Previous
85. Blankets of Black
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Out of the Dust, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Nature, Survival, and the Dust Bowl
Poverty, Charity, and Community
Coming of Age
Family and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
Mad Dog visits Billie Jo to see if she is okay after the storm. They talk for an hour, but he never tries to court her. Just before he leaves, Mad Dog tells Billie Jo he is moving to Amarillo, where he hopes to make money singing on the radio. Billie Jo is surprised Mad Dog is willing to leave school and his farm to pursue music. Mad Dog picks up a handful of dust and says, “I love this land, no matter what,” and then takes off.
Billie Jo knows people always say they will come back to the region and then don’t, so this could be the last time she sees Mad Dog. With Mad Dog gone, there is little left for Billie Jo in the Panhandle. Her father is a shell of himself, her best friend is gone, and she cannot (or will not) play piano.
Themes
