Hillbilly Elegy

by

J. D. Vance

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Hillbilly Elegy makes teaching easy.

Uncle Pet Character Analysis

One of Mamaw’s brothers, or—as J.D. refers to them—the “Blanton boys.” Vance considers Pet and his other great-uncles the “gatekeepers of the family’s oral tradition.” In one particularly gruesome story about hillbilly justice (the uncles’ favorite topic), Pet told his young nephew about a man named Big Red who insulted his—Pet’s—mother. In response, Pet dragged Big Red from his truck, beat him unconscious, and ran an electric saw up and down his body.

Uncle Pet Quotes in Hillbilly Elegy

The Hillbilly Elegy quotes below are all either spoken by Uncle Pet or refer to Uncle Pet. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Hillbilly Identity Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Despite their virtues, or perhaps because of them, the Blanton men were full of vice. A few of them left a trail of neglected children, cheated wives, or both. And I didn’t even know them that well: I saw them only at large family reunions or during the holidays. Still, I loved and worshipped them.

Related Characters: J.D. Vance (speaker), Uncle Pet, Uncle Teaberry
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:
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Uncle Pet Quotes in Hillbilly Elegy

The Hillbilly Elegy quotes below are all either spoken by Uncle Pet or refer to Uncle Pet. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Hillbilly Identity Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Despite their virtues, or perhaps because of them, the Blanton men were full of vice. A few of them left a trail of neglected children, cheated wives, or both. And I didn’t even know them that well: I saw them only at large family reunions or during the holidays. Still, I loved and worshipped them.

Related Characters: J.D. Vance (speaker), Uncle Pet, Uncle Teaberry
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis: