Out of the Dust By: Karen Hesse
Karen Hesse was born on August 29, 1952 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults. Her stories often have a historical setting. Her book "Out of the Dust" won the Newbery Metal. She attended the University of Maryland and worked as a librarian. Later on in her life she worked as a proofreader, as an advertising secretary at a magazine, and as a typesetter. Soon after she decided she wanted to become an author. Today she still lives in Vermont.
Pre-Reading Reflection
What occured in the United States in 1929 that is a significant historical event and sets the tone for the story? The Great Depression.
What was the "Great Depression"? Explain and describe. Provide images. The Great Depression was the result of the stock market crash of October 1929.
What was the impact of the Great Depression? Millions were unemployed and many banks had crashed.
What were some the the effects of the Great Depresssion? Many became unemployed.
Can you relate the Great Depression to anything in today's society? Yes, the recession.
What was the "Great Depression"? Explain and describe. Provide images. The Great Depression was the result of the stock market crash of October 1929.
What was the impact of the Great Depression? Millions were unemployed and many banks had crashed.
What were some the the effects of the Great Depresssion? Many became unemployed.
Can you relate the Great Depression to anything in today's society? Yes, the recession.
Vocabulary
Drought-long period without rainfall
Withered-to become shriveled
Scorch-burn surface with flame or heat
Sod-surface on the ground with grass growing on it
Duster-cloth or brush to clean surface
Parched-dried out
Migrants-move from place to place
Gaunt-lean and haggard
Withered-to become shriveled
Scorch-burn surface with flame or heat
Sod-surface on the ground with grass growing on it
Duster-cloth or brush to clean surface
Parched-dried out
Migrants-move from place to place
Gaunt-lean and haggard
Research Project
Character
Who are the two women who influence Billie Jo the most? Her mother Polly and teacher Miss Freeland
Tell how Billie Jo's mother influences her. What are some of the important things that she learns from her? Her mother teaches her to work hard for a good future.
Tell how Billie Jo's teacher, Miss Freeland, influences her. Miss Freeland encourages Billie Jo to peruse her dream of playing piano.
Who is the more significant character in the story? Miss Freeland or Polly, Billie Jo's mother? Explain and defend your answer.
Who does Billie Jo meet in the boxcar? Billie Jo meets a traveling man
How does the person Billie Jo meets in the boxcar influence her? The traveling man makes her miss her home.
Compare and contrast the man in the boxcar to Billie Jo's father.
Tell how Billie Jo's mother influences her. What are some of the important things that she learns from her? Her mother teaches her to work hard for a good future.
Tell how Billie Jo's teacher, Miss Freeland, influences her. Miss Freeland encourages Billie Jo to peruse her dream of playing piano.
Who is the more significant character in the story? Miss Freeland or Polly, Billie Jo's mother? Explain and defend your answer.
Who does Billie Jo meet in the boxcar? Billie Jo meets a traveling man
How does the person Billie Jo meets in the boxcar influence her? The traveling man makes her miss her home.
Compare and contrast the man in the boxcar to Billie Jo's father.
Traveling Man
Left because he couldn't handle the guilt Has a wife and children Trying to support his family |
Billie Jo's Father
Stayed to support his family Has(d) a wife and child Trying to support his family |
Billie Jo's Journey
WINTER 1934
What is Billie Jo's main interpersonal problem? Give at least three examples of this.
Livie moved to California so now Billie Jo is lonely
Billie Jo wants to play piano but her mom doesn't want her to play
Billie Jo questions if her dad loves her because dad wants a boy
What is Bille Jo's main problem with her everyday, non-family related, life?
Billie Jo's everyday problem is dust.
SPRING 1934
What main problem does Bille Jo write about now? Billie Jo's mom did not let her play in the piano recital.
What are Billie Jo's two sources of comfort and for what reasons? Piano and the apple tree. Piano helps distract her and makes her feel like she can forget about the dust. The apple tree gives her hope and comforts her because it provides her with food instead if taking it away.
SUMMER 1934
What catastophic events happen now? Billie Jo's mom died.
What personal problems does Billie Jo now struggle with? Her hands were burned and they remind her of her mother. p. 69 p. 76 p. 77
What interpersonal problem now develops for Bille Jo? She has trouble communicating with her father. p. 76 p. 81
AUTUMN 1934
What is Billie Jo's main focus now? To move on with her life from the death of her mother.
WINTER and SPRING 1935
How are Billie Jo's feelings about her mother changing? She really misses her. but she accepts that she is gone and can't get her back. ",,,no matter how sharp and bitter she seemed, she was still my ma who loved me, then I think I wouldn't be so eager to go." p. 148
What is Billie Jo's main ongoing interpersonal problem now? She cannot play piano anymore and her hands are burned.
What main feeling does Billie Jo express about where she lives? "I think we're both turning into dust." p. 175
What progress does Billie Jo make in coping with her burned hands? She adjusts to them and goes on with her life.
