Southern Literature - Wier

I have lived in the south my entire life, and both my parents grew up in the south: my mother in rural Georgia and my father in Charleston, SC. I have been exposed to southern culture throughout my life, and I consider many aspects of southern culture to integral in how I identify myself. Throughout the semester, our readings as well as our various assignments have provided me with interesting cultural and historical perspectives on the south. These different perspectives of the south I've seen throughout the semester have allowed me to develop my view of the south as a whole and learn about what it means to be a southerner.

My mother has been researching my family's genealogy for the past few years, and I've learned a lot about where I come from. Such knowledge of my family history has allowed me to enjoy several of our readings in a different manner. For example, a large branch of my family was poor "white trash" from the Carolinas, living somewhere around Greenville, SC, much like the Boatwright family in Bastard Out of Carolina. In knowing that I have a common history with the Boatwrights, I found it enlightening to read Allison's perspective about what "white trash" is.

I've probably had a different experience in this class than many people given my family history, but it has been truly enjoyable. I suggest to everyone to research their family history. It's a fun and interesting activity, especially when you uncover surprises in your history, such as being related to someone important or someone who participated in some event in history.