyone growing up through these challenges are bound for failure, but there are exceptions to this as seen with Lloyd, J.D., and LeAlan. It is important that these issues are exploited for the rest of the country to see. If nothing is done about these problems we are just gonna see a repetition, and America’s youth are set to face “grim
Our America focuses on two boys living on the southside of Chicago, where they …show more content…
There is a quote by LeAlan’s sister Janell that is a great example of how, “ Well there’s a lot of people out there whose mommas just don 't care. They don 't give them money, and I feel if they have to sell drugs to get stuff they need...but I do think that the kids out here selling drugs should be able to do something to get them a little extra money. Because some of them might be too young to get a regular job at Mcdonald’s”(63). Since a lot of people have no money and have no parents to rely on, people start resorting to other things such as selling drugs, robbing others at gun point, or just flat out stealing. Because of their shortage of money the boys are forced to live in the low income housing around and at Ida B. Wells, which puts these boys in that tough environment.
Hundreds of miles to the south in Jackson Kentucky in the Appalachian Mountains people are faced with similar problems in terms of the environment in which they were raised in, and the extreme poverty that hinders them. J.D. Vance shares his experiences of growing up in the Hills, and how it has shaped his life. Similar to Lloyd and LeAlan J.D. loves the area in which he grew up in, but also recognizes its …show more content…
Not to say that your life is set in stone, which many in these areas do believe, but the road ahead will come with many more challenges compared to those who are not raised facing such problems. J.D. Vance says something that really sticks to this idea, he says, “The statistics tell you that kids like me face a grim future.” (2). It is true anyone growing up through these challenges are bound for failure, but there are exceptions to this as seen with Lloyd, J.D., and LeAlan. It is important that these issues are exploited for the rest of the country to see. If nothing is done about these problems we are just gonna see a repetition, and America’s youth are set to face “grim