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
Miss Freeland talks to her class about what led to the Great Depression. She explains that the United States economy was tied to Europe’s during World War I. However, after the war, Europe cut economic ties with the United States, and the United States did not have the resources to save its economy. This caused difficulties for wheat farmers, in particular, who no longer had anywhere to sell their wheat. Unfortunately, no one noticed how bad the problem was until it was too late, and now the people of the Panhandle are suffering the consequences.
Miss Freeland’s lecture is an accurate historical account of what led to the Great Depression, the economic collapse that coincided with the Dust Bowl. Essentially, the people of the Panhandle face a dual threat; not only are they facing constant environmental catastrophes, but the previously strong country surrounding them is in no shape to help.
Themes
