Theme/Purpose
After Billie Jo's mom died both Billie Jo and her father blamed themselves for her death. They both stopped communicating with each other after this terrible event. Towards the end of the story when she walks back home with her father, she begins to bond with him again. She shows that she forgives her father by communicating with him again and, she shows that she forgives herself by opening up to people again.
Billie Jo's father shows that he has forgiven her by communicating with her again. He shows he has forgiven himself, because he allows himself to be a father again, and being interested in Billie Jo's life. Billie Jo's father has forgiven the land by building a pond in memory of his wife and accepting the land as it is.
The author suggest that in some ways the land has also forgivn the people for the misuse, by blessing the people with much needed rain and making the night bloom flower blossom, which gave Billie Jo a sign of hope. "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."
The phrase "out of the dust" appears several times in the book. At one point Billie Jo wants to escape "out of the dust," but later she says, "I can't get out of something that is inside me." The title of the book reflects on who Billie Jo is as a person, because when you hear the phrase "out of the dust," it is as if Billie Jo is claiming her strength and perseverance. "Out of the dust," can mean becoming someone in life, despite coming from difficult circumstances.
The book reflects on the general experience of people during the 1930's and the Great Depression, by its vivid description of actual events that took place during the 1930's. This book explains how the dust storm affected peoples everyday lives, and how they lived, ate, and suffered through the dust. It also described the dusts affect on the ecosystem and what happened as a result of the change, like the rabbit and grasshopper plaques, and the many droughts that actually occurred.
The title of the book, "Out of the Dust," is significant, because it reflects the attitude of the people living in those areas affected by the dust storm. They all wanted to stay out of the dust. Many of them moved to California where there was no dust and they would not have to worry about eating dusty food, having dust in their mouths, nose, lungs, and in their homes. The title "Out of the Dust," is also significant to Billie Jo's character as a person, because Billie Jo is strong and she also has great perseverance. She became someone in life, despite coming from difficult circumstances.