I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could see my self in young Sarah Smurf. From the way she worked in school, to the way she remembers her past, I found myself going back to my own childhood and looking at how it shaped me into who I am now. I think what most influenced me was realizing how much my family has been through and seeing the bad things in Smarsh’s life turned into monumental character points. Going to my dads on the weekends (like Smarsh) and seeing him sore, but never too sore to play with us. Seeing his hands, nails caked with oil and grease, wipe tears from my brother's eyes when he broke his arm. Helping my mom do things around the house that typically a man would do, but she had to learn to adapt. These moments I will now hold as markers of my current character, for I learned strength and love. Jessica King
8) After reading this book, I think the thing that will stick with me the most is how Sarah cared for and protected her “daughter” in order to make it through her life. We see that Sarah often asked herself “what would I want my daughter to do?” I believe that it was Sarah’s will power and her questions to herself that kept her going. I also believe that asking these questions helped her to take better care of herself. I have been told that to have positive self talk it is easier to pretend that you are talking to a small child or someone you love. -Kaylee Thoma
One paragraph in the book talks about how when Sarah started kindergarten there were kids wearing backpacks of all shapes and colors, but she only had a paper sack to carry her school supplies in. I remember crying and feeling so bad for this little girl that was an adult now, but then I realized that this happens every day. Kids and teenagers who despite loving parents don’t have supplies available to them even if it’s offered. Kids are mean and the kids who are bullied can’t help the situation so why should they be punished.
“I’ve never been pregnant, but I became a mother very young”. This quote from the first page of the book is one of the three parts that made an impression on me. From that moment I knew that Smarsh and I had at least one common trait, taking care of people younger and older than ourselves. Smarsh’s statement reminded me of caring for the children at church while still being a child myself and becoming independent at an early age. This line impacted me because I could relate to it and it was the first thing I highlighted.
The part of the book that will stick with me the longest is when she was talking about how students try to "Make it out". That is something that a bunch of guys including myself all talked about as we went through our athletic careers in high school. We were all focused on how we could help each other get to our goals. We as students and athletes especially have to think about the now and helping the team, but after we leave thinking on how we can give back to those who helped us get out.
I will always recall when Sarah Smarsh describes parting with August, the unborn child that would have been born during her former way of life and would have experienced similar situations as Sarah. She describes the parting as bittersweet; she is mournful to see her unborn baby go, but amazed and proud that she has accomplished her desired transition in life (Smarsh 285-286). Although I could not fully identify with this part of the book, I still felt great sympathy and envy for the sacrifices that she made throughout her life to achieve her goals. -Payton Hodges
“…when something feels like the end of the world. I calm down realizing that it’s the sort of problem everybody has, whereas the problems I was born into really could kill a person.” After reflecting on the book, this is the quote that continues to stick with me. My takeaway from Heartland was learning to appreciate my own struggles. Sarah went through so much growing up; living poor in America, being shamed and judged, and living with no stability. The obstacles I face every day don’t compare to Smarsh’s, providing me with a sense of relief that I could have it worse.
"I tried to get up the courage to ask her if she loved me. It wasn't so much that I didn't know the answer as that I wanted to make her say it." In the first few pages of her book, Smarsh dedicates it to her mom. This sentence brought tears to my eyes, thinking that her own mother read this book and knew that it was for her. Smarsh wrote this book out of love for her family. What I took away from this book is that we should love our family and be proud of where we came from.
"Knowing in your own bones how fragile and fleeting a body is." This line on page 57 really kept with me while reading the book. Sarah knew how fragile the body was based on the death of the kittens, and with how abusive the men were in her family, but she made an effort to get out of it and be strong. I take this small line as a lesson that, even though the body is frail, doesn't mean that you still can't protect it and become something stronger.
This was a very well written book and I enjoyed it. My take away is that in the end, only you have the power to control your life. Sarah was born from a line of teenage mothers, drifting fathers, alcohol and drug abuse, among many other things. However, she realized she did not have to continue life that way and became the light in shining darkness in her family. And I believe anybody can do that. It's entirely reliant on you to change your life and to chase your dreams.
I hate to sound negative as I often times try to find a positive side in everything I see or do, but I just could not bring myself to enjoy Smarsh's memoir. I felt as if she got off topic numerous times throughout the screed, and she was very repetitive. I also felt at times that Smarsh stood for many things that I stand against, and I found most of her family to be very unlikeable. I do feel, however, as if I have gained a greater insight into the lives of the rural poor.
The author believed by not having a child in her teens and going into poverty, like the previous women in her family, she was able to break the cycle of her family. She made decisions for herself by asking, “What would I want for my daughter in this situation?” At the end of the book, she lets go of the child and it devastated her. This was symbolic because she overcame what society told her she was destined to be. This book gave me hope, inspiration, and a new way of viewing a social classes. -Kiley Watkins
“Your worth was unto itself. Betty was right: A penny is a penny.” The author, who first refers to this in Chapter 1, quotes this at the very end of the book (page 286). This book challenged me on many issues, as well as gave me a better appreciation of my life. However, this message will stick with me the longest: a human life is priceless, no matter economic status, age, or anything else that makes us different. Contrary to the way society treated the author’s family, we should value others and treat everyone with love and respect. Bethany Bengs
Coming from a very rural and impoverished community, I resonate with so many things in this book. I see children every single day stuck in the exact same cycle that Smarsh talks about. They are in abusive homes which they leave only to find an abusive spouse and start using the same drugs that their parents did. If it isn’t that, they never leave this town, have minimum wage jobs and can barely feed or clothe their children. What really sticks with me is the heartbreak of these truths because I know that’s how many children here feel even today.
I believe the part that will stick with me the longest is when Smarsh talks about what she would want for her daughter. She does this throughout the book, and this really helped me put into perspective how what I do now will affect my future. It will not only affect me, but the family I am going to go on to have. This book has allowed me to be more aware of my choices, and it has made me thankful for the life I’m able to lead.
The part that will stick with me most is part of the last chapter when the author is talking about having to leave home in order to thrive. It really resonated with me because that is how I have always felt about my community. As much as I love where I’m from, there isn’t room for me to grow there anymore. My neighbors and family have done what they could and it is time for me to have different experiences.
"All those wrong messages pierced and hurt me, but they didn't get to my core." Heartland did an amazing job of bringing things that aren't talked about enough into light. This will stick with me because, in the end, people will judge even if you're farther than you were yesterday. Smarsh showed me that I am in control of my life, choices and future. Nothing that was said to her stopped her from achieving her dreams, and that’s true for all of us.
