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.