"...I've been playing...every day, making the skin stretch, making the scars stretch...The way I see it, hard times aren't only about money, or drought, or dust, Hard times are about losing spirit, and hope and what happens when dreams dry up." Autumn 1935 Page 225
Billie Jo learned that there can be something better around the corner, you just have to wait and and have a little faith.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Revelations
"I'm getting to know music again. And it is getting to know me...And I know that all the time I was trying to get out of the dust, the fact is, what I am, I am because of the dust. And what I am is good enough. even for me." Autumn 1935 Page 222
By the end of the novel, Billie Jo realizes that even though the dust has changed her, it's for the better. She's a better person because of the dust and her mother and brother's deaths. Billie Jo has finally realized and accepted who she is.
By the end of the novel, Billie Jo realizes that even though the dust has changed her, it's for the better. She's a better person because of the dust and her mother and brother's deaths. Billie Jo has finally realized and accepted who she is.
Hope and Thanksgiving
There is finally hope for the wheat crop. It's been raining enough for the wheat to grow. There won't be a lot but there will be more than last year. Louise, Billie Jo and her father celebrate Thanksgiving together. Billie Jo is grateful for all the good things that have happened to her. She's thankful for her renewed relationship with her father and for Louise as well. She is happy that the wheat is growing again and that her father will be able to make a profit.
Understanding
Billie Jo tells Louise about her mother and the piano. She also tells her about her love for apples. Billie Jo shows Louise the piano. Billie Jo showing Louise the piano and telling her about her mother shows that Billie Jo is willing to open up. The fact that Louise didn't say anything and didn't judge shows that she's serious about Billie Jo's father and Billie Jo as well.
Ma's Special Place
Even though Billie Jo likes Louise, there are certain things that she doesn't want Louise to see or do with her and her father.
"...She wanted to come but this is Ma's place, Ma's grave, Franklin's to, and Louise has no business here. She wants to come everywhere with us. Well, I won't let her. Not everywhere. Daddy says, "She could have come. There's room for everyone, Billie Jo." But there's not...Ma's bones are in this hill, Ma's and Franklin's. And their bones wouldn't like it, if Louise came walking up here between us." Autumn 1935 Page 215
As much as Billie Jo likes Louise, there are certain things that she's not ready to share with her. One of these things is going to Ma's and Franklin's graves. That is still something that Billie Jo isn't ready to share with Louise. Billie Jo's father on the other hand is ready to share that part of his life with Louise. Billie Jo says that her mother and Franklin wouldn't like it if Louise had come with them. In reality, Billie Jo is the one that wouldn't like her to come and see the graves with them. She still needs more time to adjust to Louise and to the fact that her father is moving on. The fact that Billie Jo likes Louise is a good sign though. Billie Jo is opening up to Louise, just a little bit slower than her father.
"...She wanted to come but this is Ma's place, Ma's grave, Franklin's to, and Louise has no business here. She wants to come everywhere with us. Well, I won't let her. Not everywhere. Daddy says, "She could have come. There's room for everyone, Billie Jo." But there's not...Ma's bones are in this hill, Ma's and Franklin's. And their bones wouldn't like it, if Louise came walking up here between us." Autumn 1935 Page 215
As much as Billie Jo likes Louise, there are certain things that she's not ready to share with her. One of these things is going to Ma's and Franklin's graves. That is still something that Billie Jo isn't ready to share with Louise. Billie Jo's father on the other hand is ready to share that part of his life with Louise. Billie Jo says that her mother and Franklin wouldn't like it if Louise had come with them. In reality, Billie Jo is the one that wouldn't like her to come and see the graves with them. She still needs more time to adjust to Louise and to the fact that her father is moving on. The fact that Billie Jo likes Louise is a good sign though. Billie Jo is opening up to Louise, just a little bit slower than her father.
Loiuse
Louise is a woman that Billie Jo's father met at night school.
"She told me she knew Daddy and I had a history before her, and she wished she's been there for the whole thing, but she wasnt't and there wasn't anything to do but to get over it and get on...I didn't intend to but I liked her, because she was so plain and honest...and even though I didn't know if there was room for her in me, I could see there was room for her in Daddy...The thing about Louise, I'll just have to watch how things go and hope she doesn't crowd me out of Daddy's life, not now, when I am just finding my way back into it." Autumn 1935 Pages 213-214
As much as Billie Jo likes Louise, she's still nervous that Louise will run her out of her father's life. Even though Billie Jo says that she doesn't know if she could let Louise in, the fact that she likes Louise says that she's at least willing to try. Billie Jo's father is also starting to move on. He allowed himself to let someone in. Even Billie Jo was able to see that.
"She told me she knew Daddy and I had a history before her, and she wished she's been there for the whole thing, but she wasnt't and there wasn't anything to do but to get over it and get on...I didn't intend to but I liked her, because she was so plain and honest...and even though I didn't know if there was room for her in me, I could see there was room for her in Daddy...The thing about Louise, I'll just have to watch how things go and hope she doesn't crowd me out of Daddy's life, not now, when I am just finding my way back into it." Autumn 1935 Pages 213-214
As much as Billie Jo likes Louise, she's still nervous that Louise will run her out of her father's life. Even though Billie Jo says that she doesn't know if she could let Louise in, the fact that she likes Louise says that she's at least willing to try. Billie Jo's father is also starting to move on. He allowed himself to let someone in. Even Billie Jo was able to see that.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Billie Jo's Hands
While at the doctor's, she asked about what could be done about her hands. The doctor tells her the best thing she could was to use her hands. By doing so, it would help her hands become normal again.