After reading this book, I think the thing that stuck out to me the most was how show could reflect back on her life and see how it has shaped her to be the women she is today. That her situation did not typically produce people like her, but she choose to end the cycle and show she can do more with her life then some people might have believed. She believed in her self despite the stereotypes in the culture for people like her. She worked hard in adversity and pushed herself to be the women she wanted to become.
What stuck with me the most throughout Heartland is how hard Sarah Smarsh worked to make her own life different than the generations before her. She was smart and took advantage of that quality so she could get an education and receive endless opportunities. Throughout her life, she changed her family history and broke the chain of her family's past. She showed that children could be born into poverty, but they are not stuck there forever. Only you are capable of rewriting your story.
In the beginning I found it very difficult to get into this book. I was not a huge fan of the style of writing that Sarah used but through her writing she was able to convey a fantastic point across to me. Growing up in a blue collar agriculture family, our work ethic is what makes our world go around. I had naturally grasped the concept that if you couldn't make ends meat it was because you weren't trying hard enough or had simply made bad decisions that had lead you to that place. After reading Sarah's book I now understand that in society sometimes children are born into a "rut" that most times they cant get out of. The names and occupation of their parents creates a situation that is very difficult without a lucky break. I don't know if I was willingly ignorant to that fact before but I found this book very eye opening.
While I did enjoy the overall story and meaning Smarsh was trying to portray, I found the timeline a bit difficult to follow and it was very repetitive at times. Her stories of her family’s travels and struggles was very inspirational and at times I found myself agreeing with her family’s views on always finding a way to make ends meet. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels as though they are stuck in the ways of the class they were born into or feel trapped by the family around them.
The part that I continuously looked back on and saw in myself in was the distance between Smarsh’s mother and herself. My mom and I have a very good relationship now, and we’ve always had a better one than Sarah had with Jeannie, but there was still that distance I yearned to break when I was younger. After reading Heartland, I thought about my moms life and her marriage to a man she didn’t trust or fully love and I saw the distance for what it truly was- her unhappiness in a life she seemed stuck in.
When I started reading this book, I sincerely thought I wouldn’t enjoy it. I’m glad I proved myself wrong, and that I had the chance to read it. Now that I’ve read Heartland, I’ve realized that what I called terrible in my childhood is entirely wrong. I’ve lived a very privileged life, where I’ve never gone hungry or been too cold. I’ve never had to keep wearing old clothes, and I could ask for new ones. There’s always someone who has it worse, no matter how bad you think you have it.
I have continued to think about the parts in the book when Sarah talks about teachers she had as a child, especially the one that singled her out and embarrassed her every day. I am an Early Childhood Education major and it made me so angry to read about the way she was treated in some schools because of her social class. School should be a place you feel cared for, inspired, and encouraged to learn and grow by your teachers, but Sarah Smarsh never let that get to her or damage her love for learning.
The thing that I took away from this read was that if you want desperately to change something, then change it, though sometimes it seems impossible. I feel like many people who are in the same situation that Sarah was in feel like that situation defines them and there is nothing they can do to get out of it. But Smarsh is one of the many who prove that you decide what defines you, and you decide what becomes of you, though it isn’t easy. Sarah broke the cycle in her family that went back generations, and in more ways than one.
I've not been able to stop thinking about the story that Nick Smarsh tells about the carpenter. I need to put more effort into work and life in general. The narrative shows that you cannot just stop trying, or this life will eat you alive. Living is effort, stopping is dying.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book this summer. The part that I will remember will be how she got off the path that her family had taken and made her own. She came from a line of bad family members and turned out to be a great person although her circumstances.
What really captivated me the entire time reading Heartland was the way that Sarah evaluated her environment and everything around her. Personally, it helped me relate a lot to the book, not necessarily her life, but the way she viewed it growing up. I think that she really had a deep love for her family, but she was smart and couldn't help but see that things could, and should, be better. Her explanation of why she thinks the way she does was the hook of the entire book!
There was one thing that kept me interested in this book, and that was the fact that Sarah constantly kept trying to change, some would say break, the cycle that has went on for generations. I believe that the reason this topic compelled me to keep reading is because I am doing the same thing. I related a lot to what Sarah had to say through out this book.
This was truly an outstanding book. This book has opened my eyes to a social injustice that seems to be forgotten by most. Heartland sheds light on poverty and put a face to those who experience it in everyday life. On page 129, Sarah Smarsh states, "If you work everyday and still can't afford what you need, is it worse to steal from a big store owned by billionaires than to be a billionaire who underpays his employees?" This part stuck out the most to me because, despite the answer, the poor man will always have more to lose. -Macy Phillips
What I will remember best from this book is when Smarsh describes the moment her childhood came to an end. Smarsh uses the line "I wasn't a woman yet, but I had been my own mother for a long time," which I found to be an accurate statement for many children living in poverty (pg 379). Smarsh's recount of her childhood shines a light on the struggles of growing up in poverty, but also shows that people can make the best of situations. Her determination to break the cycle of poverty she was born into is truly inspiring. -Dixie Redman
The ending stuck with me the most. When Sarah is speaking to August she says "This country has failed its children." This thought struck me hard; as someone who experienced none of the poverty that Sarah did, I struggled to imagine America failing its children. As I pondered, I concluded that America has failed some of its children. Rather it be race, gender, or economic status America has failed someone. If we want America to be what we say it is, we need change. We need to help break the poverty cycle, it just takes willing people to do so. -Landen Underwood
I both enjoyed and did not enjoy this book. She has moments where you connect with her and I really enjoyed those moments. Especially on pages 33-36, when she talks about feeling the knowledge of being an accident and about asking her mom if she loves her. A child should not feel this way. This will stick with me, because I never want my child to feel this way. I do not want my child to feel distant the way Sarah felt from her mom. -Chasey Terry
There were moments in this book that really made me think, and Smarsh really did have some enlightening thoughts about life. The idea that America is segregated by class more than most things is something that I’d never really considered. A moment that will stick with me, is when her mom got laughed at by the PTA moms for bringing old toys for the kids to play with, because she didn’t have enough money to buy new ones. I teared up. It really showed how class takes up so much space in society.
I am not sure why, but the moment when Sarah and her father were driving in his farm truck along the gravel road on page 52 stuck out to me. It made me realize that no matter what kind of life you are living, it is hard work, but you can always find some kind of safe place. There really is just something about driving down an old road in your truck, left arm hanging out the open window, not a care in the world. Just in my safe place, driving until I get where I am going.
