Hillbilly Elegy
Chapter 2
by Vance, J. D.The chapter opens with a reflection on the unique linguistic and cultural markers of hillbilly identity, exemplified by terms like “holler” (hollow), “Mamaw,” and “Papaw.” These colloquialisms serve as cultural touchstones, distinguishing the Appalachian community from mainstream American society. The narrator emphasizes how these terms are deeply personal, tied to family and heritage, and rarely understood outside their context. This introduction sets the stage for exploring the author’s familial roots and the values instilled by his grandparents, Mamaw and Papaw, who became his primary caregivers and moral guides.
Mamaw and Papaw’s early lives were shaped by the harsh realities of Appalachian poverty and limited opportunities. Papaw, born into hillbilly “royalty” with ties to the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud, was raised by his grandfather after being abandoned by his mother. Mamaw came from the Blanton family, known for their violent feuds and fierce loyalty. Despite their tumultuous backgrounds, the couple provided the author with stability, love, and the tools to pursue the American Dream. Their resilience and determination to escape poverty became foundational to the author’s upbringing.
The chapter delves into the scandalous circumstances surrounding Mamaw and Papaw’s marriage, revealing a teenage pregnancy that forced them to flee Jackson, Kentucky. Their departure was hastened by family pressures and the need to avoid shame in a tight-knit, judgmental community. They relocated to Ohio, seeking economic opportunities in the post-WWII industrial boom. This move symbolized their break from the cyclical poverty and violence of Appalachia, though their past continued to influence their identities and parenting styles.
The chapter concludes with a reflection on the contradictions of hillbilly pride. The author admits feeling a perverse pride in his family’s violent history, as documented in *The New York Times*, while also recognizing the need to escape its destructive patterns. Mamaw and Papaw’s journey—from troubled teens to steadfast guardians—highlights the tension between cultural heritage and personal growth. Their story underscores the complexities of Appalachian identity, where loyalty and resilience coexist with hardship and trauma.
FAQs
1. How does the author describe the linguistic and cultural uniqueness of hillbilly communities in this chapter?
Answer:
The author highlights distinctive linguistic and cultural traits of hillbilly communities through examples like regional pronunciations (“minners” for minnows, “crawdads” for crayfish) and unique familial terms (“Mamaw” and “Papaw”). These terms reflect a shared identity within the community, as the author notes they’ve never heard these grandparent names used outside their culture. The chapter also emphasizes how these linguistic quirks symbolize a broader cultural separation, reinforcing the insular nature of Appalachian communities where traditions and dialects are preserved across generations.2. What role did Mamaw and Papaw play in the author’s life, and how did their own upbringing contrast with the stability they provided?
Answer:
Mamaw and Papaw were pivotal figures in the author’s life, offering love, stability, and life lessons typically provided by parents. Despite their own challenging upbringings—Papaw was sent to live with his grandfather after his father’s death, and Mamaw came from a notoriously violent family—they ensured the author had opportunities to pursue the American Dream. Their backgrounds in impoverished, rural Kentucky (where “single-room, K–12 schoolhouses don’t tend to foster big dreams”) starkly contrasts with the supportive environment they created for the author, demonstrating their resilience and determination to break cycles of hardship.3. Analyze the significance of the Hatfield-McCoy feud reference in the chapter. How does it connect to the author’s family identity?
Answer:
The reference to the Hatfield-McCoy feud—triggered by Papaw’s distant cousin—serves as a metaphor for the author’s family legacy of violence and pride. The author expresses pride in this connection, noting that appearing in The New York Times for a feud-related murder is a perverse point of honor. This reflects a cultural mindset where defiance and familial loyalty are valued, even when tied to brutality. The anecdote underscores how Appalachian identity intertwines with a history of conflict, shaping the author’s perception of his roots as both storied and fraught.4. What factors motivated Mamaw and Papaw to leave Jackson, Kentucky, and how does the “scandal” revealed later complicate their origin story?
Answer:
Initially, the chapter presents economic opportunity as the primary motivator for their move to Ohio—avoiding poverty and coal mining jobs in Jackson. However, the revelation of Mamaw’s teenage pregnancy (resulting from an affair between Papaw and her best friend) adds layers of urgency and scandal. Pressure from Mamaw’s protective, violent family and community scrutiny likely accelerated their departure. This detail complicates the narrative of upward mobility, showing how personal crises often intersect with socioeconomic decisions in migration stories.5. How does the author use irony and humor to describe Mamaw’s personality and family legacy?
Answer:
The author employs irony when recounting Mamaw’s fearsome reputation—joking that a Marine recruiter found boot camp easier than living with her. Humor also surfaces in his pride over her family’s violent history (e.g., the Times feud story), which he frames as a quirky badge of honor. These tonal choices soften the darker aspects of his family’s past while highlighting the contradictions in Appalachian values: fierce loyalty, toughness, and a darkly comic acceptance of chaos as part of identity.
Quotes
1. “Hillbillies like to add their own twist to many words. We call minnows ‘minners’ and crayfish ‘crawdads.’ ‘Hollow’ is defined as a ‘valley or basin,’ but I’ve never said the word ‘hollow’ unless I’ve had to explain to a friend what I mean when I say ‘holler.’”
This opening quote establishes the distinct cultural identity and linguistic traditions of hillbilly communities, setting the tone for the chapter’s exploration of Appalachian heritage and family roots.
2. “My grandparents—Mamaw and Papaw—were, without question or qualification, the best things that ever happened to me. They spent the last two decades of their lives showing me the value of love and stability and teaching me the life lessons that most people learn from their parents.”
This heartfelt statement introduces the central role of the narrator’s grandparents in shaping his life, highlighting the theme of intergenerational relationships and alternative family structures in hillbilly culture.
3. “When I first read this gruesome story in one of the country’s most circulated newspapers, I felt one emotion above all the rest: pride. It’s unlikely that any other ancestor of mine has ever appeared in The New York Times. Even if they had, I doubt that any deed would make me as proud as a successful feud.”
This revealing quote demonstrates the complex relationship hillbillies have with their violent heritage, showing how family legends and frontier justice become points of cultural pride despite their problematic nature.
4. “At that time, as the post-World War II euphoria wore off and people began to adjust to a world at peace, there were two types of people in Jackson: those who uprooted their lives and planted them in the industrial powerhouses of the new America, and those who didn’t.”
This passage marks a crucial turning point in the narrative, explaining the Great Migration of Appalachians to industrial cities and framing the economic pressures that shaped the author’s family history.
5. “Mamaw was thirteen and Papaw sixteen, but the affair produced a pregnancy. And that pregnancy added a number of pressures that made right now the time to leave Jackson.”
This candid revelation about the family’s secret history provides crucial context for their migration north, showing how personal circumstances combined with economic necessity to drive Appalachian families toward industrial opportunities.