Death is the source of much of the characters' suffering in Out of the Dust, whether it's the loss of a crop or the loss of a parent or spouse. In the midst of the Dust Bowl's hard circumstances, many characters struggle to understand their hardships as the certainty and unpredictability of death reveals itself. As the characters are brought face to face with the reality of mortality though, they also learn to understand and appreciate life, even in the face of loss, realizing that uncertain times can bring about death at any time. In other words, enjoy things while they last.
Questions About Mortality
- Besides Ma's accident, what other instances of death occur in the novel? What purpose do they serve in developing this theme?
- What role does the death of natural elements, like the night-blooming plant and the wheat, play in the book's examination of mortality?
- How do Billie Jo's views of mortality change throughout the story?
Chew on This
While Daddy turns inward as a result of Ma's death, Billie Jo comes to appreciate life's beauty through knowledge of its fragility.
The inescapability of the dust in the story mirrors the inevitability of death.