This book contends that in the United States, manner of speech and educational background reflect cultural status, and it attempts to prove through interviews with six American women that what is described as illiteracy is in fact shutting down in response to those in positions of power. After an introduction, "Language, Literacy, and Arrogance," chapters are: (1) "Language, Literacy, and Living: My Story"; (2) "Conducting a Literacy Ethnography: Hearing How People Feel"; (3) "Language, Literacy, and Living: The Women's Recollections"; and (4) "Shutting Out People and Resisting Shutdown: What I Heard the Women Say." Five appendixes contain guiding questions regarding life circumstances and the contexts of home, family, school, and church; and guiding questions for evaluating the research experience. Contains 61 references. (EF)