“And Jeannie gave me a dad my body didn’t have to fear.” This quote from page 81 stuck with me during the entire book. One of the few good things about her family was she never had to worry about abuse at the hands of her father? After the author tells stories about the abuse her family members had to endure, it made me realize just how lucky she did get. She grew up in a time where that was normal, and somehow acceptable. Women weren’t cared for, especially because of their social standing. Poor women were viewed as disposable.
What I took away from this book is that you can have control of your future and you don't have to follow in other people's footsteps. Almost all the women in Sarah's family had children while they were young, and their children were born into poverty. Sarah saw this and didn't continue in their footsteps and made her own path. Sarah was born into a poor social class and was expected to act a certain way, but she didn't listen to what society told her to be and moved on in her education. She took control of her future and didn't let society's view of her stop her from achieving her goals. - Aimee Wood
Heartland made me reflect on just how blessed I am. I can afford food whenever I want. I have plenty of clothes. I am getting a college education. I thank God for providing for my family. Sarah Smarsh had to work through her complicated struggles throughout the book. It was inconvenient that her family had complications before she was born. I wonder how I would have handled the situation. Every family has their conflicts, but I am glad to be in my family! I do my best to help people in need in the community!
The biggest takeaway from this book I have is the perspective wealth. While one can meet the societal mold of wealth with all the luxuries in the world, are they truly wealthy if they lack an inner worth? In this memoir it shows that all the money in the world can't buy happiness.
After reading heartland, my thoughts keep revolving around smarsh's uncondional love for her daughter and the lengths she would go to so that she could provide her with a better life than her own. "Around the same time I started thinking about you - asking myself what I would do, what I would want, for my own daughter." I think this was very important to me because it showed the amount of love she had for her unborn daughter. At times her daughter was her source of strength, her reason for wanting to better herself and I think that its imperative that we all find our reason for us to strive further. She went off and achieved great things and they are due to her not wanting her daughter to have to grow up in the same situations and struggles that she herself did.
“...being aware of your own unexpressed talent can make the body feel like a prison.” (pg 46) I think that the people that need more chances to express their abilities are so often shut down because they are not of a certain background -- in Smarsh’s case -- economic standing. I cannot imagine the pain of a life filled with excruciating labor topped with the pain of knowing of unfulfilled talents. This line really held my attention because Smarsh uses haunting diction to convey a rather foreign idea to those lucky enough to have been presented the opportunities to express ourselves.
Throughout the book, Smarsh is telling her daughter what life she wanted for her. She tells how her family's hard times that lasted generations. Smarsh surprises the reader with the amount of unconditional love and affection she has towards her daughter. Smarsh tells of the precautions she took, so that her daughter would not live a life like hers, or worst, such as not becoming a teen mom. Smarsh would also use her future daughter as a source of strength to get through rough periods.
This book really gave me a better understanding of how people in poverty see things and what it takes to not do things the way their parents did. Sarah Smarsh proves that with enough determination you can break the cycles of addiction, teen pregnancy, and lack of education that have kept past generations of her family in poverty. Sarah Smarsh shows that the American dream is real.
The part of the book that is going to stick with me the longest is how poor people can continuously work hard every day, and still be poor. Sarah mentions it in the end of the book that all her research got the same result. "If you are poor, you are likely to stay poor, no matter how hard you work." I think that's a sad truth about America. People who are born into poor families, may never get a chance to leave that lifestyle. No matter how hard they work, sometimes it can only be enough to survive. I think that's an economic problem that our country has to face.
"I answered the question of whether I deserved to exist by working hard". (pg 35) This statement hurt my heart. A person should never have to place their worth in the same category as how much money they have. A parent should never make their child feel unwanted. But this is the effect of poverty. Parents are stressed and the children carry that burden. It amazes me that Smarsh was able to see through the lies that society tells people who don't have a lot of money. She was able to do well in school and get a college degree, which is something that a lot of middle/upper class citizens aren't driven enough to do. She was able to see her worth, all while society was telling her that she wasn't of use to anyone. Most importantly, she has made the world a better place by sharing her experience and making people more aware of this situation.
As an individual who enjoys keeping up with fashion, design and trends for the fun of it, a few comments struck my core. Sarah Smarsh speaks about popular items such as “designer jeans yellowed with a wash meant to evoke the dirt that was under his fingernails or the “shabby chic” decorating trend of new furniture meant to look like it had weathered decades in our barn.” These are examples of the romanticized nature of the farming community and lower economic lifestyle. She makes the point that while these trends are more hilarious than offensive, it proves the separation in the publics mind and the true nature of her lifestyle. She truly makes true the idiom “out of sight, out of mind.” While there is so much more to the book, about the nature of the country, and its failure to its children. I find it interesting that she chose to emphasize its romanization or rejection of the lifestyle. I say utter rejection, because she spoke of the “trailer trash” that are supposedly the face of her economic status. This dichotomy both confuses and intrigues me. In a sense America has come to both romanticize and demonize its lower class and blue-collar workers.
...Why? I believe this is due to separation of the classes and communities. As I said, out of sight, out of mind. In order for this to occur, this must change.
What really stuck out to me from this book isn’t a specific passage, but rather an ongoing theme. From start to finish, we see the author articulate several instances of trauma inflicted upon her by her parents. From the coldness of her upbringing at the hands of her mother to the neglect she suffered from her father after his divorce, it’s clear that her upbringing wasn’t great. However, Smarsh still speaks of her parents with the utmost respect and understanding. I can imagine it being difficult to be this fair and ungrudging in the retelling of such a difficult life’s story.
The thing that stuck with me the most was that all of the women in this book went to abusive, unreliable men to have a relationship with. I cannot fathom why that is at all desirable. If somebody yelled at me or hit me, it is over with no exceptions. These women should have chosen better for themselves. Just because they are attractive does not mean that they you should be with them forever. Especially if you are in poverty, you need somebody you can depend on, not just some drug dealer or hit man.
“What you don’t transmute, you will transmit.” This quote really struck a chord with me because it is something that everyone should pay attention to. If there is something negative going on in your life and you decide not to change it, your negativity will spread to others. If you choose to adapt to what is going on and adopt a brighter outlook, your positivity will also spread. Having a positive outlook instead of a negative can't do anything but improve your environment. -Justin Chitty
My biggest takeaway from this book is the power of your mindset. How you choose to look at things or situations can completely alter the outcome of your life. If I am being quite honest, I did not enjoy reading this novel that much. I felt that the author had a negative attitude and outlook on just about everything. I truly believe that having a positive attitude would have made her look at her family and her past completely differently. I find it easy to focus on the negative, what is harder, but more significant, is focusing on what you gained from the experience.
