Out of the Dust Characters

The fact that we're eavesdropping on Billie Jo's diary makes it pretty clear that she's the main character. That's right: Each chapter/poem is a journal entry, which means we get to be firsthand wi...

Bayard Kelby, Billie Jo's dad, is your textbook 1930s farmer. We're talking tough, weathered, hardworking, and committed—times may be challenging, but no matter how bad the drought gets, he's not...

Billie Jo's mom has been roughed up by the hard reality of life on the farm and, according to her daughter, isn't much to look at. She's worn and skinny, has bad teeth, and her hair is perpetually...

If you think back, you can probably remember a time when an adult took an interest in your life and encouraged you to pursue a dream or talent you had. There's just something about being a teenager...

We don't know a lot about Daddy's sister, Ellis, except that neither Daddy nor Billie Jo want Billie Jo living with her when she offers to take her in, and that she lives in Lubbock, Texas, not far...

Buddy Williams is the patriarch of the migrant family that takes up residence in Miss Freeland's classroom during part five. His wife, who's expecting a baby, two children, and either his or his wi...

Dewey is the main law enforcement official for Cimarron County. It's his job to keep tabs on the Dust Bowl situation, as well as deal with any problems that might arise. Early in the book, he's the...

Doc Rice is the classic country doctor who attends to all the citizens' needs, no matter how big or small. He plays a particularly important role for the Kelby family, as he not only cares for Bill...

Along with Livie's alleged appearance in the slats of the boxcar, the drifter from Moline, Kansas who joins Billie Jo in her journey plays a huge role in getting her to reverse her decision to leav...

Haydon P. Nye is a prominent local farmer who dies during the winter of 1935. He had quite a history with the Panhandle region during his life, having profited from the land's crops during the war....

Remember the opening of the old musical Oklahoma when the cowboy rides across the prairie on a horse singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning"? That's Joe De La Flor, Cimarron's very own singing cowbo...

While only a minor character in an early chapter in the book, Billie Jo's best friend, Livie, plays an important role in foreshadowing the hard times to come for the town. Her family goes to Califo...

The Other Woman. The Wicked Stepmother. The Second Wife. Women who get hitched to previously married men often get some pretty bad stereotypes thrown at them, but fortunately Louise, Daddy's lady f...

With his good looks, sultry crooning voice, and crowd-pleasing personality, Mad Dog Craddock's got everything it takes to become the 1930s version of Michael Buble. He's definitely got Arley Wander...

Miss Freeland is that teacher who always seems to be the voice of reason. Early in the book, when Mr. Noble and Mr. Romney are in the middle of their rabbit-killing feud, she explains how the droug...

Mr. Hardly is the shopkeeper of the town general store. While he runs a good establishment, some of his business is a little bit funny, as he charges too much for substandard goods and often cheats...

Mrs. Love is a government worker for Federal Emergency Relief Association who helps those affected by the Depression and Dust Bowl conditions find work and get back on their feet.

Pete Guymon is a local deliveryman for Mr. Hardly's store who dies of dust pneumonia, demonstrating that the dust storms kill more than just crops and animals.

Reverend Bingham is the local pastor who presides over Ma and Franklin's funeral. Preaching at anyone's memorial service can't be an easy job, but Billie Jo isn't too thrilled with the treatment he...

The head local law enforcement official, Sheriff Robertson handles the situation with the illegal still on the Cimarron River. He gives the thousand pounds of sugar discovered there to Miss Freelan...

Arley's wife, Vera, is his partner in his music ventures and is quite the vocal talent herself. It's partly because of her that Billie Jo is allowed to go on tour with the Black Mesa Boys early in...