However, when she offers to pay part now and part when she gets a job, the woman suggests that she leave. Afterwards, Elsa drives back to the original camp to find the Dewey family, all living out of the back of a truck. The workers then filter into the fields, and the strike continues that day. She awakes in Jacks truck, and Jack helps her into the hotel room. With a new sense of direction, Loreda no longer wants to run away and goes home. As they head into the desert, they see a sign indicating to travelers that they need to bring water with them from that point on. Loreda returns home and apologizes to her mom. Elsa soon realizes that Welty's camp is designed to keep their workers poor and indebted to them, but she doesn't want to risk her job. But Loreda refuses it, saying she no longer believes in it because it failed to keep their family together. Okies referred to people from Oklahoma or similar places (like Texas), but were thought of as economic refugees that were typically impoverished. Then, flyers for a meeting for the Workers Alliance are distributed. Outside, she sees that Bruno is dead. He tells her that hes from Lonesome Tree, thirty miles away. It is a complex, intricate journey where the main protagonist comes into her own . As shes walking, Mr. Welty stops her and asks if shes heard any whispers about organizing, but she lies and says no. Elsa is reading The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton when she gets up the nerve to talk to her father about potentially attending college. . Similarly both Elsa and Loreda are disgusted by the camp and the people in it until they realize they will have to be exactly one of those people. Elsa and Rafe now also have a son, Anthony ("Ant"), 7. A time of abundance. The police know they are unlikely to find her and instead they reassure Elsa that her child will likely return home. As a result, Loreda is now unhappy there. Loreda offers to get a job to help out, but Elsa says that theres no jobs. Meanwhile, the Martinellis are immigrants. With that, Elsa decides they are leaving immediately while theyre all still alive. 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. Rafe is the eldest son of Ward Cameron, the older brother of Sarah and Wheezie, and the stepson of Rose Cameron. Later, when Elsa goes to talk to Loreda, she realizes that Loreda has run away, leaving just a note. The Washington Post named it one of the top 10 books of 2020. Elsa is led into Welty and in front of a boarded-up hotel. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation. Elsa oversleeps the next morning, waking to find the entire Martinelli family has eaten breakfast and is busy with farm chores. Now, she chronicles the Dust Bowl years, giving eager readers . Instead, her actions speak for themselves. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. In February, Elsa has the baby, a little girl they name Loreda (after her grandfather Walter who was born in Loredo). (1) What is the significance of the fact that it is an American penny? She recalls her mothers final words, be brave. She talks to Jack and thanks him for his help, but she maintains her stance against communism. Rafe has filled Loredas head with ideas of faraway places, and he tells her about his complaints about farm life. However, Elsa knows she needs to set a good example for her kids (to not give up) and doesnt want the neighbors to stop by and potentially see her unwashed kids. Rafe, on the other hand, is someone driven by dreams and hope, so he needs the prospect of something more aspirational to keep moving forward. When she goes home and tells Loreda that they need to stay at the camp for now, Loreda is horrified and angry, but its the only option. She claims to be 13, but the truck driver knows shes lying. Panic gripped the crowd and then Elsa felt something hit her head. As she does her chores, Elsa sees that a dust storm is approaching. Ten days after dropping him off, Ant is feeling better. Instead, she reminds Elsa that shes unmarriageable, she tells her she should accept her lot in life, and then her mother takes the red dress from her. Seeing her upset, Elsa decides to give Loreda Rafes shirt (the one shes been using as a scarf). The next morning, Loreda and Ant go outside to see a number of aid organization lined up with supplies and food, as well as a table with a woman from Workers United. THE FOUR WINDS Characters By Chapter: EDITOR: Christina Hale . Loreda screams and cries, while Ant is sad and cries. It could be argued that Loreda is able to be bold because her mother has protected her, whereas Elsa has gone through more disappointments that make her more uncertain and doubtful of whats to come. Then, a huge flock of birds fly by, heralding a thick dust storm that ravages the land. She resolves to raise her kids better. In the camp, people are paranoid about who may or may not be reporting back to Welty. They pack as much as they can into the car. short courses in singapore 2021; Elsa, instead goes to the hospital