What is the theme in The Unquiet Earth: A Novel by Denise Giardina?

The suffering of the poor in the coal mining region of the Appalachia mountains is another underlying theme throughout the story of The Unquiet Earth. The isolation of the underprivileged contributes to their suffering. Without support from outsiders, it is difficult for them to learn how they can help themselves, what rights they have as citizens and how the suppression of their rights keeps them poor. This separation from other more successful societies ensures that families in this region will maintain the same cycle of hard work with little reward for generations.