Poverty reflection and book review paper

Each student will read the memoir Hillbilly Elegy, and write a 3-4 page reflection paper critically analyzing their personal views and understanding of the nature of poverty. Students will describe how they would have defined poverty before reading the book. What life experiences contributed to this definition? What stereotypes (if any) were present? Students will then describe how their understanding of the nature of poverty was challenged and how it has changed (if at all) after reading the book. What stood out to you most? What was most impactful? Students should consider connecting what was read to relevant course content and the related topics of poverty (the poverty line, the cycle of poverty, etc.), marriage and cohabitation, domestic violence, and substance abuse.