b.J's Journey
Winter 1934
What is Billie Jo's main interpersonal problem? Give at least three examples of this.
B.J's main interpersonal problems are her mom wont let her play the piano, her best friend Livie moved away and now she feels alone, and her Dad doesn't really like her because he prefers a boy.
What is Bille Jo's main problem with her everyday, non-family related, life?
Her main problem is the dust is ruining her families life because now they have nothing left.
Spring 1994
What main problem does Bille Jo write about now?
Billie Jo's main problem now is her father and mother are fighting about what they should grow and Billy Jo is worried if they will have enough food for themselves and the baby.
What are Billie Jo's two sources of comfort and for what reasons?
Billie Jo's two sources of comfort are the piano because she feels that when she plays the piano she is out of the dust, and her mom's apple tree because her mom loves and cares for the apple tree like she does for Billie Jo
SUMMER 1934
What catastophic events happen now?
Billie Jo sets her mom on fire "Suddenly, Ma was a column of fire." Page 60. Then eventually her mom dies "Ma died that day." Page 69. On top of that as soon as her brother is born he dies. "My brother died." Page 70.
What personal problems does Billie Jo now struggle with? Quote passages that express these problems.
Personal problems Billie Jo has is that she no longer can play piano because there is not much of her hand left after the "accident" and her dad thinks of her differently because of her hands. "I keep my raw and stinging hands behind my back when he comes near because he stares at them." Page 76 she feels that her dad thinks of her differently because of her hand which makes her feel like he doesn't love her.
What interpersonal problem now develops for Bille Jo? Give several examples of this problem in action.
The main interpersonal problem Billie Jo faces is she is losing connection with her father. After the death of Polly they blame each other for the incident even though it was a combined effort. Her Dad doesn't even look at her anymore unless her hand is behind her back. Billie Jo states that she will never forgive him for leaving the kerosene there. Billie Jo is irritated with her dad for drinking and leaving her alone with ma.
AUTUMN 1934
What is Billie Jo's main focus now?
Billie Jo's main focus is on the art exhibit she visited. The art shows places where dust doesn't exist and when the paintings are put away she is angered because they made her feel like she was out of the dust. The paintings make her want to leave even more.
WINTER and SPRING 1935
How are Billie Jo's feelings about her mother changing? Give examples of this.
B.J.'s feelings for her mom are changing because during winter and spring she was always thinking that if ma was there it would be different. Shes repeating things she has done before but without ma which is hard for her.
What is Billie Jo's main ongoing interpersonal problem now? Give examples of this problem in action.
B.J's main interpersonal problem is she cant forget about her mom. For example she keeps referring to ma whenever she needs help or did something she did last year when ma was still alive.
What main feeling does Billie Jo express about where she lives? Quote passages in which Billie Jo expressed this feeling.
The main feeling B.J. expresses about where she lives is it is a place of false hope. For example she states that "rain had brought back some grass" page 180 and then instantly "the wind came from the west bringing dust." Page 181 showing that all hope gets destroyed by the dust.
What progress does Billie Jo make in coping with her burned hands? Quote passages that express this.
B.J. makes progress coping with her hands by going and playing the piano at a competition. "I forgot I was even playing in front of the packed Palace Theater. I dropped right into the music." Page 132 she realizes how much she misses music and forgets about her hands.
SUMMER 1935
What feelings allow Billie Jo to make the choice to leave home? Quote lines that express this.
The feelings that allow B.J. to make the choice to leave are she feels theres nothing left and the dust is just keeping her stuck in her small town. "Ill day if I stay slowly, surely smothering" page 197 she feels is she stays that there is nothing left were she is and its all gone because of the dust.
Why does Billie Jo decide to return home?
B.J. decides to return home because she realizes that she cant be out of the dust, the dust is a part of her life and so is her father. She cant just go on her own and leave her dad.
AUTUMN 1935
What steps does Billie Jo's father take to help him and Billie Jo reconcile?
B.J.'s father helped reconcile with her by going to the doctor to check out the spots like she said, and starting to help with the house and talk with B.J.
What characteristics and actions of Louise allow Billie to accept this new woman?
The actions of Louise that allow B.J. to accept her is that she makes her dad help out and everyone works equally, also she isn't week, for example she doesn't take no for a answer.
In what ways does hope return to the Kelby's farm?
Hope returns to the Kelby farm when the family is reunited and wheat is starting to grow back.
What do the role of the piano and her hands now reveal about Billie Jo's recovery?
The role of B.J's hand and the piano reveal that she thought she was done and her piano days were over, but she stayed strong and always tried playing and it is like her leaving she was week when she decided to leave but strong enough to return.
