Family is another major theme in the novel. Billie Jo's family changes dramatically as the story progresses. Her mother and father always wanted more children; finally, Billie Jo's mother is pregnant. They do "normal" family things. Her father farms and her mother cooks, bakes, and makes sure that Billie Jo gets her homework completed. After the accident, after Billie Jo's mother and newborn baby brother die, there is a huge void in her life and in her father's life. They sit across the table from each other, but it is as though they are strangers. They are family, but their family is going through a transition. The family they knew has been destroyed. When Billie Jo returns home after having run away, she and her father talk. They realize they are connected. They redefine their relationship and their family. They finally become comfortable with each other again and are able to include Louise, the woman Billie Jo's father becomes engaged to, in their family.
The environment and the effect the environment has on the people living in the Dust Bowl is a third major theme. The drought that takes place in the Dust Bowl and the resulting dust storms cause poverty because the wheat crops are destroyed. The poverty, in turn, decreases morale and causes the people to become depressed. Living in the Dust Bowl under these conditions creates tremendous hardships. Animals die because there is nothing for them to eat or drink and there is dirt and dust everywhere. Billie Jo's father exhibits a sense of humor commenting that, "the potatoes were peppered plenty," and how lucky they were because they were having "chocolate" milk to drink. The "pepper" is dust, and the milk looks like chocolate milk because of the dust.
The environment also causes people to be fearful. Billie Jo expresses her fears when she asks,
Where would we be without
somewhere to live?
Without some work to do?
Without something to eat?
And yet, in spite of the extremely difficult living conditions, the people stay and farm the land — and they are happy. Hesse portrays the pain that exists in life and the joy that human beings are capable of feeling when the suffering is over and they are able to forgive and be surrounded by the love of family. By setting the novel in the Dust Bowl, Hesse allows readers to appreciate their own present-day environment.
