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In her personal memoir, "White Trash Primer," Lacy M. Johnson chronicles a girl's journey from childhood to early adulthood. She describes the girl's upbringing in a rural area, where her family worked hard on a farm to make ends meet. As the girl grew older, the family faced financial challenges that led them to move from owning a farm and selling crops to working at Wal-Mart.
The girl's life was eventually consumed by depression, leading to a drastic change in her lifestyle.
Issues such as lack of money, rape, and loneliness became prominent aspects of her existence, shaping her self-perception as "white trash." According to Johnson, her goal is to challenge urban perceptions of rural life (Lori M. Myers). This memoir is essential reading for students who can grasp its themes, offering a different perspective on poverty and encouraging the audience to reconsider their judgments of those in pain around them.
Johnson's narrative is both heartbreaking and uplifting, showcasing the protagonist's hardships and resilience.
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By choosing the Second Person point of view, Johnson creates a direct connection with readers, allowing them to experience the struggles as if they were facing adversity themselves.
In addition to evoking feelings of sadness, this technique also elicits a range of other emotions in readers such as surprise, sadness, hatred, and contentment. The variety of emotions experienced while reading the story stem from the depths of their own minds and souls. This memoir serves as a valuable piece for all readers as it provides a potential solution to emotional challenges they may be facing.
For instance, a woman encountering similar struggles in her life may find solace in realizing she is not alone.
This memoir could offer the woman the motivation she needs to overcome challenges and strive for success. It could also provide readers with a new perspective on the world around them. For instance, a wealthy, unsympathetic businessman who reads this memoir may reconsider his view on impoverished individuals. Rather than labeling them as "white trash," he may start to see them as fellow human beings facing difficult circumstances.
Johnson wrote this piece to cater to the emotional needs of everyone, and according to Amanda Auchter, she succeeded in doing so by covering a variety of genres like poetry, essay, memoir, nonfiction, drama, and short short fiction. Her work attracted readers with diverse tastes, and Johnson is grateful that each reader interprets her work in their own unique way.
This memoir by Johnson is a non-fictional account of her challenging life experiences while growing up. Despite the difficulties she faced, Johnson was seeking validation and to be taken seriously. In an online interview, Johnson expressed her pride in this specific memoir, which details her time working at Wal-Mart, selling steaks door to door, panhandling in Manhattan, and working in warehouses.
After reading "White Trash Primer," I learned not to judge people based on their appearance or actions because everyone has their own unique experiences. The memoir also taught me that people may perceive the same situation differently. In Johnson's story, the protagonist persistently applied for a job at Wal-Mart and eventually got hired after six attempts. Some may have viewed her as a nuisance, while others saw her as a determined individual with clear goals.
While everyone witnessed the same woman entering the store, their interpretations varied greatly. This realization inspired me to approach others with kindness, understanding that everyone perceives the world differently. It is important to offer people the benefit of the doubt, as their full life stories are not always immediately apparent. Johnson’s writing also taught me that a person's circumstances can change drastically, from a life of comfort with only necessities to one of complete deprivation.
Certain events can completely change your life. Johnson is not the only one who is extremely satisfied with this piece, as many of her readers feel the same joy. Claudia Rankine, one of her readers, writes on an online blog: "I was riveted by this piece—written with the haunting interiority of poetry and the compelling drive of prose." Similar to being captivated by a novel from Faulkner or Morrison, I found myself contemplating significant issues without initially realizing how Lacy Johnson's language led me there. Another reader, Melissa G.
Delbridge, writes: A haircut. A breakfast. A ride to school. An adolescent transgression. Lacy M. Johnson offers a vivid portrayal of a life that is beautiful, terrifying, and sacred. Her writing is remarkable: she dissects the simplest memories, peeling back each layer to reveal deeper truths that resonate with readers. While focusing on issues of class, Johnson manages to rise above it and provides a guide on how to view the world as humans do. The overwhelming positive feedback on this memoir confirms its greatness, as many others share in my enjoyment of reading it.
Johnson's readers provide positive support, motivating her to persist with her writing. I highly suggest that everyone read this memoir as it has the power to transform lives. By reading this memoir, individuals stand to gain a fresh perspective, a new way of living, or even an improved disposition. Through this memoir, the ability for kindness to prevail, even in the darkest of hearts, is evident. This memoir centers around memories and the recognition of equality among all individuals. As expressed by Lori M.
Myers emphasizes the impact of one's childhood surroundings on their perception of the world, regardless of where they grew up. The influence of negative experiences must be acknowledged and overcome in pursuit of a better life. Overcoming obstacles is key to moving forward in life (Lori M. Myers). Auchter, Amanda.
"Previous Issue: Spring/Summer 2012." Pebble Lake Review: Previous Issue. Pebble Lake Review, 2012. Web. 02 May 2013. Delbridge, Melissa J. "Re: Trespasses: A Memoir." Web log comment. Trespasses: A Memoir. University of Iowa Press, Mar. 2012. Web. 3 May 2013.
Myers, Lori M. "Interview: Lacy M. Johnson, Author of Trespasses: A Memoir." Hippocampus Magazine Creative Nonfiction Literary Magazine.Hippo Campus Magazine, 2013.Web .02 May 2013.Rankine,Claudia"Re:Praise for Tresspasses".Weblog comment.Trespasses:A Memoir.University of Iowa Press.Mar .2021.Web .03 may2021."
Challenging Perceptions Through Memoir. (2016, Sep 10). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/white-trash-primer-essay
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