Going to the Doctor's
Billie Jo's father goes to the doctor's like he said that he would. it turns out that the bumps were cancer. The doctor removes the bumps as best he could. Billie Jo believes, though, that her father doesn't care one way or another about the spots.
"...I think he didn't care much, if he had some cancer and took and died. Figured he'd see Ma then, he'd see my brother. It'd be out of his hands. He'd be out of the dust." Autumn 1935 Page 209
"...I think he didn't care much, if he had some cancer and took and died. Figured he'd see Ma then, he'd see my brother. It'd be out of his hands. He'd be out of the dust." Autumn 1935 Page 209
Mending Relationships
Billie Jo's father meets her at the station. On their way home, they talk. Billie Jo tells her father that she needs him to be there more for her. She tells him that the bumps on his face worry her and that she wants him to go to the doctor's to have them checked out. Billie Jo's father agrees to go to the doctor's and they work things out. The walk home is a turning point for both Billie Jo and her father. This time it's a positive turning point.
"As we walk together, side by side...I am forgiving him, step by step, for the pail of kerosene. As we walk side by side...I am forgiving myself for all of the rest." Summer 1935 Page 206
"As we walk together, side by side...I am forgiving him, step by step, for the pail of kerosene. As we walk side by side...I am forgiving myself for all of the rest." Summer 1935 Page 206
Coming Home
These lines show how much Billie Jo has learned.
"Getting away, it wasn't any better. Just different. And lonely. Lonelier than the wind. Emptier than the sky. More silent than the dust, piled in drifts between me and my father." Summer 1935 Page 204
Billie Jo learned that even though she wanted to escape the dust, she didn't want to leave her father. Even though they didn't talk much, being with her father and not talking was better than being all alone and not having a place to call home. Billie Jo realized that she needed to be with her father because he was really all that she had left in the world. Even though she had some relatives, they were scattered throughout the country. None of them were there for Billie Jo. None of them really even knew Billie Jo. Running away showed Billie Jo how much she needed her father.
"Getting away, it wasn't any better. Just different. And lonely. Lonelier than the wind. Emptier than the sky. More silent than the dust, piled in drifts between me and my father." Summer 1935 Page 204
Billie Jo learned that even though she wanted to escape the dust, she didn't want to leave her father. Even though they didn't talk much, being with her father and not talking was better than being all alone and not having a place to call home. Billie Jo realized that she needed to be with her father because he was really all that she had left in the world. Even though she had some relatives, they were scattered throughout the country. None of them were there for Billie Jo. None of them really even knew Billie Jo. Running away showed Billie Jo how much she needed her father.
A Stranger
As Billie Jo rides the train, a man jumps onto the same boxcar that she's in. He starts to tell her about his wife and two kids. Billie Jo tells him about her mother and her relationship with her father and why she ran away. Billie Jo falls asleep and when she wakes up, her food is gone as well as the man. In the food's place is a picture of the man with his family. Their address is on the back of the picture. Billie Jo decides at the moment to come home. She gets off in a town in Arizona. She also decides to mail the picture to the man's family. The man reminds Billie Jo of her parents. The lines below indicate how she views her parents.
"He was like a tumblewee. Ma had been tumbleweed too, holding on for as long as she could, then blowing away on the wind. My father was more like sod. Steady, silent and deep. Holding on to life, with reserves underneath to sustain him and me, and anyone who came near. My father stayed rooted, even with my tests and my temper, even with the double sorrow of his grief and my own, he had kept a home until I borke it." Summer 1935 Page 202
These lines show how Billie Jo feels mostly about her father. In these lines, Billie Jo realizes how her father has manged to keep going even after the fire and the dust storms.
"...Holding on to life, with reserves underneath to sustain him and me, and anyone who came near." This line in particular forshadows certain things. Billie Jo's father will meet a woman from one of his night classes.
"He was like a tumblewee. Ma had been tumbleweed too, holding on for as long as she could, then blowing away on the wind. My father was more like sod. Steady, silent and deep. Holding on to life, with reserves underneath to sustain him and me, and anyone who came near. My father stayed rooted, even with my tests and my temper, even with the double sorrow of his grief and my own, he had kept a home until I borke it." Summer 1935 Page 202
These lines show how Billie Jo feels mostly about her father. In these lines, Billie Jo realizes how her father has manged to keep going even after the fire and the dust storms.
"...Holding on to life, with reserves underneath to sustain him and me, and anyone who came near." This line in particular forshadows certain things. Billie Jo's father will meet a woman from one of his night classes.
Another Girl
"...There was one girl. I saw her through the slat in the boxcar. She stared up at the passing train. She stood by the tracks watching, and I knew her." Summer 1935 Page 199
When Billie Jo says that she knows the girl, she means that she sees herself in her. The girl was alone and wanting only to leave all the dust behind. Billie Jo is doing the same. Billie Jo understands how the dust storms can ruin even the strongest of families and communities.
When Billie Jo says that she knows the girl, she means that she sees herself in her. The girl was alone and wanting only to leave all the dust behind. Billie Jo is doing the same. Billie Jo understands how the dust storms can ruin even the strongest of families and communities.
Leaving For Real
"This is not a dream. There's no comfort in dreams...It's the middle of the night and I hear every sound inside me, outside me. I go, knowing that I'll die if I stay, that I'm slowly surely smothering. I walk through the calm night, under the stars...Once I might have headed east, Now I slip under the cover of darkness inside a boxcar and let the train carry me west. Out of the dust." Summer 1935 Pages 197-198
Billie Jo leaves for real this time. Even though she's been wanting to leave, she doesn't realize how selfish she's being. Not once does she think of her father. She only thinks of how silent and stubborn he is. She doesn't think of how her leaving could hurt her father. By not thinking of her father and how this would effect him, she only thinks of herself and getting away from the dust. By getting away from the dust, Billie Jo is also leaving her father behind as well.
