Already a member? Does this idea resonate with you? I make wine from grape cuttings that I brought here from Sicily, and the wine I make reminds me of my father. If you'd like me to review your book, contact me! They lived in a dugout shelter for several years as Tony learned how to work their land (implied to have been obtained via one of the Homestead Acts of the early twentieth century), eventually becoming successful farmers. Check out my book club questions here. One day, Rafe abandons them with only a note. Did Elsas married sisters survive? It is likely that readers of The Four Winds, which arrived on Feb. 2, wont be able to imagine this story told any other way, so strong a character is Elsa as she fights for survival and finds her own strength in a tale that reaches from the Dust Bowl to the migrant camps of Californias Central Valley in the mid-1930s. Discussion Questions: 1. Fighting for any kind of social equality or radical change often requires great personal sacrifice. Rafe and Loreda are described as two peas in a pod, and they share both a similar look and temperament. After the family arrives in California, Elsa feels a mounting sense of guilt as Ant is continuously forced to take on more adult responsibilities, including picking cotton instead of attending school. For those listening to the audio edition, here are some questions for you about the audio experience. How does Hannahs description of the experience of migrant workers traveling from the South to California compare with the modern day treatment of immigrants looking for work? . How is Elsa shaped by these expectations and her failure to meet them? Businesses have been devastated and so many people have lost work. (The Detailed Plot Summary is also available, below), (The one-paragraph version: During the Dust Bowl in the Texas Panhandle, Elsa Wolcott is a woman who dreams of going to college, but gets pregnant instead and has two kids. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. When money runs low in the winter, Elsa starts standing in the food lines for assistance. Their relationship, though short-lived, makes Elsa feel truly loved by a man for the first time in her life, and she acknowledges that Jacks passion and desire for her have made her a stronger person. Massive dust storms pummel the region, covering everything in layers of grit and dust and causing an epidemic of lung disease. The Four Winds Chapter Summaries - eNotes.com Did you find the end of Elsas and her familys journey satisfying? There were times in my journey when it felt as if that penny and the hope it represented were the only things that kept me going. (1) What is the significance of the fact that it is an American penny? Issues such as immigration, whether between states or nations, and income inequality, are also in the mix. How well does the narrator, Julia Whelan, fit the characters personas? Different translations give . Before she started writing, Hannah says she did extensive research in order to be as accurate as possible about the history and the people about which she planned to write. Climate disaster is a threat, then and now. Why does Rafe leave and what is he chasing out west? Jack helps the Martinellis move into a cabin on camp for a large farming operation, Welty Farms, while also encouraging Elsa to unionize its workers. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Were they really communist the union organizers, Why did they have them leave grandmas farm. As the drought continues, their animals die and supplies run out. Is that an accurate comparison? How does her lack of self-esteem color her relationships with her husband and eldest child? Did you dislike Loreda during these years? online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. When a flash flood hits the migrant camp, everyone there, including the Martinellis, lose everything. From the number-one bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression, a time when the country was in crisis and at war with itself, when millions were out of work and even the land seemed to have turned against them. When Elsa has to tell her children, Loreda blames Elsa (says he left her, not them), and Anthony just doesn't understand. Did it add to the experience of the book? The encampment has a range of luxuries that most migrant camps do not have, such as solid walls, electricity, and an on-site school. Based on the information she had at the time, do you think Elsa was wrong not to seriously consider the possibility of moving to California with Rafe, especially when everyone was moving and he was so unhapy? An Italian immigrant, Tony and his wife, Rose, came to the United States with only a few dollars and some grape vine cuttings. Why do you think Loreda takes on her fathers mindset instead of her mothers? Your email address will not be published. In The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, Elsa Wolcott is a woman trying to raise two children on farm in the Great Plains during the Dust Bowl following the Great Depression. Review: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah - The Bibliofile The Four Winds: A Novel - B&N Readouts 1 May 2023 . In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinellilike so many of her neighborsmust make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through itthe harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. As the situation worsens, Elsa is forced to make a decision