SUMMER 1935
What feelings allow BIllie Jo to make the choice to leave home? Her father is sick and doesn't take care of himself. He will leave her alone, but she decides she rather leave first. "He is rotting away, like his father, ready to leave me behind in the dust. Well, I'm leaving first." p. 196
Why does Billie Jo decide to return home? She realizes she is the dust and her home is a part of her.
AUTUMN 1935
What steps does Billie Jo's father take to help him and Billie Jo reconcile? He tried to talk to her more and bond with her.
What characteristics and actions of Louise allow Billie to accept this new woman? Louise did not try to replace the place of Billie Jo's mother and respected their boundaries.
In what ways does hope return to the Kelby's farm? Louise makes Billie Jo's father happy, so Billie Jo is happy too.
What do the role of the piano and her hands now reveal about Billie Jo's recovery? She has gone through a lot, but in the end she everything healed little by little.
What is Billie Jo's main interpersonal problem? Give at least three examples of this.
Livie moved to California so now Billie Jo is lonely
Billie Jo wants to play piano but her mom doesn't want her to play
Billie Jo questions if her dad loves her because dad wants a boy
What is Bille Jo's main problem with her everyday, non-family related, life?
Billie Jo's everyday problem is dust.
SPRING 1934
What main problem does Bille Jo write about now? Billie Jo's mom did not let her play in the piano recital.
What are Billie Jo's two sources of comfort and for what reasons? Piano and the apple tree. Piano helps distract her and makes her feel like she can forget about the dust. The apple tree gives her hope and comforts her because it provides her with food instead if taking it away.
SUMMER 1934
What catastophic events happen now? Billie Jo's mom died.
What personal problems does Billie Jo now struggle with? Her hands were burned and they remind her of her mother. p. 69 p. 76 p. 77
What interpersonal problem now develops for Bille Jo? She has trouble communicating with her father. p. 76 p. 81
AUTUMN 1934
What is Billie Jo's main focus now? To move on with her life from the death of her mother.
WINTER and SPRING 1935
How are Billie Jo's feelings about her mother changing? She really misses her. but she accepts that she is gone and can't get her back. ",,,no matter how sharp and bitter she seemed, she was still my ma who loved me, then I think I wouldn't be so eager to go." p. 148
What is Billie Jo's main ongoing interpersonal problem now? She cannot play piano anymore and her hands are burned.
What main feeling does Billie Jo express about where she lives? "I think we're both turning into dust." p. 175
What progress does Billie Jo make in coping with her burned hands? She adjusts to them and goes on with her life.
SUMMER 1935
What feelings allow BIllie Jo to make the choice to leave home? Her father is sick and doesn't take care of himself. He will leave her alone, but she decides she rather leave first. "He is rotting away, like his father, ready to leave me behind in the dust. Well, I'm leaving first." p. 196
Why does Billie Jo decide to return home? She realizes she is the dust and her home is a part of her.
AUTUMN 1935
What steps does Billie Jo's father take to help him and Billie Jo reconcile? He tried to talk to her more and bond with her.
What characteristics and actions of Louise allow Billie to accept this new woman? Louise did not try to replace the place of Billie Jo's mother and respected their boundaries.
In what ways does hope return to the Kelby's farm? Louise makes Billie Jo's father happy, so Billie Jo is happy too.
What do the role of the piano and her hands now reveal about Billie Jo's recovery? She has gone through a lot, but in the end she everything healed little by little.
Author's Craft
GENRE:
What is genre? Genre is the tone of the book.
What is the genre of the novel "Out of the Dust"? The genre of "Out of the Dust" is historical fiction.
How do you know? In "Out of the Dust" the story takes place in the 1930's during the Great Depression. This shows that the story takes place in a historical period of time.
ANALYZING THE AUTHOR'S STYLE:
How is the novel organized? What is unusual about the style that the author used to write this novel? "Out of the Dust" is written in poem format with dates. This style is unusual because it is like a journal written in poems.
What is free verse? How does author's craft and structure play a role in the format of the book, how it is read and understood? Free verse poems do not have a certain form of structure, they just go. The story is read in poems written from Billie Jo's perspective.
Does this format help you as a reader get into the story and understand the main character? Why or why not? How? Somewhat, the story has not gone into great detail about their life so it is open for speculation on what it is really like there.
ANALYZING POINT OF VIEW:
What is the point of view of this novel? This story is written in Billie Jo's point of view.
How would the novel have been different if the father had narrated it? If Billie Jo's father narrated the story it would probably describe the damage the dust did to his farm and home, as well as his longing for a son.
What is genre? Genre is the tone of the book.
What is the genre of the novel "Out of the Dust"? The genre of "Out of the Dust" is historical fiction.
How do you know? In "Out of the Dust" the story takes place in the 1930's during the Great Depression. This shows that the story takes place in a historical period of time.
ANALYZING THE AUTHOR'S STYLE:
How is the novel organized? What is unusual about the style that the author used to write this novel? "Out of the Dust" is written in poem format with dates. This style is unusual because it is like a journal written in poems.
