"Out of the Dust" Re-configures the Tragedies of the Dust Bowl into a Tale of Hope

     Written as a collection of poems spanning from Winter 1934 to Autumn 1935, Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust is a "year-in-the-life" tale following a young girl named Billie Jo, and her tumultuous experience living in rural Oklahoma during the Great Depression (and more specifically, the infamous Dust Bowl). While the worst economic period in American history is well-known by most, the Dust Bowl is an equally-devastating catastrophe that is often glossed over or only briefly mentioned in textbooks. Out of the Dust makes sure to exclude none of the hardships brought on by this environmental disaster, and in doing so provides mini history lessons for audiences who may be unfamiliar with this element of the Depression.
     More important than its historical components however is the actual life of main-character Billie Jo. Although some elements of her specific experience are fictitious, the physical and psychological damage she experiences from living through the Dust Bowl were a sad reality for the thousands of Americans who were forced to live through these difficult years. That the book is written in such a poetic format only aides in conveying the emotional plight of Billie Jo and her community, and is in part what makes this book so impactful.
     The many tragedies detailed in Out of the Dust are somewhat reminiscent of the Book of Exodus (huge dust clouds, swarms of grasshoppers, and birds falling from the sky are all mentioned), but at the same time they almost carry the tone of a sadder version of Little House on the Prairie.
     There are certainly a fair share of depressing moments in this book, but they coincide with numerous (albeit, smaller) happy instances throughout the novel. Billie Jo and her neighbors come to appreciate the simpler joys in life, such as playing piano, painting, planting trees, and spending time with loved ones. While they have few material possessions, Billie Jo's family and her neighbors are still profoundly generous with one another, and it is clear that even the smallest acts of kindness have an immense impact on their community.
     Ultimately, it is the persistent and resolute spirit of Billie Jo and those she interacts with that enables them to persevere through the endless horrors of the Dust Bowl. These people have been stripped of nearly everything, down to their very livelihoods (which, for most, is closely attached to their identities), and yet they still cling to such a profound sense of hope. Though they are struck down time and time again as one disaster after another arrives on their doorsteps, they still carry a deep-seated belief that one day, they too might have a shot at realizing the ever-elusive American Dream. For those who know how history actually plays out, this ends up not being the case for most Dust Bowl farmers. Nevertheless, it is still quite inspiring to read about the steadfast determination of the human spirit, which ultimately transcends time and place.