Research
Paper Using the Works of Janice Daugharty
Students in two 1102 classes taught by VSU Instructor
Roy Pace during spring 2004 semester read one or more books or short stories by
Janice Daugharty and developed an argument for a
research paper based on the question: Has the immigration of people from the
North and other places and the impact of influences like television begun to
threaten southern culture and southern literature? Daugharty's
works were used as primary sources. Secondary sources included discussions of
southern culture, statistical materials showing changes in the demographics of
the South, and observations of impacts on southern literature.
Don’t
Apologize
by Porsche Collier
Country,
rednecks, and collard greens are always being associated with the South. These
are not the only things we are connected with; it seems that we are constantly
bombarded with stereotypes. For years we have felt offended, but now we have
incorporated them as a part of the culture and taken them in stride. Ann
Barrett Batson agrees by stating that’s it’s a known fact that southerners are just different from everybody else, but they
are also very proud of that fact. There are so many stereotypes of the southern
social classes. What they don’t seem to realize is that the people of the South
have made their lives happy and comfortable and they don’t care what anyone
else thinks. Janice Daugharty’s works are all about
portraying southerners and how they really are. Her book Dark of the Moon
talks about a southern family and the hardships they face. The theme of the
book is choices and the fact that no one should feel bad about what life gives
them or the choices they choose to make, the theme also applies to real life in
the South today.
In
the South we are given so much and we shouldn’t feel bad that we are different
even though the world is constantly trying to change us. Janice Daugharty expresses this concept throughout her book Dark
of the Moon. The main character Merdie was not
happy with her life but she had learned to be content with the situation. She
was apart of a singing group with her sons with hopes of pursuing a music
career. When Mac (a prisoner) comes along criticizing her way of life, they end
up falling in love with each other. She ends up being faced with so many
choices that she doesn’t know where to turn. Throughout the book Mac is
constantly calling her “innocent” when what he really meant was “ignorant” but
he didn’t want to offend her. At no point in time did he try to understand
their way of living, he just simply assumed that they were ignorant. This idea
is symbolic because people that are not from the south have never tried to
understand us. They simply take one look and begin to criticize our way of life
just because it is different. This judgment is ironic because we are always
being criticized, yet and still our culture has the potential to be lost
because everyone has adopted certain aspects and soon it will all just be
American culture.
She also expresses living for the day as a
positive quality for the South. Merdie and Mac knew
that if Hamp ever found out about their affair he
would kill them, but during their moments together nothing else mattered. In
the South we live for the day and forget about our problems for just a little
while, because we have faith that tomorrow will be different. Throughout life
“we’ve learned from experience to enjoy what we have while it’s ours, because
the only thing we know for sure is that nothing is for sure or forever
(scholars are right fond of calling this the “Southern sense of tragedy” and
our preachers call it “Gods will”)” (Batson n. pag.).
Putting things off until another time could be called procrastination or “the
South’s heritage of denial” all it really is the “epitome of Southern-style
pragmatism at its best” (Batson n. pag). When it comes to seizing the day a lot of the
choices that are made may not be the best idea, but the exciting feeling that
it brings makes it worth while.
Southern
pride is very prominent throughout the book because Merdie
was proud of how her parents lived and the way she was raised. Although she was
proud she had a few insecurities as would anyone. She never wanted Mac to feel
sorry for her, and that’s typical because no one wants pity especially from the
one they love. Even though she was insecure, she never let him know she made it
seem that she was a strong-willed woman and did not care what others thought.
Being strong-willed is a major characteristic of southerners because we are
constantly being criticized and we have learned to joke about a lot of the
things people have said. Having southern pride is a must living down south
because you may acquire more disparagement from natives if you pretend to be
some one else to impress others rather than just being who you are. After
experiencing so much “the South’s history of failure, prejudice, and
humiliation may have encouraged self-analysis, but it was not until regional
income and educational differences abated that Southerners began to define
themselves by who they were rather than by how they differed from the North”
(Schneider n. pag.). Once they realized that they
were different for a reason the people of the South have made the culture so
friendly and welcoming to people from all over. It’s takes people a while to
realize that once you really interact in the south you will eventually fall in
love with the culture and even may acquire a few southern qualities while
you’re here. There is an old saying deep down in the south which is “You can
take a Southerner out of the South, but you’ll never get the South out of the
Southerner” (Batson n. pag.). Southerners are the
friendliest people around and that’s something we should definitely be proud of
because that’s one compliment that we get from all types of cultures. There is
absolutely nothing to be ashamed about because everyone is different and if we
were all the same the world would be pretty boring. Being raised in the south I
have grown accustomed to being called country, but I’ve learned to be proud of
my southern twang because it is a part of the south and a big part of who I am.
Southern
language, the one thing all other cultures seem to despise the most about the
South. Although no one criticized the dialect in this particular book,
southerners are constantly being asked to correct and change their dialect
because it is so hard to understand. What they don’t understand is that our
dialect is apart of who we are, and we talk this way
for a reason. It is one thing to have another culture disapprove of your
language but it’s even worse when native southerners have become almost
embarrassed about their speech, we’ve lost so much already (Estes, n.pag.). All cultures are different and not everyone is
going to agree with these differences they are just going to have to get
accustomed to it. During a survey a forty-four year old southern woman stated
that “People away from here- I can’t understand them. They talk funny” (Reed
16). So this shows that our dialect is not the only one that people pass
judgment on, northern dialect is another highly talked about subject, but in
reality Northern nor Southern natives should ever have to apologize for the way
they speak because it is apart of who they are, the only ones who should
apologize are the ones who are ashamed.
Growing
up in the south gives so many advantages and though we do not understand at
first as we grow older we learn to appreciate it. The south makes you strong
and able to handle anything because you acquire so much criticism that you
become immune to a lot. In most cases the people that are doing the criticizing
usually wish that they were a part of such a popular and unique culture that
the South has, so we should be proud. No other culture has the type of people
who make you feel at home and the soul food that puts you to sleep; all they
can do is imitate what we call great southern hospitality. We are fortunate
enough to be raised in the great South and we should not have to apologize for
the things we have acquired and the choices we make.
Works
Cited
Batson, Ann Barrett. “Profiles in Southern
Style” Having it all. 2000-2001. Anything Southern. 2001. Rutledge Hill Press. 15 April 2004 <http://
www.anythingsouthern.com/articles/batson 1.asp>
Estes, Marvin. Comment on Southern
‘language’. 21 April 2004
<http://
www.mfestes.com/id70.html>
Reed, John Shelton. Southerners. North Carolina: The University of North Carolina, 1983
Schneider, Mary Jo. “Redefining Southern Culture: Mind and Identity in the Modern South.” Arkansas Historical
Quarterly 59.2 (2000): 226-228. Proquest.
Odum Library, Valdosta, Ga. 30 March 2004 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=14&sid=
2&srchmode=1&vinst=PROD&AFMT=3&s…>