Study Guide

Out of the Dust Chapter 84

By Karen Hesse

Chapter 84


  • The way Billie Jo talks about it, a mass exodus is underway from her small town to California. People are packing everything they own into their cars, and while they say they'll be back, Billie Jo doesn't seem to believe them.
  • She's heard California is the place to go for jobs, green grass, and a generally better way of life, so in her mind, there's no reason to come back here, even if things do someday improve.