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
On a Sunday, the wind picks up and sprays dust everywhere. It gets all over Billie Jo’s face and stings her eyes. When the dust stops blowing, it starts to rain. However, the rain comes down too hard and fast, destroying what is left of the wheat. Billie Jo’s father will either have to give up or start from scratch. Meanwhile, the apple trees lost many of their green apples. There are still enough for a tiny harvest, as long as the climate does not claim any more.
Again, the climate ruins what little hope Billie Jo and her father have. However, the few apples that remain on the tree imply that all hope is not lost—however, Billie Jo and her family are clinging on for dear life. Additionally, this chapter demonstrates how rain can be just as destructive as the dust storm, especially when it is ill-timed.
Themes