I really enjoyed reading this book over the duration of this summer. Having been raised to a farming family in a small rural Oklahoma town, I found much of Smarsh’s book to be relatable. Fortunately, I was blessed enough to not struggle financially like Smarsh did and my household was much more stable. Even though I did not struggle like Smarsh did I understood the way of life she described and the points she made. I would recommend this book to my peers as it illustrates a picture of the struggles we all face, and offers insight into how to approach these difficulties.
After reading this book and thinking how Sarah overcame the generational obstacles, I can relate to this. My dad is an immigrant from South Africa. Many of my family members are poverty stricken and have had no opportunity to better themselves. He chose to leave everyone to start a fresh life in America. This has given me the opportunity to live a totally different life than what it would have been if I was raised in South Africa. I am very thankful for the opportunity to attend university and be an American.
"The best version of so many things has been conceived but remains unborn." This was the intro to the last paragraph of the book, and this honestly stuck out to me. We have so many great ideas to change the world for the better, but reality grinds them all to dust. This book, while going off topic on many occasions, hammers an important message that we must fight to create the world we wish to see. While opposition from those that have given up hope remains a constant struggle, we must not let their sorrow cloud or fight for justice. Overall, not my favorite book but definitely a pretty good read.
What most stood out to me is how she broke the stereotype that had been expected of women for hundreds of years. In places like where I grew up, the stereotype still exists. So I understand how difficult this would have been for her. I believe it sets a precedent for every young girl who believes that her life is already been planned out for her. They truly can break free.
Like poor immigrants not so far back in our bloodline, we were raised to not expect much and to ask for even less.” Being an immigrant myself, I could relate to this memoir in a deeper level. Although Sarah was not an immigrant, I could relate to her and what she managed to do. I have been in the United States for over 8 years and like Sarah, my family and I have overcome many obstacles. However, we were also given many opportunities to make our lives better than what it would have been. Being an immigrant taught me early on that my life would be different from those around me such as my classmates, and I learned very early to expect different things in life than the rest. Without a lot expectation, just a slightly better life than a life in Nepal, we have managed to create a good living in America, for which I am very grateful.
The part of Heartland that will probably stick with me the most is that no matter how hard you work, sometimes negative circumstances cannot be overcome by sheer willpower. The conditions you are born into are extremely difficult to change, especially when your hard work goes unrewarded.
My favorite part was when Sarah let go of the could-be child that followed her all her life, but the part that will stick with me the most is her realization that poor people are most likely to stay poor, no matter how hard they try. It rings true in most of my family, but I never took the time to realize it.
From Heartland I take away the importance of how socioeconomics shapes not only an individual but the entire lineage from which one is descended. It’s important to take a hard look at these things, such as one’s class and family history, in order to address how these factors play a role in hindering your progress in the world and patterns in which you may fall victim and repeat. August is a metaphor that represents potential before being weighed down with issues of class. As parents, we want to do better for the next generation. Smarsh reminds us that we can do better for ourselves now.
The piece of knowledge that I will carry with me the longest from Heartland is making decisions now based on the well-being of your future family. I identified with this theme a lot. When making difficult decisions in my high school years, a great deciding factor was my wife and children that will come along later in my life. The choice made ultimately was not just for their benefit but also for my own. Choosing the right path for a future family may not be easy or immediately satisfying but it will eventually create a great foundation for a household to be built on.
There truly seems to be a hypocritical dichotomy in how the United States treats its lower-class citizens. On the one hand their lifestyle is romanticized. Mason jars, burlap tablecloths, weathered furniture and decorations all seem to be a staple of modern culture’s interior and exterior design. As Smarsh described it, the “shabby chick” look. At the same time, the United States’ upper-class distances itself from the lower class, as though poorness were a plague anyone could catch. They are frightened, because anyone could become lower class, it is almost as though they are “looking in a mirror.”
This book is a resounding message to the leaders in charge of our country that we need change in the Heartland of America. The people in "flyover country" are not at the table when important economic decisions are being discussed, and in turn are shunned from the conversation entirely, leading to more poverty and worse lives.
Sarah's determination to break her family cycle and create a better life for herself is what will stick with me the longest. This is because Sarah reminds me a lot of myself. We both were born into poor families, but we had minor advantages that gave us the opportunity to create a better life for ourselves. This book motivated me a lot and it reminded me of why I came here to the United States to study. Although I didn't really have the financial support of my family, I saw the endless opportunities that would be available to me here than I would have back home. So, I did everything I could to get here. Now, I want more than anything to be a version of Sarah Smarsh's story (I probably am already).
Throughout Heartland, Sarah Smarsh recalls many struggles she and her loved ones faced throughout their lives. Smarsh recalls a moment when her grandmother, Betty, tells her how she was once stuck in a rotation of abuse, while fighting for custody of her child. Smarsh writes, “...she was repeatedly told she had to have a spouse to win back custody of Bo. She needed to show a “stable household” male lawyers told her,..” (218). This is one of the many eye-opening situations throughout Heartland that helped me truly consider how hard life can be for others. Throughout life, we will face our own problems and forget to show gratitude for what we have. This is my “take-away” from Heartland because Smarsh was born into poverty and instead of dwelling on her situation, she was able to accomplish her goals. If more people could obtain this mindset, it would be easier to focus on the long term goals.
The thing that impacted me the most about Heartland was Sarah Smarsh realizing and pointing out the differences between true poverty and wealth. She mentions several times how people who hadn't experienced what she had were amazed by the way of life that she had come from. That is something that I honestly have not had enough exposure to. I was often simply caught off guard by some of the things that they had to do to survive because my way of life simply never allowed me to see that side of life. As I grow, learn, and mature, I become more and more aware of the wealth of blessings that my childhood was filled with, despite the difficult times.
The part of the book that struck me most was when she talked about how they worked a lot to provide food for the urban cities but could not afford primary health care or transportation. It made me to look at less privileged with different eyes. They worked the most but got little out of it. I have always thought about discrimination from racial point of view. This book opened my eyes to the social economic discrimination, and being stereotyped because of your economic background. It also shed light on the relationship between economic status and women’s success. The poorer you were as a woman regardless of your race, the more likely people thought you were uneducated mother without a husband. This changing more nowadays, but it still exists.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could see my self in young Sarah Smurf. From the way she worked in school, to the way she remembers her past, I found myself going back to my own childhood and looking at how it shaped me into who I am now. I think what most influenced me was realizing how much my family has been through and seeing the bad things in Smarsh’s life turned into monumental character points. Going to my dads on the weekends (like Smarsh) and seeing him sore, but never too sore to play with us. Seeing his hands, nails caked with oil and grease, wipe tears from my brother's eyes when he broke his arm. Helping my mom do things around the house that typically a man would do, but she had to learn to adapt. These moments I will now hold as markers of my current character, for I learned strength and love.
