Whistlin and Crowin Women of Appalachia: Literacy Practices since College
Book Summary:
Case studies of three and
interviews with five working class, nontraditional female college graduates
illustrate the benefits of academic literacy which gave voice to these women in
their homes, jobs, and communities as teachers, social workers, nurses, and
homemakers, disproving the Appalachian adage that “Whistlin’ women and crowin’
hens, always come to no good ends.”
Book Description:
Interviews with eight Appalachian women, former
students in the author’s composition classroom in the early 1990s and graduates
of Preston College in eastern Kentucky, illustrate the positive effects of
acquiring academic literacy. Using the images of voice as language, identity,
and power, the author examines their journeys and parallels it with her own as a
nontraditional doctoral student. Case studies of three of those women show the
power of women to rise above cultural constraints to come to college, complete
their degrees, take positions of responsibility in their communities, and
ultimately come to voice.