Billie Jo leaves for real this time. Even though she's been wanting to leave, she doesn't realize how selfish she's being. Not once does she think of her father. She only thinks of how silent and stubborn he is. She doesn't think of how her leaving could hurt her father. By not thinking of her father and how this would effect him, she only thinks of herself and getting away from the dust. By getting away from the dust, Billie Jo is also leaving her father behind as well.
Bumps
Billie Jo's father starts to develop bumps on his face. Because he is stubborn, he doesn't go to the doctor's. Billie Jo wants him to go to the doctor's to have them checked out.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Running Away
Throughout the novel, Billie Jo talks of leaving Oklahoma and moving out west. The following lines talk of her reasoning to leave on her on.
"I am filled with bitterness...it comes from the absence of Ma. I could've loved her better. She could've loved me, too...I have given my father so many chances to understand, to reach out, to love. He once did...Now there's nothing easy between us. Sometimes he comes notice of me...But mostly I'm invisible. Mostly I'm alone...I know what he's up to. He's rotting away, like his father, ready to leave me behind in the dust. Well, I'm leaving first." Summer 1935 Pages195-196
The text shows that Billie Jo has hit "rock bottom" and she really is going to leave instead of being left behind. Her thinking is that she would rather leave first than be left behind by her father. It would hurt more to be left behind than it would be to leave first for Billie Jo.
"I am filled with bitterness...it comes from the absence of Ma. I could've loved her better. She could've loved me, too...I have given my father so many chances to understand, to reach out, to love. He once did...Now there's nothing easy between us. Sometimes he comes notice of me...But mostly I'm invisible. Mostly I'm alone...I know what he's up to. He's rotting away, like his father, ready to leave me behind in the dust. Well, I'm leaving first." Summer 1935 Pages195-196
The text shows that Billie Jo has hit "rock bottom" and she really is going to leave instead of being left behind. Her thinking is that she would rather leave first than be left behind by her father. It would hurt more to be left behind than it would be to leave first for Billie Jo.
FDR and the Dust Bowl
Franklin D. Roosevelt had Congress to pass the Agricultural Adjustment Act (1933). The AAA paid farmers not to grow crops and not to produce dairy produce. It also paid them not to raise pigs and lambs. The money to pay the farmers for cutting back production of about 30% was raised by a tax on companies that bought the farm products and processed them into food and clothing.
The following passage comes from http://www.history.com/topics/dust-bowl
In response, the federal government mobilized several New Deal agencies, principally the Soil Conservation Service formed in 1935, to promote farm rehabilitation. Working on the local level, the government instructed farmers to plant trees and grass to anchor the soil, to plow and terrace in contour patterns to hold rainwater, and to allow portions of farmland to lie fallow each year so the soil could regenerate. The government also purchased 11.3 million acres of submarginal land to keep it out of production. By 1941 much of the land was rehabilitated, but the region repeated its mistakes during World War II as farmers again plowed up grassland to plant wheat when grain prices rose. Drought threatened another disaster in the 1950s, prompting Congress to subsidize farmers in restoring millions of acres of wheat back to grassland.
*All information in this post came from the following sources:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAdust.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/dust-bowl
The following passage comes from http://www.history.com/topics/dust-bowl
In response, the federal government mobilized several New Deal agencies, principally the Soil Conservation Service formed in 1935, to promote farm rehabilitation. Working on the local level, the government instructed farmers to plant trees and grass to anchor the soil, to plow and terrace in contour patterns to hold rainwater, and to allow portions of farmland to lie fallow each year so the soil could regenerate. The government also purchased 11.3 million acres of submarginal land to keep it out of production. By 1941 much of the land was rehabilitated, but the region repeated its mistakes during World War II as farmers again plowed up grassland to plant wheat when grain prices rose. Drought threatened another disaster in the 1950s, prompting Congress to subsidize farmers in restoring millions of acres of wheat back to grassland.
*All information in this post came from the following sources:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAdust.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/dust-bowl
Dionne Quintuplets
The Qionne Quintuplets are mentioned in Out of the Dust. They were the first quintuplets to survive infancy. They were born on May 28, 1934 in Corbeil, Ontario. The following are the names of the quintuplets and when they died:
Annette (1934- )
Cecile (1934- )
Emilie (1934-1954)
Marie (1934-1970)
Yvonne (1934-)
The quintuplets were 2 months premature and became overnight celebrities. Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe was the doctor that delivered the babies also became a celebrity overnight. The identical quintuplets were taken away from their parents and made wards of the Ontario government, under Dr. Dafoe's supervision. The girls were placed in a theme park called Quintland, across from the parents' home. The sisters became a huge commercial enterprise, endorsing hundreds of products ranging from corn syrup to Quaker Oats. Their father, Oliva, fought a nine-year battle to regain custody of his daughters. They were returned to their parents in 1943. The sisters have filed a $10 million suit against the Ontario government, saying they were wrongly deprived of a share of the earnings from tourists. In 1998, the 3 remaining sisters, Yvonne, Cecile and Annette, were awarded $4 million in compensation from the Ontario government.