ReplyDeleteJessica King
8) After reading this book, I think the thing that will stick with me the most is how Sarah cared for and protected her “daughter” in order to make it through her life. We see that Sarah often asked herself “what would I want my daughter to do?” I believe that it was Sarah’s will power and her questions to herself that kept her going. I also believe that asking these questions helped her to take better care of herself. I have been told that to have positive self talk it is easier to pretend that you are talking to a small child or someone you love.
ReplyDelete-Kaylee Thoma
One paragraph in the book talks about how when Sarah started kindergarten there were kids wearing backpacks of all shapes and colors, but she only had a paper sack to carry her school supplies in. I remember crying and feeling so bad for this little girl that was an adult now, but then I realized that this happens every day. Kids and teenagers who despite loving parents don’t have supplies available to them even if it’s offered. Kids are mean and the kids who are bullied can’t help the situation so why should they be punished.
ReplyDelete“I’ve never been pregnant, but I became a mother very young”. This quote from the first page of the book is one of the three parts that made an impression on me. From that moment I knew that Smarsh and I had at least one common trait, taking care of people younger and older than ourselves. Smarsh’s statement reminded me of caring for the children at church while still being a child myself and becoming independent at an early age. This line impacted me because I could relate to it and it was the first thing I highlighted.
ReplyDeleteThe part of the book that will stick with me the longest is when she was talking about how students try to "Make it out". That is something that a bunch of guys including myself all talked about as we went through our athletic careers in high school. We were all focused on how we could help each other get to our goals. We as students and athletes especially have to think about the now and helping the team, but after we leave thinking on how we can give back to those who helped us get out.
ReplyDeleteI will always recall when Sarah Smarsh describes parting with August, the unborn child that would have been born during her former way of life and would have experienced similar situations as Sarah. She describes the parting as bittersweet; she is mournful to see her unborn baby go, but amazed and proud that she has accomplished her desired transition in life (Smarsh 285-286). Although I could not fully identify with this part of the book, I still felt great sympathy and envy for the sacrifices that she made throughout her life to achieve her goals.
ReplyDelete-Payton Hodges
“…when something feels like the end of the world. I calm down realizing that it’s the sort of problem everybody has, whereas the problems I was born into really could kill a person.” After reflecting on the book, this is the quote that continues to stick with me. My takeaway from Heartland was learning to appreciate my own struggles. Sarah went through so much growing up; living poor in America, being shamed and judged, and living with no stability. The obstacles I face every day don’t compare to Smarsh’s, providing me with a sense of relief that I could have it worse.
ReplyDelete"I tried to get up the courage to ask her if she loved me. It wasn't so much that I didn't know the answer as that I wanted to make her say it." In the first few pages of her book, Smarsh dedicates it to her mom. This sentence brought tears to my eyes, thinking that her own mother read this book and knew that it was for her. Smarsh wrote this book out of love for her family. What I took away from this book is that we should love our family and be proud of where we came from.
ReplyDelete"Knowing in your own bones how fragile and fleeting a body is." This line on page 57 really kept with me while reading the book. Sarah knew how fragile the body was based on the death of the kittens, and with how abusive the men were in her family, but she made an effort to get out of it and be strong. I take this small line as a lesson that, even though the body is frail, doesn't mean that you still can't protect it and become something stronger.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very well written book and I enjoyed it. My take away is that in the end, only you have the power to control your life. Sarah was born from a line of teenage mothers, drifting fathers, alcohol and drug abuse, among many other things. However, she realized she did not have to continue life that way and became the light in shining darkness in her family. And I believe anybody can do that. It's entirely reliant on you to change your life and to chase your dreams.
ReplyDeleteI hate to sound negative as I often times try to find a positive side in everything I see or do, but I just could not bring myself to enjoy Smarsh's memoir. I felt as if she got off topic numerous times throughout the screed, and she was very repetitive. I also felt at times that Smarsh stood for many things that I stand against, and I found most of her family to be very unlikeable. I do feel, however, as if I have gained a greater insight into the lives of the rural poor.
ReplyDeleteThe author believed by not having a child in her teens and going into poverty, like the previous women in her family, she was able to break the cycle of her family. She made decisions for herself by asking, “What would I want for my daughter in this situation?” At the end of the book, she lets go of the child and it devastated her. This was symbolic because she overcame what society told her she was destined to be. This book gave me hope, inspiration, and a new way of viewing a social classes.
ReplyDelete-Kiley Watkins
“Your worth was unto itself. Betty was right: A penny is a penny.” The author, who first refers to this in Chapter 1, quotes this at the very end of the book (page 286). This book challenged me on many issues, as well as gave me a better appreciation of my life. However, this message will stick with me the longest: a human life is priceless, no matter economic status, age, or anything else that makes us different. Contrary to the way society treated the author’s family, we should value others and treat everyone with love and respect.
ReplyDeleteBethany Bengs
Coming from a very rural and impoverished community, I resonate with so many things in this book. I see children every single day stuck in the exact same cycle that Smarsh talks about. They are in abusive homes which they leave only to find an abusive spouse and start using the same drugs that their parents did. If it isn’t that, they never leave this town, have minimum wage jobs and can barely feed or clothe their children. What really sticks with me is the heartbreak of these truths because I know that’s how many children here feel even today.
ReplyDeleteI believe the part that will stick with me the longest is when Smarsh talks about what she would want for her daughter. She does this throughout the book, and this really helped me put into perspective how what I do now will affect my future. It will not only affect me, but the family I am going to go on to have. This book has allowed me to be more aware of my choices, and it has made me thankful for the life I’m able to lead.
ReplyDeleteThe part that will stick with me most is part of the last chapter when the author is talking about having to leave home in order to thrive. It really resonated with me because that is how I have always felt about my community. As much as I love where I’m from, there isn’t room for me to grow there anymore. My neighbors and family have done what they could and it is time for me to have different experiences.
ReplyDelete"All those wrong messages pierced and hurt me, but they didn't get to my core." Heartland did an amazing job of bringing things that aren't talked about enough into light. This will stick with me because, in the end, people will judge even if you're farther than you were yesterday. Smarsh showed me that I am in control of my life, choices and future. Nothing that was said to her stopped her from achieving her dreams, and that’s true for all of us.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this book, I think the thing that stuck out to me the most was how show could reflect back on her life and see how it has shaped her to be the women she is today. That her situation did not typically produce people like her, but she choose to end the cycle and show she can do more with her life then some people might have believed. She believed in her self despite the stereotypes in the culture for people like her. She worked hard in adversity and pushed herself to be the women she wanted to become.
