Is family important in Hillbilly Elegy?

Family is the most important aspect of J.D. Vance's upbringing according to his memoir Hillbilly Elegy. While important, family is not a consistently positive element in Vance's life. This is illustrated by his two matriarchal figures, his mother and his grandmother. Vance's relationship with his mother is not ideal. She loves him, but she is not a consistent motherly figure. She has multiple relationships with men throughout the book and more that are hinted at. The men that she brings home are sometimes mean and abusive to her and her children. Her children are often left to fend for themselves. In the moments where Vance's mother does act parental, she is too heavy-handed and overbearing. In one memory, Vance's mother is arrested after having a breakdown while driving. Vance recounts the story of sitting in the backseat of a police cruiser while his mother is handcuffed and arrested. Vance's older sister, Lindsay comes to pick him up.
Vance's love for his grandmother and his sister Lindsay reflects the importance of family for him. With these two women, Vance is able to experience the selfless love that family should provide. His relationship with his sister is a strong sibling love that is strengthened by their experiences with their mother. The two of them grow stronger together throughout the memoir. Vance's grandmother is the most problematic character in the book because of her aggressive, vulgar, and destructive personality, but her love is also the strongest. She is the one person that Vance can rely on throughout his memoir. Despite her harsh punishments and aggressive language, she would do anything for Vance. Vance remembers her as the quintessential Appalachian woman with strong moral values and an impossibly strong attitude. He credits his success in college and in the military to the love and support of his grandmother.