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I m from the UK and I have to write a story for school about America.
I can make up the town, but I have to base it off a real one for research purposes and pick the state.
The town should be
- Isolated (a must! - what happens is a very "Lord of the Flies" situation and I need them to be cut off, minimum 45 minutes from the next town)
- Boring (like nothing interesting to see - I was looking at Utah and Arizona but its far too interesting there!)
- Poverty stricken
- Preferably hot and flat
- Small (<10 000 people)
- NOT a "hillbilly" culture (like Kentucky/West Virginia)
- "White trash" (not so familiar with this term but it seems to be what I'm going for)
The states I've been looking at are Nebraska (but possibly too rural?). Nevada (possibly too interesting?), Kansas (don't know much about here), Iowa (not so isolated, towns are very close together), Arkansas (possibly too redneck?) Oklahoma (don't know much either).
Any help would be greatly appreciated! The story will probably be set in the 60s/70s/80s
Check out the ill-fated California City, California for ideas. I've been there, it's desolate, dusty, hot, and poverty-ridden:
"California City had its origins in 1958 when real estate developer and sociology professor Nat Mendelsohn purchased 80,000 acres (320 km2) of Mojave Desert land with the aim of master-planning California's next great city. He designed his model city, which he hoped would one day rival Los Angeles in size, around a Central Park with a 26-acre (11 ha) artificial lake. Growth did not happen anywhere close to what he expected. To this day a vast grid of crumbling paved roads, intended to lay out residential blocks, extends well beyond the developed area of the city."
"White trash" is a somewhat offensive term. Generally, it means poor, lower-class whites. "Redneck" is a similar term although with slightly different connotations. Some folks will use them interchangeably. "Redneck" denotes more a lifestyle, rather than abject poverty. "Redneck" could mean anyone from poor, working class, middle class, even to upper middle class. There are even some wealthy people who you could consider "Redneck". The redneck is a white person who is culturally rural, independent, hunting, country music, maybe a bit coarse.
"White trash" would be more along the lines of very poor, little to no capital or power, and generally uncouth in dress and manners. "White trash" people share similar culture with rural, poor blacks in a lot of cases.
I think many towns in the more rural south would fit your description, as stereotyping as it is.
I don't think the rural south will be isolated enough for you. There really isn't anyplace that is 45 minutes from somewhere else. Even the narrowest country roads have houses, little farms, trailers, etc.
But you also mentioned Kansas might be "too rural". So I'm not sure how you're going to get "desolate" without getting "rural."
But you also mentioned Kansas might be "too rural". So I'm not sure how you're going to get "desolate" without getting "rural."
Well, I was looking at Eureka, Nevada, which is along US Route 50 - very isolated, once you pass through the town you don't get to the next one for miles and miles. That's sort of along the lines that I'm looking for - just absolute nothingness.
I don't think the rural south will be isolated enough for you. There really isn't anyplace that is 45 minutes from somewhere else. Even the narrowest country roads have houses, little farms, trailers, etc.
Apparently, you've never been to the Dakotas. For example, as you drive across I-90 through South Dakota, they have signs that warn you to fill your gas tank. The next town with a gas station could be 60 or 70 miles away. It's very desolate. In land size, it's about the size of the UK but only has 500,000 people. Most of the people live in either Rapid City or Sioux Falls. There are nothing but small towns of 100 people between the 50,000-acre cattle ranches.
I m from the UK and I have to write a story for school about America.
I can make up the town, but I have to base it off a real one for research purposes and pick the state.
The town should be
- Isolated (a must! - what happens is a very "Lord of the Flies" situation and I need them to be cut off, minimum 45 minutes from the next town)
- Boring (like nothing interesting to see - I was looking at Utah and Arizona but its far too interesting there!)
- Poverty stricken
- Preferably hot and flat
- Small (<10 000 people)
- NOT a "hillbilly" culture (like Kentucky/West Virginia)
- "White trash" (not so familiar with this term but it seems to be what I'm going for)
The states I've been looking at are Nebraska (but possibly too rural?). Nevada (possibly too interesting?), Kansas (don't know much about here), Iowa (not so isolated, towns are very close together), Arkansas (possibly too redneck?) Oklahoma (don't know much either).
Any help would be greatly appreciated! The story will probably be set in the 60s/70s/80s
Sounds like you're trying to paint a very bad picture of America in your school story.
Why not something more positive, then you may get more suggestions.
Sounds like you're trying to paint a very bad picture of America in your school story.
Why not something more positive, then you may get more suggestions.
Obviously it wouldn't be representative of everyday life. My concept/storyline has been approved by my professor already and I have everything sorted, I'm just lacking in knowledge about which state it should take place in. I mean no offense to anyone, obviously these are very negative and stereotypical but that's kind of the point. Thanks.
Obviously it wouldn't be representative of everyday life. My concept/storyline has been approved by my professor already and I have everything sorted, I'm just lacking in knowledge about which state it should take place in. I mean no offense to anyone, obviously these are very negative and stereotypical but that's kind of the point. Thanks.
I'm kind of shocked in the UK you would have an assignment in your university class that entails writing a paper on the less fortunate in a poverty stricken state and area in the USA. In any case there is no US state that would fit your requirements where it's poverty stricken and destitute where communities of people are dying in the streets due to lack of basic needs in their towns, even in the poorest. This is not the 1930's Depression.
Also, you should not be going on CD looking for Americans to provide you help on such an assignment and should be doing your own research and fact checking.
You need to stop focusing on individual states (you sound like somebody with the usual watered-down sentiments that led to the accusation that the Kennedys and Rockefellers "bought" West Virginia years ago) and concentrate on the small-community mentality that fosters such thinking.
I live in in an area where occasionally, some well-intentioned do-gooder will approach municipal or county government with an idea for some form of "new law" that will satisfy his/her personal hang-up -- usually at the expense of some unpopular individual, or group whom (s)he seeks to vilify and penalize. What usually sends the busy-body packing is the recognition that a locality that seeks such a law also has to bear the expense of enforcing it.
There are a couple of very popular authors who generate big sales out of the scenario of an immoral power-structure in a small community -- Stephen King and Lee Child come immediately to mind. But it's seldom like that in real life, and more so in the United States, where the Founding Fathers wisely decentralized Federal power, but the Democrats, Republicans and "Trumpsters" all seem intent on consolidating it.
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