We've all been there. You have a bad day at work or school, feel frustrated by life, or just want people to stop getting all up in your grill. So you do the only sensible thing: you go to your bedroom and crank up some music—and somehow, you start feeling better. We might be separated from Billie Jo's story by decades, but replace our hip-hop with old-fashioned piano rags and life is no different for her in Out of the Dust. Playing piano is her comfort and outlet for sadness and frustration, as well as the thing that ultimately leads her to recover from Ma's death.
Questions About Art and Culture
- Imagine that you can travel back in time and give Billie Jo an iPod. What songs do you think she'd most be able to relate to?
- What types of art and culture are referenced in the book? What does this reveal about life in the Panhandle?
- How do you think Billie Jo's mother really feels about her daughter playing piano professionally? Billie Jo thinks she could be jealous because she is getting to have the career Ma wanted, but gave up for farm life. Do you buy this theory? Or is she just concerned about her daughter's schoolwork and her being out in the uncertain world of dust storms?
- What about Mad Dog's character? How is music a part of the relationship between him and Billie Jo? How would you describe this relationship?
Chew on This
For Billie Jo's community, music and culture are important sources of not only entertainment, but healing and fellowship.
Billie Jo's love of art and music plays a critical role in her desire to get away from home.