What is Billie Jo's main interpersonal problem? Give at least three examples of this.
B.J's main interpersonal problems are her mom wont let her play the piano, her best friend Livie moved away and now she feels alone, and her Dad doesn't really like her because he prefers a boy.
What is Bille Jo's main problem with her everyday, non-family related, life?
Her main problem is the dust is ruining her families life because now they have nothing left.
Spring 1994
What main problem does Bille Jo write about now?
Billie Jo's main problem now is her father and mother are fighting about what they should grow and Billy Jo is worried if they will have enough food for themselves and the baby.
What are Billie Jo's two sources of comfort and for what reasons?
Billie Jo's two sources of comfort are the piano because she feels that when she plays the piano she is out of the dust, and her mom's apple tree because her mom loves and cares for the apple tree like she does for Billie Jo
SUMMER 1934
What catastophic events happen now?
Billie Jo sets her mom on fire "Suddenly, Ma was a column of fire." Page 60. Then eventually her mom dies "Ma died that day." Page 69. On top of that as soon as her brother is born he dies. "My brother died." Page 70.
What personal problems does Billie Jo now struggle with? Quote passages that express these problems.
Personal problems Billie Jo has is that she no longer can play piano because there is not much of her hand left after the "accident" and her dad thinks of her differently because of her hands. "I keep my raw and stinging hands behind my back when he comes near because he stares at them." Page 76 she feels that her dad thinks of her differently because of her hand which makes her feel like he doesn't love her.
What interpersonal problem now develops for Bille Jo? Give several examples of this problem in action.
The main interpersonal problem Billie Jo faces is she is losing connection with her father. After the death of Polly they blame each other for the incident even though it was a combined effort. Her Dad doesn't even look at her anymore unless her hand is behind her back. Billie Jo states that she will never forgive him for leaving the kerosene there. Billie Jo is irritated with her dad for drinking and leaving her alone with ma.
AUTUMN 1934
What is Billie Jo's main focus now?
Billie Jo's main focus is on the art exhibit she visited. The art shows places where dust doesn't exist and when the paintings are put away she is angered because they made her feel like she was out of the dust. The paintings make her want to leave even more.
WINTER and SPRING 1935
How are Billie Jo's feelings about her mother changing? Give examples of this.
B.J.'s feelings for her mom are changing because during winter and spring she was always thinking that if ma was there it would be different. Shes repeating things she has done before but without ma which is hard for her.
What is Billie Jo's main ongoing interpersonal problem now? Give examples of this problem in action.
B.J's main interpersonal problem is she cant forget about her mom. For example she keeps referring to ma whenever she needs help or did something she did last year when ma was still alive.
What main feeling does Billie Jo express about where she lives? Quote passages in which Billie Jo expressed this feeling.
The main feeling B.J. expresses about where she lives is it is a place of false hope. For example she states that "rain had brought back some grass" page 180 and then instantly "the wind came from the west bringing dust." Page 181 showing that all hope gets destroyed by the dust.
What progress does Billie Jo make in coping with her burned hands? Quote passages that express this.
B.J. makes progress coping with her hands by going and playing the piano at a competition. "I forgot I was even playing in front of the packed Palace Theater. I dropped right into the music." Page 132 she realizes how much she misses music and forgets about her hands.
SUMMER 1935
What feelings allow Billie Jo to make the choice to leave home? Quote lines that express this.
The feelings that allow B.J. to make the choice to leave are she feels theres nothing left and the dust is just keeping her stuck in her small town. "Ill day if I stay slowly, surely smothering" page 197 she feels is she stays that there is nothing left were she is and its all gone because of the dust.
Why does Billie Jo decide to return home?
B.J. decides to return home because she realizes that she cant be out of the dust, the dust is a part of her life and so is her father. She cant just go on her own and leave her dad.
AUTUMN 1935
What steps does Billie Jo's father take to help him and Billie Jo reconcile?
B.J.'s father helped reconcile with her by going to the doctor to check out the spots like she said, and starting to help with the house and talk with B.J.
What characteristics and actions of Louise allow Billie to accept this new woman?
The actions of Louise that allow B.J. to accept her is that she makes her dad help out and everyone works equally, also she isn't week, for example she doesn't take no for a answer.
In what ways does hope return to the Kelby's farm?
Hope returns to the Kelby farm when the family is reunited and wheat is starting to grow back.
What do the role of the piano and her hands now reveal about Billie Jo's recovery?
The role of B.J's hand and the piano reveal that she thought she was done and her piano days were over, but she stayed strong and always tried playing and it is like her leaving she was week when she decided to leave but strong enough to return.