The quintuplets as little girls
The 3 remaining sisters
*All facts and pictures come from the following sources:
http://whatever.losito.net/images/older-dionne.jpg
http://whatever.losito.net/images/dionne.jpg
http://particle.physics.ucdavis.edu/bios/Dionne.html
Annette (1934- )
Cecile (1934- )
Emilie (1934-1954)
Marie (1934-1970)
Yvonne (1934-)
The quintuplets were 2 months premature and became overnight celebrities. Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe was the doctor that delivered the babies also became a celebrity overnight. The identical quintuplets were taken away from their parents and made wards of the Ontario government, under Dr. Dafoe's supervision. The girls were placed in a theme park called Quintland, across from the parents' home. The sisters became a huge commercial enterprise, endorsing hundreds of products ranging from corn syrup to Quaker Oats. Their father, Oliva, fought a nine-year battle to regain custody of his daughters. They were returned to their parents in 1943. The sisters have filed a $10 million suit against the Ontario government, saying they were wrongly deprived of a share of the earnings from tourists. In 1998, the 3 remaining sisters, Yvonne, Cecile and Annette, were awarded $4 million in compensation from the Ontario government.
The quintuplets as little girls
The 3 remaining sisters
*All facts and pictures come from the following sources:
http://whatever.losito.net/images/older-dionne.jpg
http://whatever.losito.net/images/dionne.jpg
http://particle.physics.ucdavis.edu/bios/Dionne.html
Beggar's Can't Be Choosers
"...A letter came from Aunt Ellis, my father's sister, written to me, inviting me to live with her in Lubbock. I want to get out of here, but not to Aunt Ellis, and not to Lubbock, Texas..." Spring 1935 Page 158
Billie Jo wants to leave Oklahoma. However when her aunt offers to have her live with her, Billie Jo doesn't want to live with her. This brings up the phrase "Beggars can't be choosers." This means that Billie Jo wants to leave and her aunt is giving her the oppurnity to do so. She doesn't really have any other options at the moment. However she refuses to go and live with her aunt. This shows a selfish side of Billie Jo. She wants to leave and yet she's being selfish and stubborn by not living with her aunt. If she wanted to leave as badly as she claims, she would live with her aunt in Texas.
Billie Jo wants to leave Oklahoma. However when her aunt offers to have her live with her, Billie Jo doesn't want to live with her. This brings up the phrase "Beggars can't be choosers." This means that Billie Jo wants to leave and her aunt is giving her the oppurnity to do so. She doesn't really have any other options at the moment. However she refuses to go and live with her aunt. This shows a selfish side of Billie Jo. She wants to leave and yet she's being selfish and stubborn by not living with her aunt. If she wanted to leave as badly as she claims, she would live with her aunt in Texas.
Fire
"No one talke about fire right to my face. They can't forget how fire changed my life. But I hear them talking anyway." Spring 1935 Page 157
People still talk about the accident. They still blame Billie Jo for the fire even though it was an accident. The fact that people still talk about the accident and the fire bothers Billie Jo. The fact that they're still talking about it and still blaming her is what bothers her so much. She knows that her father hears people talking about it as well. As long as people still talk about the accident, the longer it will take for Billie Jo and her father to be able to move past the accident.
People still talk about the accident. They still blame Billie Jo for the fire even though it was an accident. The fact that people still talk about the accident and the fire bothers Billie Jo. The fact that they're still talking about it and still blaming her is what bothers her so much. She knows that her father hears people talking about it as well. As long as people still talk about the accident, the longer it will take for Billie Jo and her father to be able to move past the accident.
Communication
"My father and I, we can't soothe each other. I'm too young, he's too old, and we don't know how to talk anymore if we ever did." Spring 1935 Page 153
Billie Jo and her father are similar in their mannerisms but they both have trouble expressing themselves to others. Billie Jo wants to be able to talk to her father. But it's hard for her. She's tried to talk to him before but he is standoffish and does not say much. Part of the problem is that Billie Jo's father is naturally quiet and doesn't say much. With the death of Ma makes it harder for him to open up to his daughter. You also have to remember that this novel takes place during the mid 1930's. It was a different time period back then. People didn't really talk about their feelings. Men didn't cry and didn't talk about their feelings at all. This is also part of the problem.
Billie Jo and her father are similar in their mannerisms but they both have trouble expressing themselves to others. Billie Jo wants to be able to talk to her father. But it's hard for her. She's tried to talk to him before but he is standoffish and does not say much. Part of the problem is that Billie Jo's father is naturally quiet and doesn't say much. With the death of Ma makes it harder for him to open up to his daughter. You also have to remember that this novel takes place during the mid 1930's. It was a different time period back then. People didn't really talk about their feelings. Men didn't cry and didn't talk about their feelings at all. This is also part of the problem.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Wanting to Leave
Billie Jo talks about leaving several times throughout the novel. This time, she talks about why she would stay, instead of leaving.
"If Ma...was still my ma who loved me, then I think I wouldn't be so eager to go." Winter 1935 Page 148
Billie Jo also talks about not wanting to live when her mother died. However, she learns that life goes on and that you have to take it one day at a time. For Billie Jo, this is an important lesson for her to learn. She took much of the blame for her mother's death, even though it was an accident. By learning this lesson, it helps her move on from her mother's death.
"If Ma...was still my ma who loved me, then I think I wouldn't be so eager to go." Winter 1935 Page 148
Billie Jo also talks about not wanting to live when her mother died. However, she learns that life goes on and that you have to take it one day at a time. For Billie Jo, this is an important lesson for her to learn. She took much of the blame for her mother's death, even though it was an accident. By learning this lesson, it helps her move on from her mother's death.
Going to Night School
Billie Jo's father decides to go to night school so case the farm failed, he would have something to fall back on.