ReplyDeleteWhat stuck with me the most throughout Heartland is how hard Sarah Smarsh worked to make her own life different than the generations before her. She was smart and took advantage of that quality so she could get an education and receive endless opportunities. Throughout her life, she changed her family history and broke the chain of her family's past. She showed that children could be born into poverty, but they are not stuck there forever. Only you are capable of rewriting your story.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning I found it very difficult to get into this book. I was not a huge fan of the style of writing that Sarah used but through her writing she was able to convey a fantastic point across to me. Growing up in a blue collar agriculture family, our work ethic is what makes our world go around. I had naturally grasped the concept that if you couldn't make ends meat it was because you weren't trying hard enough or had simply made bad decisions that had lead you to that place. After reading Sarah's book I now understand that in society sometimes children are born into a "rut" that most times they cant get out of. The names and occupation of their parents creates a situation that is very difficult without a lucky break. I don't know if I was willingly ignorant to that fact before but I found this book very eye opening.
ReplyDeleteWhile I did enjoy the overall story and meaning Smarsh was trying to portray, I found the timeline a bit difficult to follow and it was very repetitive at times. Her stories of her family’s travels and struggles was very inspirational and at times I found myself agreeing with her family’s views on always finding a way to make ends meet. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels as though they are stuck in the ways of the class they were born into or feel trapped by the family around them.
ReplyDeleteThe part that I continuously looked back on and saw in myself in was the distance between Smarsh’s mother and herself. My mom and I have a very good relationship now, and we’ve always had a better one than Sarah had with Jeannie, but there was still that distance I yearned to break when I was younger. After reading Heartland, I thought about my moms life and her marriage to a man she didn’t trust or fully love and I saw the distance for what it truly was- her unhappiness in a life she seemed stuck in.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started reading this book, I sincerely thought I wouldn’t enjoy it. I’m glad I proved myself wrong, and that I had the chance to read it. Now that I’ve read Heartland, I’ve realized that what I called terrible in my childhood is entirely wrong. I’ve lived a very privileged life, where I’ve never gone hungry or been too cold. I’ve never had to keep wearing old clothes, and I could ask for new ones. There’s always someone who has it worse, no matter how bad you think you have it.
ReplyDeleteI have continued to think about the parts in the book when Sarah talks about teachers she had as a child, especially the one that singled her out and embarrassed her every day. I am an Early Childhood Education major and it made me so angry to read about the way she was treated in some schools because of her social class. School should be a place you feel cared for, inspired, and encouraged to learn and grow by your teachers, but Sarah Smarsh never let that get to her or damage her love for learning.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that I took away from this read was that if you want desperately to change something, then change it, though sometimes it seems impossible. I feel like many people who are in the same situation that Sarah was in feel like that situation defines them and there is nothing they can do to get out of it. But Smarsh is one of the many who prove that you decide what defines you, and you decide what becomes of you, though it isn’t easy. Sarah broke the cycle in her family that went back generations, and in more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteI've not been able to stop thinking about the story that Nick Smarsh tells about the carpenter. I need to put more effort into work and life in general. The narrative shows that you cannot just stop trying, or this life will eat you alive. Living is effort, stopping is dying.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading this book this summer. The part that I will remember will be how she got off the path that her family had taken and made her own. She came from a line of bad family members and turned out to be a great person although her circumstances.
ReplyDeleteWhat really captivated me the entire time reading Heartland was the way that Sarah evaluated her environment and everything around her. Personally, it helped me relate a lot to the book, not necessarily her life, but the way she viewed it growing up. I think that she really had a deep love for her family, but she was smart and couldn't help but see that things could, and should, be better. Her explanation of why she thinks the way she does was the hook of the entire book!
ReplyDeleteThere was one thing that kept me interested in this book, and that was the fact that Sarah constantly kept trying to change, some would say break, the cycle that has went on for generations. I believe that the reason this topic compelled me to keep reading is because I am doing the same thing. I related a lot to what Sarah had to say through out this book.
ReplyDeleteThis was truly an outstanding book. This book has opened my eyes to a social injustice that seems to be forgotten by most. Heartland sheds light on poverty and put a face to those who experience it in everyday life. On page 129, Sarah Smarsh states, "If you work everyday and still can't afford what you need, is it worse to steal from a big store owned by billionaires than to be a billionaire who underpays his employees?" This part stuck out the most to me because, despite the answer, the poor man will always have more to lose.
ReplyDelete-Macy Phillips
What I will remember best from this book is when Smarsh describes the moment her childhood came to an end. Smarsh uses the line "I wasn't a woman yet, but I had been my own mother for a long time," which I found to be an accurate statement for many children living in poverty (pg 379). Smarsh's recount of her childhood shines a light on the struggles of growing up in poverty, but also shows that people can make the best of situations. Her determination to break the cycle of poverty she was born into is truly inspiring. -Dixie Redman
ReplyDeleteThe ending stuck with me the most. When Sarah is speaking to August she says "This country has failed its children." This thought struck me hard; as someone who experienced none of the poverty that Sarah did, I struggled to imagine America failing its children. As I pondered, I concluded that America has failed some of its children. Rather it be race, gender, or economic status America has failed someone. If we want America to be what we say it is, we need change. We need to help break the poverty cycle, it just takes willing people to do so.
ReplyDelete-Landen Underwood
I both enjoyed and did not enjoy this book. She has moments where you connect with her and I really enjoyed those moments. Especially on pages 33-36, when she talks about feeling the knowledge of being an accident and about asking her mom if she loves her. A child should not feel this way. This will stick with me, because I never want my child to feel this way. I do not want my child to feel distant the way Sarah felt from her mom.
ReplyDelete-Chasey Terry
There were moments in this book that really made me think, and Smarsh really did have some enlightening thoughts about life. The idea that America is segregated by class more than most things is something that I’d never really considered. A moment that will stick with me, is when her mom got laughed at by the PTA moms for bringing old toys for the kids to play with, because she didn’t have enough money to buy new ones. I teared up. It really showed how class takes up so much space in society.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure why, but the moment when Sarah and her father were driving in his farm truck along the gravel road on page 52 stuck out to me. It made me realize that no matter what kind of life you are living, it is hard work, but you can always find some kind of safe place. There really is just something about driving down an old road in your truck, left arm hanging out the open window, not a care in the world. Just in my safe place, driving until I get where I am going.
