JennaOkohira

3.2.15
Period1

Doobstaclesinlifehinderorassistyourpersonalgrowth?

Perseverance,determination,andhardworkcanhelpovercometheobstaclesin
life.BillieJoisateenagerlivingintheDustBowlinthehistoricalfictionbook,
Outofthe
Dust
byKarenHesse.Sherunsintomanydifficultiesandtryingsituationsbutpushes
throughthemusingdriveanddetermination.Obstaclesinlifeassistyourpersonal
growththeymakeyoustronger.

Problemscanbediscouragingbuttheyhelpyouroverallstrengthand
personality.Thisquote:...eachandeveryoneofuswascoughingandweallneededa
bath.Ihopewegetbonuspointsfortestinginaduststorm.(Hesse,Kp.37)showsthe
hardshipschildrenlivingintheDustBowlhavetoface.Takingatestinaduststorm
mustdampenthestudentshopesofgettingagoodgrade.Thechildrensscores
toppedthestateofOklahomaandthatsignifiedanyonecanachieveanythingiftheytry.
Inadditionthisquote,
Recurrentduststormswreakedhavoc,chokingcattleand
pasturelandsanddriving60percentofthepopulationfromtheregion.
(
http://www.history.com/topics/dustbowl
)meansthatpeoplelivingintheDustBowlhad
verylittlerainandadryenvironment.Norainandadryenvironmentledtonocrops,
whichledtonothingtofeedthecattle,andfamineanddroughtforthetownspeople.As
youcansee,peoplelivinginOklahomaatthetimeoftheDustBowlwererolemodelsto
everyonelivingintheUnitedStatesbecauseoftheirperseverance.Obstaclesinlife
arechallengingbuttheyserveashelpersandsouvenirsinlife.

Nomatterwhat,dontgiveupeveningrimtimes.Inthisquote:whencountless
farmswerelostduststormsracedacrossthousandsofmilesofoncefertileland...and
millionsofAmericanmen,womenandchildrentooktotheroad,leavingbehind
everythingtheyknewandeverythingtheydbuilt,headingwest,seekingwork,food,
shelter,newlives,newhope.(
http://time.com/3517348/truegritdustbowlsurvivors/
)
manypeopleleftOklahomatofindabetterplacetolive.Thisisonewayofshowing
howthecommunitydidntgiveupandletthedusttakethemaway.Instead,theygot
tiredofhavingtoputupwiththeconstantstormsandheadinadifferentdirectionwith
life,hopingforafresh,newstart.Anotherwaythepeopleshowedtenacityisinthis
quote:Myfatherwillstay,nomatterwhat(Hesse,Kp.75)becauseBillieJosfather
willnotleavetheDustBowl.Othertownspeopleperseveredandputupwiththedust.
Thesespecificpeopleshowhowtogetthroughtoughtimesandmakeastandbynot

lettingthedustsweepawayeverythingtheyowned.Havingendurance,persistence,
andpatienceischallengingbutitallpaysoffintheend.

Yourhardworkandlaborbuildsyourstrengthandassistsyourlife.Thisquote:
WithMagone,ifthemudstobebusted,thejobfallstome.(Hesse,Kp.110)shows
thatBillieJothinksthatshehastodoalltheworkhermomdid.Thisisapositivething
becauseherhandsarecutandburnedbutshedoeshouseworkthatbuildsendurance
onherhands.ItshowshowdeterminedBillieJoistoovercomealltheobstaclesshe
hasencountered.Inaddition,BillieJosays,IplayedsowellonWednesdaynight,
Arley...askedmetocomeandperformatthePresidentsbirthdayball.(Hesse,Kp.15)
Sheworkedhardandpracticedpianowhichledhertobeingaskedtoperformatthe
Presidentsball.BillieJodeservesthisopportunityandasyoucansee,herlabor
assistedher.Doingtherightthingandbeingyourbestaretwoveryimportantkeysto
life.

Obstaclesandproblemsinlifehelpbuildpersonalityandstrength.Theycanbe
discouragingandchallengingbuttheyassistyourdevelopment.Whenyoureinatough
situationnevergiveupbecauseyouhavemoreenduranceandpatiencethanyoumight
think.Complicationsaredifficultbutintheendallthehardshipsandtoughsituations
havehelpedyougrow.