The Stigmatization of Rednecks

 Barbara Kingsolver’s novel Flight Behavior follows Dellarobia’s first exposure to higher academia and scientific thought—concepts that are rare in her rural hometown of Feathertown, Tennessee. White, poor people in rural areas, often labeled as “rednecks,” are a demographic whose portrayal in American media is frequently negative. “Rednecks” are typically looked down upon as uneducated and as holding ignorant views on issues like climate change. However, Kingsolver’s portrayal of the white rural American family adds depth and context to this group, challenging simplistic stereotypes. She presents white rural poor people as complex, multi-dimensional characters. Kingsolver particularly does this through Dellarobia, who is curious and open-minded. Her journey becomes a testament to how individuals within rural communities can hold nuanced perspectives on global issues, while highlighting the constraints poverty places on access to resources and opportunities.

“Rednecks” are often depicted as uneducated and close-minded; however, Dellarobia’s character challenges these assumptions. When given the chance, Dellarobia is open to new perspectives and ideas. For instance, she is welcoming to the Mexican family that arrives on her doorstep, while others in her town shun them as outsiders. Similarly, Dellarobia listens to Ovid Byron’s explanation of climate change and how it has influenced the monarch butterflies’ migration, while others in her community insist that the butterflies’ arrival is a God-given miracle.

Dellarobia’s character demonstrates how limited access to opportunities affects rural white communities in the South. Before meeting Ovid Byron, a scientist who comes to Feathertown to study the unusual migration of monarch butterflies, Dellarobia feels trapped in her life yet struggles to find a way out. The novel states, “[b]ut being a stay-at-home mom was the loneliest kind of lonely, in which she was always and never by herself” (Kingsolver 59). Dellarobia’s loneliness reveals that her life choices are driven more by necessity than preference. She dislikes being a stay-at-home mom but doesn’t see an alternative, as her husband works full-time and she has two young children to care for. She does not imagine a different life because, in her community, women are typically expected to handle child-rearing and homemaking.

However, Dellarobia’s perspective shifts when she meets Ovid Byron and is exposed to his scientific research. For the first time, she has a chance to engage with academic ideas, helping her discover a passion beyond motherhood. The novel states, “Dr. Byron did this totally amazing nice thing and talked to professors over at CCC…[t]hey set me up with a job and stuff” (Kingsolver 425). Dellarobia’s path to higher education arises not through her circumstances, but by chance. Her connection with Dr. Byron allows her to pursue an academic career, and his mentorship expands her knowledge of climate change, broadening her worldview. These factors illustrate that rural Americans are often products of their environment. Growing up in a poor, rural community limits access to education and career opportunities, and Dellarobia’s story serves as an example of how increased educational access could allow white rural Americans to realize their full potential.