What is free verse? How does author's craft and structure play a role in the format of the book, how it is read and understood? Free verse poems do not have a certain form of structure, they just go. The story is read in poems written from Billie Jo's perspective.
Does this format help you as a reader get into the story and understand the main character? Why or why not? How? Somewhat, the story has not gone into great detail about their life so it is open for speculation on what it is really like there.
ANALYZING POINT OF VIEW:
What is the point of view of this novel? This story is written in Billie Jo's point of view.
How would the novel have been different if the father had narrated it? If Billie Jo's father narrated the story it would probably describe the damage the dust did to his farm and home, as well as his longing for a son.
Art from the Dust Bowl
Dorothea Lange a photographer born in New Jersey. She is best known for photographing The Great Depression. She attended Colombia University and worked as an apprentice. Her most popular photograph is of the Migrant Mother seen below.
Advertisement
Mom and Miss Freeland
Polly, Billie Jo's mom
She's pregnant Cares about her apple tree Didn't want Billie Jo to play piano Taught Billie Jo how to play at the age of five She's generous |
Miss Freeland
Encourages Billie Jo to play piano |
Word Cloud
Symbolism
What is symbolism? Symbolism is the use of a symbol to represent a deeper meaning.
What is a cereus plant? A cacti flower. When does it bloom? In the night. How often does it bloom? Once a year. Where does it bloom? In tropical areas. What is so special about this plant? Some of these flowers only bloom once in their lifetime.
The cereus plant represents hope in "Out of the Dust". In the text Billie Jo is surprised to see the flower in such weather conditions. "How can such a flower
find a way to bloom in this drought, in this wind". Billie Joe believes that if a delicate flower can bloom in harsh weather conditions and thrive then so can she.
"Night Bloomer"
Mrs. Brown's
cereus plant bloomed on Saturday night.
She sent word
after promising I could come see it.
I rubbed my gritty eyes with swollen hands.
My stomach grizzled as I
made my way through the dark
to her house.
Ma wouldn't have let me go at all.
My father just stood in the doorway and
watched me leave.
It was almost three in the morning when I got there.
A small crowd stood around.
Mrs. Brown said,
"The blossom opened at midnight,
big as a dinner plate.
It took only moments to unfold."
How can such a flower
find a way to bloom in this drought,
in this wind.
It blossomed at night,
when the sun couldn't scorch it,
when the wind was quiet,
when there might have been a sip of dew
to freshen it.
I couldn't watch at dawn,
when the flower,
touched by the first finger of morning light,
wilted and died.
I couldn't watch
as the tender petals burned up in the sun.
September 1934
What is a cereus plant? A cacti flower. When does it bloom? In the night. How often does it bloom? Once a year. Where does it bloom? In tropical areas. What is so special about this plant? Some of these flowers only bloom once in their lifetime.
The cereus plant represents hope in "Out of the Dust". In the text Billie Jo is surprised to see the flower in such weather conditions. "How can such a flower
find a way to bloom in this drought, in this wind". Billie Joe believes that if a delicate flower can bloom in harsh weather conditions and thrive then so can she.
"Night Bloomer"
Mrs. Brown's
cereus plant bloomed on Saturday night.
She sent word
after promising I could come see it.
I rubbed my gritty eyes with swollen hands.
My stomach grizzled as I
made my way through the dark
to her house.
Ma wouldn't have let me go at all.
My father just stood in the doorway and
watched me leave.
It was almost three in the morning when I got there.
A small crowd stood around.
Mrs. Brown said,
"The blossom opened at midnight,
big as a dinner plate.
It took only moments to unfold."
How can such a flower
find a way to bloom in this drought,
in this wind.
It blossomed at night,
when the sun couldn't scorch it,
when the wind was quiet,
when there might have been a sip of dew
to freshen it.
I couldn't watch at dawn,
when the flower,
touched by the first finger of morning light,
wilted and died.
I couldn't watch
as the tender petals burned up in the sun.
September 1934
Billie Jo's life timeline
Poem Re-Written in another P.O.V
Baby p. 184 in Pa's P.O.V
I only have one baby.
Polly died trying to have another,
the Lindberghs lost their's one night.
I can't believe someone would just give one away.
Last Saturday a baby was left at the steps of the church.
A living, breathing baby.
Billie Jo asked me if we could keep it,
heck I'd keep that baby in a heart beat if we could feed it,
and give it a mother.
But we couldn't.
I wish she understood why,
I hope she does.
I let BJ take Franklin's nighties down and donate them,
we don't need them anyway.
I only have one baby.
Polly died trying to have another,
the Lindberghs lost their's one night.
I can't believe someone would just give one away.
Last Saturday a baby was left at the steps of the church.
A living, breathing baby.
Billie Jo asked me if we could keep it,
heck I'd keep that baby in a heart beat if we could feed it,
and give it a mother.
But we couldn't.
I wish she understood why,
I hope she does.
I let BJ take Franklin's nighties down and donate them,
we don't need them anyway.