"...He's starting to sound like Ma. "The farm won't fail" I tell him...I'm starting to sound like him...But maybe he doesn't care so much about the classes. Maybe he's thinking more about the company of the ladies..." Winter 1935 Page 1938
This is a turning point in the novel. This shows that A) Billie Jo's father is starting truly move on from the death of Franklin and Ma, and B) it shows that Billie Jo realizes that her father is moving on. This is a turning point in the novel because up until this point, Billie Jo has just been thinking about leaving. She never thought about her father moving on and possibly finding someone else. Billie Jo starts to show some jealousy though.
"I shouldn't mind either. It's dinner I don't hace to come up...But I do mind his spending time with all those biddes..." Winter 1935 Page 139
*According to http://www.dictionary.com/, a biddy is a:
"...He's starting to sound like Ma. "The farm won't fail" I tell him...I'm starting to sound like him...But maybe he doesn't care so much about the classes. Maybe he's thinking more about the company of the ladies..." Winter 1935 Page 1938
This is a turning point in the novel. This shows that A) Billie Jo's father is starting truly move on from the death of Franklin and Ma, and B) it shows that Billie Jo realizes that her father is moving on. This is a turning point in the novel because up until this point, Billie Jo has just been thinking about leaving. She never thought about her father moving on and possibly finding someone else. Billie Jo starts to show some jealousy though.
"I shouldn't mind either. It's dinner I don't hace to come up...But I do mind his spending time with all those biddes..." Winter 1935 Page 139
*According to http://www.dictionary.com/, a biddy is a:
1. a fussbudget, esp. a fussy old woman.
2. a female domestic servant, esp. a cleaning woman.
Citing
All quotes come from Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. All quotes are written exactly as they appear in the book. "...." represents sections of the text that may not have been quoted in the post. The page number and section of the book are listed at the end of the quote to show where exactly in the book the quote came from. The quotes are meant to help those who have not read the book have a better understanding of the text.
Playing Again
Arely wants Billie Jo to play in a show that he's in. Billie Jo doesn't want to even though she did so well at the competition.
"...I don't say it hurts like a parched earth with each note. I don't say, one chord and my hands scream with pain for days. I don't show him the swelling or the tears..." Winter 1935 Pages 134-135
Billie Jo's scars are much more than just then the physical pain. There is a lot of guilt for Billie Jo every time she plays or looks at her hands. She still associates her hands with the death of her mother and brother.
However, Billie Jo does change her mind and ends up playing in the show.
"I did play like a cripple at Arley's show, not that Arely would ever say it. But my hands are no good anymore, my playing's no good...." Winter 1935 Page 1936
"...I don't say it hurts like a parched earth with each note. I don't say, one chord and my hands scream with pain for days. I don't show him the swelling or the tears..." Winter 1935 Pages 134-135
Billie Jo's scars are much more than just then the physical pain. There is a lot of guilt for Billie Jo every time she plays or looks at her hands. She still associates her hands with the death of her mother and brother.
However, Billie Jo does change her mind and ends up playing in the show.
"I did play like a cripple at Arley's show, not that Arely would ever say it. But my hands are no good anymore, my playing's no good...." Winter 1935 Page 1936
Charcters
Billie Jo- main charcter; the story is told from her point of veiw
Daddy- Billie Jo's father; being a farmer is all he knows how to be
Ma- Billie Jo's mother who passes away in a accident fire
Franklin- Billie Jo's baby brother who dies shortly after Ma dies
Arely Wanderdale- a boy that is the same age as Billie Jo; he is always wanting Billie Jo to perform, even after her accident in the fire
Daddy- Billie Jo's father; being a farmer is all he knows how to be
Ma- Billie Jo's mother who passes away in a accident fire
Franklin- Billie Jo's baby brother who dies shortly after Ma dies
Arely Wanderdale- a boy that is the same age as Billie Jo; he is always wanting Billie Jo to perform, even after her accident in the fire
Moving On
"...He's making some kind of effort to get on better with me now, Since I "did him proud" at the Palace..." Winter 1935 Page 134
Billie Jo's father is starting to show signs of moving past the death of his wife and son. Even though he's starting to move on, he still has a long way to go. However, the fact that he's trying says a lot. Billie Jo wants to be closer with her father, since he's really all she has left.
Billie Jo's father is starting to show signs of moving past the death of his wife and son. Even though he's starting to move on, he still has a long way to go. However, the fact that he's trying says a lot. Billie Jo wants to be closer with her father, since he's really all she has left.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Karen Hesse
Karen Hesse was born on August 29th 1952 in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1969, she attended Towson State College as a theater major, but transferred after two semesters to the University of Maryland. It was here that she eventually earned a B.A. in English with double minors in Psychology and Anthropology. Below are some of the books that she's written:
A Light in the Storm
Lavender
Sable
Poppy's Chair
In 1976, Karen Hesse and her husband, Randy, moved to Vermont. There they raised their 2 daughters, Kate and Rachel. Hesse began writing children's books but had trouble finding a publisher. She eventually found a publisher. In 1991 her first book, Wish on a Unicorn was published. She has been writing ever since. She still lives in Vermont.
*All facts came from the following sources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3214
http://www.allbookstores.com/Karen-Hesse/author/1
After Words of Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust
A Light in the Storm
Lavender
Sable
Poppy's Chair
In 1976, Karen Hesse and her husband, Randy, moved to Vermont. There they raised their 2 daughters, Kate and Rachel. Hesse began writing children's books but had trouble finding a publisher. She eventually found a publisher. In 1991 her first book, Wish on a Unicorn was published. She has been writing ever since. She still lives in Vermont.
