My Tripod Page

Miss Betty Catharine Burdine stands out in a crowd in HUNTER'S HORN. She is Suse's only example of the world outside her small community in the Appalachian mountains. At first Suse in awe of the new schoolteacher and envied her "for all the things gathered in the teacher, things mysterious and untattainable: a college education, hands white and delicate as some curious plant grown in the shade, the color of her nail polish. . .the innumerable mysteries of her dress. . . " (Arnow 263). Suse goes on to think of all the wonderful things Miss Burdine might have experienced, like having candles on her birthday cake and riding in elevators (Arnow 264).

The adults react differently to the young teacher. Andy says that his parents "don't like her looks one bit" (Arnow 263). Lee Roy "smile[s] kindly at her stupidity" when she says her Collie is not a "cur dog" (Arnow 267). The gathering at Sue Annie's is not a joyful reception for Miss Burdine, "the teacher fidgeted in her chair, staring uneasily toward the sounds, plainly strange to her" (Arnow 269) . Many of the adults see her as putting on a show, thinking she is better than everyone else. This is why they let their hound dogs get a little out of hand. While the newcomer is being accosted by dogs, and Suse's friend Mark says, "It'll teach that fool teacher a lesson - bringen a strange cur dog to a place where they's nothen but hounds, then screamen an carryen on . . ." (Arnow 272). When Suse is worrying about what the teacher will think, Mark scolds her: "who cares what she thinks - raised in a town an been off to school an putten on her airs. . ." (Arnow 273).

Despite Miss Burdine's reception, she stays to teach school. The townspeople don't care for her new-fangled report cards, and still think she is putting on airs. And it is apparent that Miss Burdine sees herself as being "above" the mountain folk. When Suse and her friend Andy discover that an answer in their math book is wrong, the teacher refuses to believe it. When Miss Burdine tries to figure the problem out, she has trouble and becomes frustrated, but she refuses to admit that Andy and Suse were right. From this incident, even Suse, who was once fascinated by the young teacher, did not trust the outsider.

Shortly after that incident, and a few other mishaps involving hound dogs, Miss Burdine left the little schoolhouse and the town. Miss Burdine didn't fit in with the "insiders" because they believed that she thought she was above everyone else. The townspeople didn't trust her because she was an outsider who represented a world too different from their own.


The Outsider vs. Insiders in Harriette Arnow's HUNTER'S HORN

Miss Betty Catharine Burdine stands out in a crowd in HUNTER'S HORN. She is Suse's only example of the world outside her small community in the Appalachian mountains. At first Suse in awe of the new schoolteacher and envied her "for all the things gathered in the teacher, things mysterious and untattainable: a college education, hands white and delicate as some curious plant grown in the shade, the color of her nail polish. . .the innumerable mysteries of her dress. . . " (Arnow 263). Suse goes on to think of all the wonderful things Miss Burdine might have experienced, like having candles on her birthday cake and riding in elevators (Arnow 264). The adults react differently to the young teacher. Andy says that his parents "don't like her looks one bit" (Arnow 263). Lee Roy "smile[s] kindly at her stupidity" when she says her Collie is not a "cur dog" (Arnow 267). The gathering at Sue Annie's is not a joyful reception for Miss Burdine, "the teacher fidgeted in her chair, staring uneasily toward the sounds, plainly strange to her" (Arnow 269) . Many of the adults see her as putting on a show, thinking she is better than everyone else. This is why they let their hound dogs get a little out of hand. While the newcomer is being accosted by dogs, and Suse's friend Mark says, "It'll teach that fool teacher a lesson - bringen a strange cur dog to a place where they's nothen but hounds, then screamen an carryen on . . ." (Arnow 272). When Suse is worrying about what the teacher will think, Mark scolds her: "who cares what she thinks - raised in a town an been off to school an putten on her airs. . ." (Arnow 273). Despite Miss Burdine's reception, she stays to teach school. The townspeople don't care for her new-fangled report cards, and still think she is putting on airs. And it is apparent that Miss Burdine sees herself as being "above" the mountain folk. When Suse and her friend Andy discover that an answer in their math book is wrong, the teacher refuses to believe it. When Miss Burdine tries to figure the problem out, she has trouble and becomes frustrated, but she refuses to admit that Andy and Suse were right. From this incident, even Suse, who was once fascinated by the young teacher, did not trust the outsider. Shortly after that incident, and a few other mishaps involving hound dogs, Miss Burdine left the little schoolhouse and the town. Miss Burdine didn't fit in with the "insiders" because they believed that she thought she was above everyone else. The townspeople didn't trust her because she was an outsider who represented a world too different from their own.


Read about Outsiders in: ORAL HISTORY SHE WALKS THESE HILLS Back to Themes list