to stay and fight or leave for the uncertain and unfamiliar lands in the West. There was a quiet knock on the door. There are greater forces in the world than love and dedication, however. How do the characters in the book react in the face of poverty? In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman named Ana. The first day of the strike is successful despite Weltys threats of a further pay cut, but the next day, the strikers are met with law enforcement and hired vigilantes. They would die of thirst and hunger before theyd give that up. (76) Do you think this attitude is a common thread in those who across generations have come to chase the American Dream? Rose is a woman of strong Catholic faith, and she prays often, especially during the drought. I found it very depressing and had to force myself to finish it, Just started The Four Winds and Im wondering where Elsa would have found a copy of Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure given the times and small town she lived in. With the extreme poverty conditions, theres often remarks about how its inconceivable that this is taking place in America in the 30s. Most of the things that come up are facts that youd probably heard about in history class, but having it placed into the context of a vivid and expansive story really brought to life a time period that Ive never really spent much time thinking about. Aka: Lolo. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Why do you think Rose and Tony are so determined to stay on the land? As a professional organizer, Jack knows that his job is dangerous, and he does his best to protect Elsa and her family. What happened to the Wolcott family? There were times in my journey when it felt as if that penny and the hope it represented were the only things that kept me going.". In the Epilogue, in 1940, Loreda has been living in Texas. THE FOUR WINDS DISCUSSION GUIDE Book Club Collection (630) 232-0780 x366 bookclub@gpld.org . Edit: Someone in the comments mentioned that its mentioned at some point that people in that area pronounced drought as DROW-TH at that time in that case, I love that the narrator included it in the audiobook! Her deep-seated insecurities make her eager to please others, and she is quick to ingratiate herself with the Martinelli family. What do you think about Rafe? But she is shot and eventually passes away. Why is it a risk to associate with them and what is Elsas hesitation? She sees early on that the land is dying and tries hard to convince her family to leave for California, though much of this desire is based on the fanciful notions that Rafe has instilled in Loreda about living in a big city and becoming famous. She feels restless and destined for spinsterhood. He's taught one or two classes a semester in the journalism and mass communications department at Cal State Long Beach since 2006. Interestingly, Elsa believes herself a failure as a mother for her inability to pull her family out of poverty, but Loredas perspective is quite different. What does the Bible mean when it refers to the four winds? It was published in 2021. Rafe's fianc. Book club questions for The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah takes a deep dive into all the major events and character development in this epic read. What bonds Loreda and her father? During the COVID- 19 pandemic, Americans were faced with many of the same challenges of the Great Depression. Did any novel and/or character change your perception of either yourself or the world? eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. It had resurrected all the insecurities of childhood. (66) If youre a parent, did this passage resonate with you? In my travels after that book and talking to people, I really began to understand how much that story of female courage and womens lost history resonated with people, Hannah says. The Four Winds: A Novel by Kristin Hannah Reading Guide-Book Club "The Four Winds" (St. Martin's Press, 464 pp., *** out of four stars) plays out against the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl that together gutted the American economy and turned beloved . See the archives. Novel Approach: Depression-era tale 'The Four Winds' feels poignant With The Four Winds, Hannah has penned another survival story, this time about a family in the Great Plains struggling through the difficulties of poverty and famine during the Dust Bowl in the years after the Great Depression. Why do you think Loreda doesnt take her education that seriously? The second date is today's Over time, she comes to view Rose and Tony as her real parents, as they love and support her in a way that her birth parents never did. Rafe was set to go to college but once Elsa is pregnant with his child, those plans are canceled. What books influenced you when you were growing up? How do we face our own dark times? Rafe is unhappy, drinks heavily and dreams of going West to pursue new opportunities. And through her marriage, which turns out to be difficult, the embracing of her in-laws and motherhood and becoming a farm wife, she really goes through this journey where she becomes fearless and a warrior. eNotes.com, Inc. The police lob tear gas, and Weltys thugs beat Jack senseless. I love to read and review various genres with a focus on contemporary fiction, historical fiction with some mysteries/thrillers and also select nonfiction and memoirs. Summary and Themes in the Four Winds by Kristin Hannah