*All facts came from the following sources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3214
http://www.allbookstores.com/Karen-Hesse/author/1
After Words of Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust
Playing the Piano Again
When Billie Jo starts to play the piano again, she feels like herself before the the accident.
"...I dropped right inside the music and didn't feel anything 'til after when the clapping started and that's when I noticed my hands hurting straight up to my shoulders. But the applause made me forget the pain..." Winter 1935 Page 132
By placing 3rd, it proves to people and to Billie Jo that she can still play despite her hands and the physical pain that it causes her. By doing so well, it shows to people that Billie Jo isn't a cripple and that her talent for playing is still there and it didn't become ruined in the accident.
"...I dropped right inside the music and didn't feel anything 'til after when the clapping started and that's when I noticed my hands hurting straight up to my shoulders. But the applause made me forget the pain..." Winter 1935 Page 132
By placing 3rd, it proves to people and to Billie Jo that she can still play despite her hands and the physical pain that it causes her. By doing so well, it shows to people that Billie Jo isn't a cripple and that her talent for playing is still there and it didn't become ruined in the accident.
Billie Jo's Dreams
"...I sit at the school piano and make my hands work. In spite of the pain, in spite of the stiffness and scars. I make my hands play the piano. I have practiced my best piece over and over til my arms throb...I figure if I practice enough I won't shame myself." Winter 1935 page 127
Billie Jo desperately wants to be able to play the piano again. She wants to be able to prove to people that she can play and that she isn't some cripple.
In this section of the book, there is a competition where people can perform an act. The lines above show that Billie Jo wants to be able to play in the competition and prove to people that she isn't a cripple. Even though she wants to be able to play like she used to, she still doubts whether people will see her in the same light as before. Billie Jo believes that people will always view her as Billie Jo the cripple, not just simply Billie Jo. By people not truly accepting her with her hands, Billie Jo has a hard time accepting herself with her hands
"...but if I played right enough, maybe they would see past my hands . Maybe they could feel at ease with me again, and maybe then, I could feel at ease with myself." Winter 1935 Page 1935
Billie Jo desperately wants to be able to play the piano again. She wants to be able to prove to people that she can play and that she isn't some cripple.
In this section of the book, there is a competition where people can perform an act. The lines above show that Billie Jo wants to be able to play in the competition and prove to people that she isn't a cripple. Even though she wants to be able to play like she used to, she still doubts whether people will see her in the same light as before. Billie Jo believes that people will always view her as Billie Jo the cripple, not just simply Billie Jo. By people not truly accepting her with her hands, Billie Jo has a hard time accepting herself with her hands
"...but if I played right enough, maybe they would see past my hands . Maybe they could feel at ease with me again, and maybe then, I could feel at ease with myself." Winter 1935 Page 1935
Wanting to Leave
Billie Jo shares her desire to leave Oklahoma and to get away from the Dust Bowl, as well as her desire to leave the pain of the deaths of her mother and brother. As the family left, Billie Jo wishes she could leave with them.
"...all of them crammed inside that rusty old truck. I ran half a mile in their dust to catch them...but they didn't hear me. They were heading west. And no one was looking back." Winter 1935 Page 124
Billie Jo wants so badly to be able to leave. She keeps seeing people being able to leave and find a better life else where. Yet she doesn't have anyone that will go West with her. Billie Jo feels very alone in the world. She wishes her father would go West so she could go with him.
"...all of them crammed inside that rusty old truck. I ran half a mile in their dust to catch them...but they didn't hear me. They were heading west. And no one was looking back." Winter 1935 Page 124
Billie Jo wants so badly to be able to leave. She keeps seeing people being able to leave and find a better life else where. Yet she doesn't have anyone that will go West with her. Billie Jo feels very alone in the world. She wishes her father would go West so she could go with him.
Another Birth
A family comes through Billie Jo's town. The family consists of a grandmother, a mother and father, two young kids and another baby on the way. The family stays in a sectioned off part of the school. One morning, the mother goes into labor. This affects Billie Jo more than she thought that it would. She prays that the baby will be healthy and not die young like her brother did.
"...praying for the sound of a baby crying into this world, and not the silence my brother brought with him. And then the cry comes and I have to go away for a little while and just walk off the feelings." Winter 1935 Page 123
These lines show that Billie Jo is selfless. She does not wish what happened to her onto the family. Even though she's still mourning the death of her brother, she does not wish that pain onto others. Instead she walks away so she can control herself and to most likely remember her brother. This shows maturity beyond her years. It shows that Billie Jo is mature enough to not be hateful that this baby was born healthy and her brother wasn't. It also shows control over her emotions as well as self-control.
"...praying for the sound of a baby crying into this world, and not the silence my brother brought with him. And then the cry comes and I have to go away for a little while and just walk off the feelings." Winter 1935 Page 123
These lines show that Billie Jo is selfless. She does not wish what happened to her onto the family. Even though she's still mourning the death of her brother, she does not wish that pain onto others. Instead she walks away so she can control herself and to most likely remember her brother. This shows maturity beyond her years. It shows that Billie Jo is mature enough to not be hateful that this baby was born healthy and her brother wasn't. It also shows control over her emotions as well as self-control.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Face of Out of the Dust
On the cover of Out of the Dust, there is a picture of a young girl. The girl is a real girl, not a model. In Out of the Dust, there is a section in the back of the novel that explains the girl on the cover. Her name was Lucille Burroughs and she had lived during the Dust Bowl. She lived in Hale County, Alabama. Karen Hesse kept a photo of Lucille nearby while she worked on Out of the Dust. Lucille was her inspiration for Billie Jo's character. The pictures below are of real people and property that existed during the Dust Bowl.