ReplyDelete“And Jeannie gave me a dad my body didn’t have to fear.” This quote from page 81 stuck with me during the entire book. One of the few good things about her family was she never had to worry about abuse at the hands of her father? After the author tells stories about the abuse her family members had to endure, it made me realize just how lucky she did get. She grew up in a time where that was normal, and somehow acceptable. Women weren’t cared for, especially because of their social standing. Poor women were viewed as disposable.
ReplyDeleteWhat I took away from this book is that you can have control of your future and you don't have to follow in other people's footsteps. Almost all the women in Sarah's family had children while they were young, and their children were born into poverty. Sarah saw this and didn't continue in their footsteps and made her own path. Sarah was born into a poor social class and was expected to act a certain way, but she didn't listen to what society told her to be and moved on in her education. She took control of her future and didn't let society's view of her stop her from achieving her goals.
ReplyDelete- Aimee Wood
Heartland made me reflect on just how blessed I am. I can afford food whenever I want. I have plenty of clothes. I am getting a college education. I thank God for providing for my family. Sarah Smarsh had to work through her complicated struggles throughout the book. It was inconvenient that her family had complications before she was born. I wonder how I would have handled the situation. Every family has their conflicts, but I am glad to be in my family! I do my best to help people in need in the community!
ReplyDeleteThe biggest takeaway from this book I have is the perspective wealth. While one can meet the societal mold of wealth with all the luxuries in the world, are they truly wealthy if they lack an inner worth? In this memoir it shows that all the money in the world can't buy happiness.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading heartland, my thoughts keep revolving around smarsh's uncondional love for her daughter and the lengths she would go to so that she could provide her with a better life than her own. "Around the same time I started thinking about you - asking myself what I would do, what I would want, for my own daughter." I think this was very important to me because it showed the amount of love she had for her unborn daughter. At times her daughter was her source of strength, her reason for wanting to better herself and I think that its imperative that we all find our reason for us to strive further. She went off and achieved great things and they are due to her not wanting her daughter to have to grow up in the same situations and struggles that she herself did.
ReplyDelete“...being aware of your own unexpressed talent can make the body feel like a prison.” (pg 46) I think that the people that need more chances to express their abilities are so often shut down because they are not of a certain background -- in Smarsh’s case -- economic standing. I cannot imagine the pain of a life filled with excruciating labor topped with the pain of knowing of unfulfilled talents. This line really held my attention because Smarsh uses haunting diction to convey a rather foreign idea to those lucky enough to have been presented the opportunities to express ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book, Smarsh is telling her daughter what life she wanted for her. She tells how her family's hard times that lasted generations. Smarsh surprises the reader with the amount of unconditional love and affection she has towards her daughter. Smarsh tells of the precautions she took, so that her daughter would not live a life like hers, or worst, such as not becoming a teen mom. Smarsh would also use her future daughter as a source of strength to get through rough periods.
ReplyDeleteThis book really gave me a better understanding of how people in poverty see things and what it takes to not do things the way their parents did. Sarah Smarsh proves that with enough determination you can break the cycles of addiction, teen pregnancy, and lack of education that have kept past generations of her family in poverty. Sarah Smarsh shows that the American dream is real.
ReplyDeleteThe part of the book that is going to stick with me the longest is how poor people can continuously work hard every day, and still be poor. Sarah mentions it in the end of the book that all her research got the same result. "If you are poor, you are likely to stay poor, no matter how hard you work." I think that's a sad truth about America. People who are born into poor families, may never get a chance to leave that lifestyle. No matter how hard they work, sometimes it can only be enough to survive. I think that's an economic problem that our country has to face.
ReplyDelete"I answered the question of whether I deserved to exist by working hard". (pg 35) This statement hurt my heart. A person should never have to place their worth in the same category as how much money they have. A parent should never make their child feel unwanted. But this is the effect of poverty. Parents are stressed and the children carry that burden.
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me that Smarsh was able to see through the lies that society tells people who don't have a lot of money. She was able to do well in school and get a college degree, which is something that a lot of middle/upper class citizens aren't driven enough to do. She was able to see her worth, all while society was telling her that she wasn't of use to anyone. Most importantly, she has made the world a better place by sharing her experience and making people more aware of this situation.
As an individual who enjoys keeping up with fashion, design and trends for the fun of it, a few comments struck my core. Sarah Smarsh speaks about popular items such as “designer jeans yellowed with a wash meant to evoke the dirt that was under his fingernails or the “shabby chic” decorating trend of new furniture meant to look like it had weathered decades in our barn.” These are examples of the romanticized nature of the farming community and lower economic lifestyle. She makes the point that while these trends are more hilarious than offensive, it proves the separation in the publics mind and the true nature of her lifestyle. She truly makes true the idiom “out of sight, out of mind.”
ReplyDeleteWhile there is so much more to the book, about the nature of the country, and its failure to its children. I find it interesting that she chose to emphasize its romanization or rejection of the lifestyle.
I say utter rejection, because she spoke of the “trailer trash” that are supposedly the face of her economic status. This dichotomy both confuses and intrigues me. In a sense America has come to both romanticize and demonize its lower class and blue-collar workers.
...Why? I believe this is due to separation of the classes and communities. As I said, out of sight, out of mind. In order for this to occur, this must change.
DeleteWhat really stuck out to me from this book isn’t a specific passage, but rather an ongoing theme. From start to finish, we see the author articulate several instances of trauma inflicted upon her by her parents. From the coldness of her upbringing at the hands of her mother to the neglect she suffered from her father after his divorce, it’s clear that her upbringing wasn’t great. However, Smarsh still speaks of her parents with the utmost respect and understanding. I can imagine it being difficult to be this fair and ungrudging in the retelling of such a difficult life’s story.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that stuck with me the most was that all of the women in this book went to abusive, unreliable men to have a relationship with. I cannot fathom why that is at all desirable. If somebody yelled at me or hit me, it is over with no exceptions. These women should have chosen better for themselves. Just because they are attractive does not mean that they you should be with them forever. Especially if you are in poverty, you need somebody you can depend on, not just some drug dealer or hit man.
ReplyDelete“What you don’t transmute, you will transmit.” This quote really struck a chord with me because it is something that everyone should pay attention to. If there is something negative going on in your life and you decide not to change it, your negativity will spread to others. If you choose to adapt to what is going on and adopt a brighter outlook, your positivity will also spread. Having a positive outlook instead of a negative can't do anything but improve your environment.
