Out of the DustOut of the DustBy Karen HesseBy Karen Hesse

Main CharactersMain Characters

► Billie Jo Billie Jo ►Good at pianoGood at piano►14 years old14 years old

►Ma (Mother)Ma (Mother)►PregnantPregnant►Died in the fireDied in the fire

► Pa (Father)Pa (Father)►Wanted a son not daughter, but he loves Billie JoWanted a son not daughter, but he loves Billie Jo

►Homeless manHomeless man►He showed Billie Joe his family photo on her run outHe showed Billie Joe his family photo on her run out

► LouiseLouise►Pa’s new wife whose fulfill Ma statusPa’s new wife whose fulfill Ma status

Plot SummaryPlot Summary

InIn Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, 14 14 year year old Billie Jo old Billie Jo coped with coped with the hardships of living the hardships of living

on a family wheat farm. Billie Jo's mother die on a family wheat farm. Billie Jo's mother die s after an accident with burning kerosene an s after an accident with burning kerosene an d Billie Jo blames herself and her father for he d Billie Jo blames herself and her father for he r mother's death. Billie Jo is a talented pianist r mother's death. Billie Jo is a talented pianist , but is reluctant to play after burns scar her , but is reluctant to play after burns scar her

hands. She leaves home, but soon learns ho hands. She leaves home, but soon learns ho w much "dust" is a part of her. w much "dust" is a part of her. SS he struggles he struggles to survive a difficult time. to survive a difficult time.

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Plot Structure

Comeback home and realize that she could not escape from the dust-the hardship

Mom died because of Kerosene left by dad on the stove in the kitchen

Introducing the character in the story such as poverty and farming

ThemesThemes

The Importance of FamilyThe Importance of Family► Losing mother in the family is like missing Losing mother in the family is like missing

a piece of jigsaw. The rest member of a piece of jigsaw. The rest member of family would feel sad. Billie Jo and her family would feel sad. Billie Jo and her father could not live as the same as when father could not live as the same as when her mother is alive. Luckily, her father got her mother is alive. Luckily, her father got a girlfriend Louise who replaced the status a girlfriend Louise who replaced the status of her mother. It was like the piece of of her mother. It was like the piece of another different set of jigsaw that fit the another different set of jigsaw that fit the missing space.missing space.

Displaced PeopleDisplaced People► Billie Jo’s family wheat farm in Oklahoma Billie Jo’s family wheat farm in Oklahoma

got a lot of dust which makes difficulty in got a lot of dust which makes difficulty in growing plants, plus it is dry. While her growing plants, plus it is dry. While her neighbor moved out because of these neighbor moved out because of these reasons, her father kept growing the wheat reasons, her father kept growing the wheat by digging a pool even it is hopeless by digging a pool even it is hopeless because it is hardly to get raining. Finally, because it is hardly to get raining. Finally, it rained and he could do his farming. it rained and he could do his farming.

ForgivenessForgiveness► The death of Billie Jo’s mother was that her The death of Billie Jo’s mother was that her

dad kept kerosene in the kitchen. Her dad kept kerosene in the kitchen. Her mother thought that it was water, when she mother thought that it was water, when she was making tea, so she put it on the stove was making tea, so she put it on the stove and it exploded. She blamed her dad about and it exploded. She blamed her dad about this, later she learned that blaming does not this, later she learned that blaming does not make the situation better. Therefore, she make the situation better. Therefore, she forgave her dad, and tried to live with dad forgave her dad, and tried to live with dad and his girl friend. and his girl friend.

Lesson ExamplesLesson Examples

http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/99/http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/99/dust/intro.htmldust/intro.html

http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/ohttp://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/outofthedust/utofthedust/