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104. The Other Woman
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Out of the Dust, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Nature, Survival, and the Dust Bowl
Poverty, Charity, and Community
Coming of Age
Family and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
Billie Jo and her father walk to Billie Jo’s mother’s grave. Louise wanted to join them, but Billie Jo wasn’t comfortable allowing her to come with them. According to Billie Jo, Louise wants to follow them everywhere, but Billie Jo does not want that. Her father tries to convince her to give Louise a chance. Billie Jo is okay with Louise for the most part, but there are limits, especially regarding her mother’s grave.
Billie Jo does not want Louise to visit her mother’s grave because she wants to maintain a boundary between Louise and her mother. She is not ready to fully allow Louise into her life the way her father has. For Billie Jo, it feels too much like a betrayal, especially since she barely knows Louise.
Themes