ReplyDelete-Justin Chitty
My biggest takeaway from this book is the power of your mindset. How you choose to look at things or situations can completely alter the outcome of your life. If I am being quite honest, I did not enjoy reading this novel that much. I felt that the author had a negative attitude and outlook on just about everything. I truly believe that having a positive attitude would have made her look at her family and her past completely differently. I find it easy to focus on the negative, what is harder, but more significant, is focusing on what you gained from the experience.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this book over the duration of this summer. Having been raised to a farming family in a small rural Oklahoma town, I found much of Smarsh’s book to be relatable. Fortunately, I was blessed enough to not struggle financially like Smarsh did and my household was much more stable. Even though I did not struggle like Smarsh did I understood the way of life she described and the points she made. I would recommend this book to my peers as it illustrates a picture of the struggles we all face, and offers insight into how to approach these difficulties.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this book and thinking how Sarah overcame the generational obstacles, I can relate to this. My dad is an immigrant from South Africa. Many of my family members are poverty stricken and have had no opportunity to better themselves. He chose to leave everyone to start a fresh life in America. This has given me the opportunity to live a totally different life than what it would have been if I was raised in South Africa. I am very thankful for the opportunity to attend university and be an American.
ReplyDelete"The best version of so many things has been conceived but remains unborn." This was the intro to the last paragraph of the book, and this honestly stuck out to me. We have so many great ideas to change the world for the better, but reality grinds them all to dust. This book, while going off topic on many occasions, hammers an important message that we must fight to create the world we wish to see. While opposition from those that have given up hope remains a constant struggle, we must not let their sorrow cloud or fight for justice. Overall, not my favorite book but definitely a pretty good read.
ReplyDeleteWhat most stood out to me is how she broke the stereotype that had been expected of women for hundreds of years. In places like where I grew up, the stereotype still exists. So I understand how difficult this would have been for her. I believe it sets a precedent for every young girl who believes that her life is already been planned out for her. They truly can break free.
ReplyDeleteLike poor immigrants not so far back in our bloodline, we were raised to not expect much and to ask for even less.” Being an immigrant myself, I could relate to this memoir in a deeper level. Although Sarah was not an immigrant, I could relate to her and what she managed to do. I have been in the United States for over 8 years and like Sarah, my family and I have overcome many obstacles. However, we were also given many opportunities to make our lives better than what it would have been. Being an immigrant taught me early on that my life would be different from those around me such as my classmates, and I learned very early to expect different things in life than the rest. Without a lot expectation, just a slightly better life than a life in Nepal, we have managed to create a good living in America, for which I am very grateful.
ReplyDeleteThe part of Heartland that will probably stick with me the most is that no matter how hard you work, sometimes negative circumstances cannot be overcome by sheer willpower. The conditions you are born into are extremely difficult to change, especially when your hard work goes unrewarded.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part was when Sarah let go of the could-be child that followed her all her life, but the part that will stick with me the most is her realization that poor people are most likely to stay poor, no matter how hard they try. It rings true in most of my family, but I never took the time to realize it.
ReplyDeleteFrom Heartland I take away the importance of how socioeconomics shapes not only an individual but the entire lineage from which one is descended. It’s important to take a hard look at these things, such as one’s class and family history, in order to address how these factors play a role in hindering your progress in the world and patterns in which you may fall victim and repeat. August is a metaphor that represents potential before being weighed down with issues of class. As parents, we want to do better for the next generation. Smarsh reminds us that we can do better for ourselves now.
ReplyDeleteMitchell Potts
The piece of knowledge that I will carry with me the longest from Heartland is making decisions now based on the well-being of your future family. I identified with this theme a lot. When making difficult decisions in my high school years, a great deciding factor was my wife and children that will come along later in my life. The choice made ultimately was not just for their benefit but also for my own. Choosing the right path for a future family may not be easy or immediately satisfying but it will eventually create a great foundation for a household to be built on.
ReplyDeleteThere truly seems to be a hypocritical dichotomy in how the United States treats its lower-class citizens. On the one hand their lifestyle is romanticized. Mason jars, burlap tablecloths, weathered furniture and decorations all seem to be a staple of modern culture’s interior and exterior design. As Smarsh described it, the “shabby chick” look. At the same time, the United States’ upper-class distances itself from the lower class, as though poorness were a plague anyone could catch. They are frightened, because anyone could become lower class, it is almost as though they are “looking in a mirror.”
ReplyDeleteThis book is a resounding message to the leaders in charge of our country that we need change in the Heartland of America. The people in "flyover country" are not at the table when important economic decisions are being discussed, and in turn are shunned from the conversation entirely, leading to more poverty and worse lives.
ReplyDeleteSarah's determination to break her family cycle and create a better life for herself is what will stick with me the longest. This is because Sarah reminds me a lot of myself. We both were born into poor families, but we had minor advantages that gave us the opportunity to create a better life for ourselves. This book motivated me a lot and it reminded me of why I came here to the United States to study. Although I didn't really have the financial support of my family, I saw the endless opportunities that would be available to me here than I would have back home. So, I did everything I could to get here. Now, I want more than anything to be a version of Sarah Smarsh's story (I probably am already).
ReplyDeleteThroughout Heartland, Sarah Smarsh recalls many struggles she and her loved ones faced throughout their lives. Smarsh recalls a moment when her grandmother, Betty, tells her how she was once stuck in a rotation of abuse, while fighting for custody of her child. Smarsh writes, “...she was repeatedly told she had to have a spouse to win back custody of Bo. She needed to show a “stable household” male lawyers told her,..” (218). This is one of the many eye-opening situations throughout Heartland that helped me truly consider how hard life can be for others. Throughout life, we will face our own problems and forget to show gratitude for what we have. This is my “take-away” from Heartland because Smarsh was born into poverty and instead of dwelling on her situation, she was able to accomplish her goals. If more people could obtain this mindset, it would be easier to focus on the long term goals.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that impacted me the most about Heartland was Sarah Smarsh realizing and pointing out the differences between true poverty and wealth. She mentions several times how people who hadn't experienced what she had were amazed by the way of life that she had come from. That is something that I honestly have not had enough exposure to. I was often simply caught off guard by some of the things that they had to do to survive because my way of life simply never allowed me to see that side of life. As I grow, learn, and mature, I become more and more aware of the wealth of blessings that my childhood was filled with, despite the difficult times.
ReplyDeleteCaden^
ReplyDeleteThe part of the book that struck me most was when she talked about how they worked a lot to provide food for the urban cities but could not afford primary health care or transportation. It made me to look at less privileged with different eyes. They worked the most but got little out of it. I have always thought about discrimination from racial point of view. This book opened my eyes to the social economic discrimination, and being stereotyped because of your economic background. It also shed light on the relationship between economic status and women’s success. The poorer you were as a woman regardless of your race, the more likely people thought you were uneducated mother without a husband. This changing more nowadays, but it still exists.
ReplyDelete