How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Stanza)
Quote #4
He ran into the storm, / his overalls half-hooked over his union suit. / "Daddy!" I called. "You can't stop dust." (17.5)
Wow—Daddy's so determined to not let his crop die that he tries to take on a big honking dust storm single-handedly. Sadly, Billie Jo's right. We all know how this one ends.
Quote #5
Now, little remains of Daddy's hard work. / And the only choice he has / is to give up / or start all over again. (26.2)
Give up? Give up? Is she kidding here? We've seen enough to know that phrase isn't in Daddy's vocabulary. Not surprisingly, he'll be right back at it soon.
Quote #6
I pushed her to the ground, / desperate to save her, / desperate to save the baby, I / tried, / beating the flames out with my hands. / I did the best I could. / But it was no good. / Ma / got / burned / bad. (32.5)
Billie Jo's attempt to rescue Ma from the flames is one of the story's most heartbreaking acts of perseverance. But think about this: Where in our exploration of this theme did we just see somebody taking on an impossible task out of sheer determination? Billie Jo really is her father's daughter.