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AnnaPercuoco AReviewofOutoftheDust ThereviewsthatappearonthefirstpageofOutoftheDustcouldnothavearticulatedbetter myfeelingsaboutthisnovel.Thestoryisbleak,Booklistreviews,butHesseswritingtranscendsthe gloomandtransformsitintoapowerfullycompellingtaleofagirlwithenormousstrength,courageand love.BillyJoisayoungwomanwhoselifeissowroughtwithtrialsthatsheexpectssufferingatevery turn.Whenthissorrowthreatenstooverwhelmherlikethedustwhichsmothersherfamilysfarm,she accessesthisenormousstrengthandcourageandbravesthestorm.TherawemotionthatBillyJo experiencesisperfectlyexpressedthroughstarkpoetrywritteninfirstperson(somethingonwhich Booklistalsotouches.)Asateacher,thisisoneaspectofthenovelonwhichIwouldfocusmylesson plans.Accessingemotionthroughpoetryisabeautifulandexcitingpartofliterature,andHeeseswriting wouldserveastheperfectexample.InthisbriefresponsetoOutoftheDust,IwilladdressHesses useofvariousliterarydevicestoexpressthethemesofhopeanddespair. Inthebeginning,BillyJoisfullofhopeandhappiness,albeitabitrestless.Inherfirstpoemshe says,Icametoofastforthedoctor(Hesse3)and fromtheearliestIcanremember Ivebeenrestlessinthis littlePanhandleshackwecallhome(4). Inherdescriptionofherbirth,shedescribesherselfasbeingbornanadventurous,hurriedlittlegirl.She doesntwanttobesittingstilllongenoughforthedusttosettleonher,butwhatcanshedo?Sheisthe wrongsex(181)andisastrappedandtiedtoherfathershouseasheistothelandhefarms.Inone poem,FoulasMaggotyStew,shewritesaboutbeingtiedtothehouseunderhermothersrule.Sheis

heldbackfromperformingbecausehermotheroftenrefusestoallowhertoleave.Inthispoem,BillyJo questionshermothersrefusal,angrilystaringatherbackallthewhile(29): Idontknowwhyshes soagainstmyplaying. ...sometimesIthinkshes justplainjealous whenImatthepiano andshesnot.(28) ItisherethatBillyJoacknowledgesthatregardlessofwhyhermotherhasrefusedtoletherperformin thisinstance,shestillcannotgo.Shelongsforfreedomfromtheserestrictions,asallteenagersdo,but shealsolongsforfreedomasawoman. BillyJoremindsmeofEsperanzafromSandraCisernosTheHouseonMangoStreet,artistic andambitious,yettrappedandrestrictedbecauseofhersex.IamcurrentlyteachingTheHouseon MangoStreetinmySpanishIVclass,andtheparallelswithOutoftheDustmakeitaperfect companiontext.Thetwogirlsareeerilysimilar,asarethetexts.InTheHouseonMangoStreet,a youngMexicangirltellsthestoryofhermostformativeyearsthroughaseriesofvignetteswithastyleof prosethatisoftenreadsmorelikepoetry.Throughoutherlifesheexpressesadesiretobemorethana housewifecaringforamanandtheirchildrenand,likeBillyJo,itisthroughherartthatsheexpresses thisdesireforfreedom.WhileBillyJosmusicisherartisticfocus,Esperanzaseesherwritingasthe bestavenuetofreedom.InoneofthemostrevealingvignettesinTheHouseonMangoStreet, EsperanzadescribesherfriendAliciaingreatdetail.Alicia,likeEsperanzaandBillyJo,istrappedina lifewherebeingfemalecomeswithresponsibilitiesthatrestrictherfreedom.Esperanza,inliltingand poeticprose,quotesAliciasfatherinthestoryAliciaWhoSeesMice: awomansplaceissleepingsoshecanwakeupearlywiththetortillastar,theonethat appearsjustintimetoriseandcatchthehindlegsbehindthesink,beneaththefourclawedtub,

undertheswollenfloorboardsnobodyfixes,inthecornerofyoureyes(Cisernos31). ThedespairshefeelsonbehalfofAliciaispoignantandmirrorsthatofBillyJosinthepoemaptlytitled HopeSmotheredwhenshelearnsthatboysbetweentheagesof18and28arebeingrecruitedtojoin theCivilianConservationCorps(CCC): Imtooyoung andthewrongsex butwhatIwouldntgivetobe workingfortheCCC somewherefarfromhere, outofthedust(Hesse181). ThethemesofhopeanddespairaremostoftenexpressedbyBillyJowhenevershewrites aboutmusic.Whensheleavestoplaythepianowithatravelingband,shewrites: ...everylittlecrowd isgratefultoheararagortwoplayed onthepiano byalonglegged,redhairedgirl, evenwhenthepianohasafewkeyssouredbydust.(49) Notonlyisthemusicsheplaysametaphorforhope,butthedustisasymbolofdespair.Interpreting thisstanzainthislight,thespiritofthispoemisclear.BillyJolongstoplaypianobecauseitbringsher hopeasitdoesheraudience,eventhoughhersongsaretaintedbythedespairofDustBowl,Great Depressionlife. Inoneofthelastpoemsofthebook,BillyJowritesabouthowherfathersemotionalabsence hascausedthedusttofeelevenheavierthanithadbefore.Shesaysofhim: Heisrottingaway, likehisfather, readytoleavemebehindinthedust. Well,Imleavingfirst(196).

Inhisattemptstoescapethedespairofthedust,hehaspulledawayfromherentirely.Nowshehaslost bothmotherandfather,andisleftorphanedandhomelessinOklahoma(205).Onlywhensheisfinally abletoexplainherpaintohimisshefreetofindhope.Inthemostmovingpoemofthebook,BillyJo describesthisjourneyintohope,andhowshehascometodealwithherexperiencewiththedust. AndIknownowthatallthetimeIwastryingtoget outofthedust, thefactis, whatIam, Iambecauseofthedust. AndwhatIamisgoodenough. Evenforme.(222) Intheend,BillyJofindshopeinthefactthatlifeismoreaboutthejourneythanthedestination.Thisisa crucialtruththatIamthrilledtosharewithmystudentsthroughHessesbrilliantpoetryinOutofthe Dust.