This picture of a mother and her children became the face of the Dust Bowl.
A man caught during a dust storm. (Many people died if they were caught out in a dust storm with no protection from the storm.)
Damage from a dust storm.
http://www.rawhidestudios.com/cross-stitch/DustBowl-lg-20.00-ah-07.gif
This picture of a mother and her children became the face of the Dust Bowl.
A man caught during a dust storm. (Many people died if they were caught out in a dust storm with no protection from the storm.)
Damage from a dust storm.
*All pictures in this post came from the following sources:
http://www.rawhidestudios.com/cross-stitch/DustBowl-lg-20.00-ah-07.gif
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Strained Relationships
Because of her mother's death, Billie Jo's relationship with her father becomes strained. At first, her father does blame her for her mother's death. He never comes right and says it but his body language says it all. Billie Jo has become even more lost. She had always looked to her mother for guidance in life, especially when it came to her father. But since the death, she doesn't know how to talk or be around him.
"I don't know my father anymore...he looks like my father...but he is a stranger. I am akward with him, and irritated, and I want to be alone but I am terrified of being alone. We are both changing, we are shifting to fill in the empty spaces left by Ma." Autumn 1934 Page 76
These lines show that her and her father are similar with their mannerisms but they don't have much else in common. There was always her mother there to help keep things running smoothly. Neither Billie Jo nor her father know how to behave or act since her mother's death.
"I don't know my father anymore...he looks like my father...but he is a stranger. I am akward with him, and irritated, and I want to be alone but I am terrified of being alone. We are both changing, we are shifting to fill in the empty spaces left by Ma." Autumn 1934 Page 76
These lines show that her and her father are similar with their mannerisms but they don't have much else in common. There was always her mother there to help keep things running smoothly. Neither Billie Jo nor her father know how to behave or act since her mother's death.
Death
Billie Jo's mother was pregnant with her baby brother. While making breakfast one morning, Billie Jo's mother went to make coffee. She picked up a pail of water that was by the stove. Instead it was a pail of kerosene. This caused a fire to break out. She ran for the door. Billie Jo grabbed the pail and threw it out the door. Instead, her mother was there. She had turned back and was hit by the remaining kerosene. Billie Jo's mother and unborn baby brother were burned badly. Billie Jo's hands were also burned badly. Night and day, Billie Jo's father cared for her mother. The docter came to care for her mother and for Billie Jo. Nothing much could be done for either. Billie Jo's mother died while giving birth to her brother. This single event would be the most devestating event for Billie Jo. She was closer to her mother than to her father. She continued to blame herself throughout the rest of the novel for her mother and brother's deaths. Even though it was an accident, Billie Jo and others blamed her.
"Billie Jo threw the pail, they said. "An accident," they said. Under their words a finger pointed." Summer 1934 Page 71
This text shows that even though people realized that it was an accident, they still pointed the finger at Billie Jo. Not once, do people admit or realize that Billie Jo's father put the kerosene there and that her mother had thought that it was water. This shows a theme that is true in life. People are more likely to believe the first thing they hear rather than trying to figure out and understand the real truth. Karen Hesse portrays this theme well. Not once did anyone ask Billie Jo what had happened. They heard that she had thrown the pail. They never tried to learn how she had ended up with the pail.
"Billie Jo threw the pail, they said. "An accident," they said. Under their words a finger pointed." Summer 1934 Page 71
This text shows that even though people realized that it was an accident, they still pointed the finger at Billie Jo. Not once, do people admit or realize that Billie Jo's father put the kerosene there and that her mother had thought that it was water. This shows a theme that is true in life. People are more likely to believe the first thing they hear rather than trying to figure out and understand the real truth. Karen Hesse portrays this theme well. Not once did anyone ask Billie Jo what had happened. They heard that she had thrown the pail. They never tried to learn how she had ended up with the pail.
Playing the Piano
Playing the piano is something that is very important in the story. For Billie Jo, playing is the most important thing to her. In the novel, playing the piano symbolizes freedom for Billie Jo. The lines "When I point my fingers at the keys, the music springs right out of me...That is heaven. How supremely haven playing the piano can be." Winter 1934 Pages 13-14 show that Billie Jo gets so much more out of playing than just impressing people. Playing the piano is something that is personal to her. When she plays, she is able to express herself and not hold back. She can say what she wants through playing. Billie Jo's mother taught her how to play the piano. The difference between Billie Jo and her mother is that Billie Jo has a passion for playing. She wants her music to take her away from Oklahoma and away from the dust. Billie Jo's mother doesn't have that kind of passion when she plays. She's also afraid that by Billie Jo playing the piano, it will take her away from Oklahoma and away from her and her husband. The idea of Billie Jo possibly leaving for good scares her very much.
Billie Jo simply wants to belong somewhere. For her it's at the paino. "Here's how I figure it. My place is in the world is at the piano...It's all being part of Arley's crowd that I like so much, being on the road, being somewhere new and interesting. We had a fine time. And they let me play the piano, too." Spring 1934 Pages 49-51
These lines prove that Billie Jo simply wants to belong somewhere. With the death of her mother and brother, Billie Jo feels even more alone in the world than before. She knows that she's talented at playing the paino but her mother was talented at the paino as well. Her mother gave up her dreams of playing to settle down with her father. Billie Jo doesn't want the same for herself. She wants to make something of herself but she isn't sure how to do that. With her father being so distant, Billie Jo doesn't really have anyone to turn to. Because of this, she turns very much to playing the paino.
