One story is that the word was used to mean poor farmers or uneducated people.

VOA: special.2009.08.09

As time went on there were other kinds of complaints, these about accuracy. So, for instance, his mother in the book is represented as being uneducated. Well, in fact she was a schoolteacher.

随着时间的流逝不断显现，比如，书里写他的母亲没有受过教育,事实上他母亲是教师。

耶鲁公开课 - 1945年后的美国小说课程节选

As time went on there were other kinds of complaints, these about accuracy. So, for instance, his mother in the book is represented as being uneducated. Well, in fact she was a schoolteacher.

随着时间的流逝不断显现，比如，书里写他的母亲没有受过教育,事实上他母亲是教师。

耶鲁公开课 - 1945年后的美国小说课程节选