273: Hard Numbers

"Mine America's Coal/(Portrait of a Coal Miner)" (1943) by Norman Rockwell

According to Smarsh, when she was in college she discovered that "Study after study that [she] found in [her] research for [a sociology course she took as a junior] said in hard numbers that, if you are poor, you are likely to stay poor, no matter how hard you work" (273).

She does not provide citations for these studies.

See if you can find any reliable studies that support or refute Smarsh claim.

Cite your source.

If someone cites a source before you do, look for a different source.

274: Trash?

"The Garbage Picker" (1888) by Georges Seurat

When Marsh went to college, she was admitted into "a federally funded program that encouraged minority, first-generation, and low-income students toward graduate school" (274). She adds that "The small handful of white kids already in the program . . .had given us the nickname: 'White Trash Scholars'" (274).

Do you consider the term "white trash" to be offensive?

Is it less offensive (or not offensive) if the person using the term is referring to him or herself?

Is this a phrase you have heard people use with much frequency? When you've heard it used, has it been offensive?

If you were telling a stranger from another country how to recognize "white trash," what would you tell them to look for?

282: The Least

"Worker and Child" (1908) by Edward Munch

Smarsh says that imagining August convinced her that poor children are not "bad." They deserve happiness.

Do you believe children deserve happiness?

If so, is anyone, other than their parents, responsible for creating the conditions for making that happiness possible?

What minimum conditions need to be in place for a child to be happy?

Heartland Sandbox

Zen Sand Garden

Have a question or comment about Heartland that has not been addressed elsewhere on this website?

Bring it to the comment box below.

Heartland: Digging Deeper with Sarah Smarsh

The clip of Sarah Smarsh above was broadcast on January 19, 2019.

This clip of Sarah Smarsh was broadcast on February 5, 2019.

Heartland Take-Away

So you've read Heartland now. In 100 words or less, identify the part of the book that is most likely to stick with you the longest.

What's your take away?

Don't answer this question until you've finished reading the entire book.

After Heartland

If you would like to explore further some of the themes addressed in Heartland, consider reading some of these texts:

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance

Educated by Tara Westover

Hunger of Memoryby Richard Rodriguez

Here's an interview with J. D. Vance:

Here's an interview with Tara Westover:

Here's an interview with Richard Rodriguez: