JOURNAL ARTICLE

"That Secret Power Underground": Samples of Mountaintop Removal as a Hyperobject in Strange as This Weather Has Been.

  • Published In: Journal of Appalachian Studies, 2024, v. 30, n. 2. P. 147 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Hedges, Jennifer R. 3 of 3

Abstract

Ann Pancake's 2007 novel Strange as This Weather Has Been depicts how a family living in Yellowroot, West Virginia, is impacted and influenced by the nonhuman effects produced by a mountaintop removal (MTR) mine located above their town. The effects ultimately led to the family's various displacements, both mentally and physically, thus illuminating a window into the planetary regimes of extraction and destruction occurring in Appalachian communities. In these contexts, this article explores new materialism and, specifically, Timothy Morton's concept of hyperobjects through which humans and nonhuman entities interact with and affect one another. I present a nontraditional analysis of human relationships as Pancake's characters interact with the mine, showing how its effects demonstrate the manner in which nonhuman entities hold power in shaping human surroundings and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Appalachian Studies. 2024/10, Vol. 30, Issue 2, p147
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Mining and Mineral Resources
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:1082-7161
  • DOI:10.5406/23288612.30.2.03
  • Accession Number:180991633
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Appalachian Studies is the property of Appalachian Studies Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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