Cultural Context of Where the Crawdads Sing

Cultural Context of Where the Crawdads Sing

• Time Period: 1950s/1960s North Carolina, following World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War.
• Social Climate: Societal sexism towards women, open racism (pre-Civil Rights Movement), and widespread poverty stemming from the Great Depression.
• Economic Stratification: The novel highlights significant class divisions based on race and wealth, affecting access to resources.
• Role of Men: The changing role of men is evident in the context of postwar North Carolina.

Class and Money in the Novel

• Wealthy Class: Represented by the Andrews family, who are well-respected and wealthy, owners of Western Autos. Chase's comfortable upbringing contrasts sharply with Kya's impoverished background. Patti Love's disapproval of Kya and Chase's relationship stems directly from this class difference, which forces the relationship to be kept secret. Chase marries Pearl, someone from his own wealthy background. Wealthy individuals within the novel seemed to encounter few societal challenges based simply on their class.
• Mid/Lower Class: The Clark family illustrates this class, experiencing downward mobility from a higher standing factory-owner background, impacted by the Great Depression. Members of the family, like Kya, exemplify varying degrees of poverty and hardship within the community.
• Poverty: The Clark family's dilapidated shack, lacking basic amenities like electricity, exemplifies poverty in the area. Kya's living conditions highlight the harsh realities of low socioeconomic status.
• The Andrews Family: Demonstrated to be a powerful and respected family in the community, representing the upper class. They embody the upper class with easy access to resources, demonstrating comfort with an unearned advantage.

Civil Rights Movement Timeline

• 1955-56: Montgomery Bus Boycott
• 1960: Lunch Counter Protests
• 1963: Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech
• 1964: Civil Rights Act
• 1968: Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated; Nationwide Riots

Prejudice in the Novel

• Racism: Prejudice against the black community is prevalent, evidenced by examples like children throwing stones at a black man (Jumpin'), segregated seating in the courtroom, and rude treatment of black people at service stations. The community's collective presence at Jumpin's funeral suggests evolving attitudes.
• Classism: Kya experiences prejudice based on her economic background. Examples include being discouraged by others, derogatory names ("Marsh Girl"), societal disapproval of her relationships, and prejudice during her trial for murder. Changing attitudes are also noted throughout her treatment as the novel progresses.
• Segregation: Black individuals and white individuals were segregated within the county's system.

Key Characters & Class

• The Clark Family: The Clark family undergoes economic shifts, demonstrating differing economic circumstances among family members, highlighting the impact of the Great Depression on families. The Clark family transitions from a wealthy factory owner family to a significantly impoverished one.
• Kya: Kya, from a disadvantaged background, confronts prejudice due to her impoverished class.
• Chase: Chase, from a privileged background, demonstrates a social hierarchy as he is from the upper class, which hinders his relationships with others from lower classes.

Social Stratification in Where the Crawdads Sing

• Class Divisions: Racial and societal prejudice is prevalent due to the lack of equal access to resources and opportunities. The Andrews family represents the upper class, while the Clark family and Kya illustrate the challenges of the mid/lower class and the impoverished.