Appalachia in the Classroom: Teaching the Region

305 Pages·2013·1.86 MB·English

by  Theresa L. Burriss

AppAlAchiA in the
teaching the region
clAssroom
edited by
theresa L. burriss
and Patricia M. Gantt
Appalachia in the Classroom

A
ppAlAChiA
C
in
lAssroom:
the

Teaching the Region
Edited by
Theresa L. Burriss and Patricia M. Gantt
ohio university press • athens
Ohio University Press, Athens, Ohio 45701
ohioswallow.com
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Appalachia in the classroom : teaching the region / edited by Theresa L. Burriss and
Patricia M. Gantt.
pages cm. — (Series in race, ethnicity, and gender in Appalachia)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8214-2041-6 (hc : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8214-2042-3 (pb : alk. paper)
— ISBN 978-0-8214-4456-6 (electronic)
1. Appalachian Region—Study and teaching (Higher) 2. American literature—
Appalachian Region—Study and teaching (Higher) I. Burriss, Theresa L., 1966– author,
editor of compilation. II. Gantt, Patricia M., 1943– author, editor of compilation.
F106.A575 2013
974.071'1—dc23
2012045765
Steam
Steam rises from water
boiling knife, fork and spoon.
Floating out the screen window
it settles on the creek running
toward the French Broad River,
tumbles to the Tennessee,
merges with the Mississippi,
plunges into the Gulf of Mexico
and unites with the Gulf Stream,
making its way back to bodies
bathing in the Niger River,
rinsing sweat from picking
cassava instead of cotton,
eating eguma bread wrapped
in leaves instead of black eyed peas
out of spoons boiled by white women.
—Connie Aiken

Contents
Dedication and Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xiii
pArt one. CreAtive teAChing of AppAlAChiAn history
one
Intro to Appalachian Studies:
Navigating Myths of Appalachian Exceptionalism
emily satterwhite 3
two
Listening to Black Appalachian Laundrywomen:
Teaching with Photographs, Letters, Diaries, and Lost Voices
elizabeth s. d. engelhardt 33
three
The Southern Highlands according to Hollywood:
Teaching Appalachian History through Film
john c. inscoe 50
pArt two. AppAlAChiAn literAture And
folktAles in And out of the ClAssroom
four
Building Bridges with Ron Rash’s The World Made Straight:
Results from One University and High School Partnership
erica abrams locklear 69
five
The Feast Hall, the Arsenal, and the Mirror:
Teaching Literature to Students at Risk
jeff mann 82
vii
Contents
six
I Hear Appalachia Singing:
Teaching Appalachian Literature in a General Education
American Literature Course
linda tate 95
seven
“Way Back Yonder” but Not So Far Away:
Teaching Appalachian Folktales
tina l. hanlon 109
pArt three. the novel in AppAlAChiA
eight
Teaching Modern Appalachia in Wilma Dykeman’s The Far Family
patricia m. gantt 131
nine
Fred Chappell’s I Am One of You Forever as a Subject for Literary Analysis
and an Alternative Image of Mid-Twentieth-Century Appalachia
ricky l. cox 149
ten
Startling Morals: Teaching Ecofiction with Barbara Kingsolver’s
Prodigal Summer
felicia mitchell 169
pArt four. AppAlAChiAn poetry And prose
eleven
Appalachian Poetry: A Field Guide for Teachers
r. parks lanier jr. 189
twelve
From Harlem Home to Affrilachia: Teaching the Literary Journey
theresa l. burriss 213
thirteen
Teaching the Poetry and Prose of Marilou Awiakta
grace toney edwards 232
viii
Contents
fourteen
Toward “Crystal-Tight Arrays”:
Teaching the Evolving Art of Robert Morgan’s Poetry
robert m. west 252
Contributors 265
Index 269
ix