Billie Jo simply wants to belong somewhere. For her it's at the paino. "Here's how I figure it. My place is in the world is at the piano...It's all being part of Arley's crowd that I like so much, being on the road, being somewhere new and interesting. We had a fine time. And they let me play the piano, too." Spring 1934 Pages 49-51
These lines prove that Billie Jo simply wants to belong somewhere. With the death of her mother and brother, Billie Jo feels even more alone in the world than before. She knows that she's talented at playing the paino but her mother was talented at the paino as well. Her mother gave up her dreams of playing to settle down with her father. Billie Jo doesn't want the same for herself. She wants to make something of herself but she isn't sure how to do that. With her father being so distant, Billie Jo doesn't really have anyone to turn to. Because of this, she turns very much to playing the paino.
Billie Jo and her father
From the start, Billie Jo indicates that her father wanted a boy, not a girl. Because of this, it determines their relationship from the start. Billie Jo's mother becomes pregnant again when Billie Jo is 14. Her father still hopes for a boy.
"Wonder if Daddy'll get his boy this time?" Winter 1934 Page 5.
This line reinforces the idea that no matter what happens, her father will always compare her to a boy. He most likely does not do it consciously but in the back of his mind, he does.
The fact that Billi Jo's father wanted a boy is a bit ironic. The lines "I can't make myself over the way Ma did...But it can't be. I'm my father's daughter." Winter 1935 Pages 113-114 prove that the fact that Billie Jo's father wants a boy, is ironic, when his daughter is just like him. Billie Jo acts very much like her father. They have similar mannerisms, like how they rub their eyes and how they walk.
"Wonder if Daddy'll get his boy this time?" Winter 1934 Page 5.
This line reinforces the idea that no matter what happens, her father will always compare her to a boy. He most likely does not do it consciously but in the back of his mind, he does.
The fact that Billi Jo's father wanted a boy is a bit ironic. The lines "I can't make myself over the way Ma did...But it can't be. I'm my father's daughter." Winter 1935 Pages 113-114 prove that the fact that Billie Jo's father wants a boy, is ironic, when his daughter is just like him. Billie Jo acts very much like her father. They have similar mannerisms, like how they rub their eyes and how they walk.
Leading up to the Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl occurred over an entire decade. The 1930's were spent dealing with one extreme after another. Some of these extremes included blizzards, tornadoes, floods, droughts, and dirt storms. Billie Jo and her family experienced dirt or dust storms for the most part. Billie Jo also experienced droughts as well. The government told farmers to plant more after World War 1. Farmers didn't rotate the crops. If you plant the same crop over and over again, the crop takes certain nutrients from the ground. By only planting one crop, you eventually run out of those nutrients. By palnting different crops, you allow the soil to replace those nutrients. After World War 1, the farmers only planted wheat. Wheat was a profitable crop, so it was planted year after year. By only planting wheat, the soil did not have a chance to replenish the nutrients the wheat needed in order to grow. Because of this, the ground became dry and soon farmers were having a hard time getting any plant life to grow. This is why when the wind blew hard enough, the soil would be picked up. This is what became known as dust or dirt storms.
The Midwest was the most effected by the Dust Bowl. 100 million acres in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas were affected. The Great Depression had also hit the country. People in the Midwest depended on making a profit from the wheat. However the rain didn't come as expected. According to http://factoidz.com/facts-about-the-dust-bowl/, on May 9, 1934, a major dust storm started over the northern plains of Montana and the Dakotas and by night it had reached Chicago dumping an estimated 6,000 tons of dust. By the next morning the dust had reached Boston and New York where the streetlights came on at midday and cars had to use headlights. The dust storm was 1,800 miles wide. This is just one example of how destructive the dust storms were. (The picture below is not from the storm described above.)
The area of the country that was effected by the Dust Bowl.
*All facts and information about the Dust Bowl and picture(s) in this post came from the following sources:
The Midwest was the most effected by the Dust Bowl. 100 million acres in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas were affected. The Great Depression had also hit the country. People in the Midwest depended on making a profit from the wheat. However the rain didn't come as expected. According to http://factoidz.com/facts-about-the-dust-bowl/, on May 9, 1934, a major dust storm started over the northern plains of Montana and the Dakotas and by night it had reached Chicago dumping an estimated 6,000 tons of dust. By the next morning the dust had reached Boston and New York where the streetlights came on at midday and cars had to use headlights. The dust storm was 1,800 miles wide. This is just one example of how destructive the dust storms were. (The picture below is not from the storm described above.)
 |
| A dust storm approaching a farm house |
The area of the country that was effected by the Dust Bowl.
*All facts and information about the Dust Bowl and picture(s) in this post came from the following sources:
Setting
The setting of the novel is important. It sets the tone for the entire novel. The background of the novel is set in the 1930's during the Dust Bowl. The main character, Billie Jo, as well as her parents, live in Oklahoma. Her father is one of the many farmers in the Midwest that are struggling to make a living. Because Billie Jo's life is hard, it puts a drain on her relantionship with her father, espically after her mother and baby brother, Franklin, die in an accident fire. Because life is hard for Billie Jo and her parents, it sets the tone of the novel as serious. The affects of the Dust Bowl take a toll on every character and every aspect of their lives.
Out of the Dust By Karen Hesse
This is a blog about the novel Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. This blog will have information about the historical period of the novel as well as a breakdown of the novel. I will also be answering any questions that you may have. Feel free to ask questions if there is something that is not clear to you.
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