Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 6.09 Literature and Poetry
Presentation #1 Title
“Anything will bend if you put enough fire to it:” How Denise Giardina Showcases the Voices of Appalachian Miners
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This thesis project examines literature about Appalachian coal mining communities in order to explore the literature’s use (or lack thereof) of stereotypes often associated with Appalachian miners. To gain insight into the lives of miners and their families, I have studied multiple collections of oral histories, ranging from interviews in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky, which showcase voices not always acknowledged in literature. Often, those interviewed express frustration with the inaccurate and at times exploitive portrayal of their lifestyle. The strongest literature on the subject celebrates the complexities of mining life, rather than reduces mining communities to a conglomeration of overused stereotypes of miners and Appalachian culture. Two particular works, Denise Giardina’s Storming Heaven and The Unquiet Earth, present an example of literature strengthened by a multifaceted narrative that embodies the ups and downs of coal mining life. Her story empowers the coal miners and their families and exposes the injustices against them without denying the autonomy of Appalachian coal communities.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Bethny, a senior English major at Hollins University, is originally from Arkansas and moved to Virginia from East Texas. She hopes to have a career in fundraising after graduation.
“Anything will bend if you put enough fire to it:” How Denise Giardina Showcases the Voices of Appalachian Miners
Harris Hall 402
This thesis project examines literature about Appalachian coal mining communities in order to explore the literature’s use (or lack thereof) of stereotypes often associated with Appalachian miners. To gain insight into the lives of miners and their families, I have studied multiple collections of oral histories, ranging from interviews in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky, which showcase voices not always acknowledged in literature. Often, those interviewed express frustration with the inaccurate and at times exploitive portrayal of their lifestyle. The strongest literature on the subject celebrates the complexities of mining life, rather than reduces mining communities to a conglomeration of overused stereotypes of miners and Appalachian culture. Two particular works, Denise Giardina’s Storming Heaven and The Unquiet Earth, present an example of literature strengthened by a multifaceted narrative that embodies the ups and downs of coal mining life. Her story empowers the coal miners and their families and exposes the injustices against them without denying the autonomy of Appalachian coal communities.