to beg for aspirin. To save money, spend a night in a tent camp with other migrants, only to learn that wages for migrant work are so low that they'll have to stay there indefinitely. He informs the farmers that in order to survive, they will need to alter their farming methods to employ soil conservation. The truck driver introduces himself as Jack Valen. Even when her father sees her and calls it a harlot dress, she insists on wearing it out. In 1935, the three of them embark on the ride towards California. Meanwhile, Rose intends to teach Elsa to cook. That night as they celebrate and rain and Loredas birthday, Rose passes around the familys lucky penny for people to make wishes on, as is their custom (on New Years, birthdays and when planting season comes). The flower slumps over immediately. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. It occurs to Elsa that her children would lose their innocence in the course of their trip and that there was a lot she hadnt anticipated. It is a portrait of one indomitable woman who will do anything to keep her family . Jack explains that the barn was burned down and some arrests were made. Afterwards, Elsa picks up a book she treasures, Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure. Loreda keeps walking until a truck driver stops for her. She stops at a gas station, but the man is rude to her because of her disheveled appearance after days of driving and camping out. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, she is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. Loreda runs off. She never saw them again, but their absence and knowing they didnt love her still bothers her. Rose helps Elsa move in, and afterwards Rafe promises Elsa that he will try to be a good husband. Still, they make plans to meet up that night at midnight. As she talks, shes interrupted by Elsa, she takes her back to their cabin. She sees Loreda in a truck ahead and follows. She knows she needs to take control. He continues to try to convince Elsa to join the cause, but she remains against it. Then, Rafe tells her he is leaving for college in August. Still, she does not give up and eventually improves. When she goes home, she first tells Rose and Tony what happened, and they are aghast. By 1934, dust storms are a constant threat. So appreciative that this is available. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and The Book Of the Month club. Meanwhile, Elsa asks for reassurance Rose will love her baby, so the child can grow up feeling loved. Never seen or heard from again, I would have liked . The past few years have been difficult, with the Great Depression, an on-going drought and frequent dust storms ravaging the lands. She demands money from the attendant, threatening to shoot him dead if he follows her. In the The Age of Innocence many of the characters sacrifice their personal freedoms and what their heart desires to their detriment, and they end up full of regrets. Winter comes and goes. The Four Winds is an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America's most defining eras the Great Depression.. Texas, 1934. The Quick Recap and Chapter-by-Chapter Summary for The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah are below. Tony and Rose pretend that they are going with them until the last minute, because they know that Elsa needs to go but will be reluctant to leave them behind. She becomes a farmer with her husband's family, though he leaves them, and they struggle with the unending drought. Kristin Hannah is a book club favorite, and THE NIGHTINGALE, her 2015 work set during World War II, was a massive hit. Meanwhile, Elsa finishes her workday and exchanges her chit (payment for her work) for credit (theres a 10% fee for doing so and no other place to cash it in). The Four Winds begins with Elsa Walcott in Texas in 1921. Others treat them like criminals, but they know that they are hard-working people in unfortunate circumstances. In California, Elsa is treated poorly because she is assumed to be poor and because shes assumed to an Okie or something like them. Jack takes Elsa to a Welty camp where there is a cabin that vacated yesterday. In previous chapters, the last pig was slaughtered, then here we see as the pig pen gets used for firewood. That morning she writes in her journal that she is in love. Mr. Gerald then informs him that the land will be auctioned off on April 16. At the party, Stella tells Loreda that the town bank is closing, and that her family is going to leaving, too. Finally, Elsa sits down with Loreda, and tells her that they are leaving Texas as soon as Ant is better. The campground is filled with tents and looks like a shantytown, but Elsa doesnt want to drive around and waste gas when they only have $27 left. They see that the camp has now grown considerably. She know the the card means that there was still a future. Reading "The Four Winds," it's impossible not to notice parallels between the fictional past and factual present. "Hope is a coin I carry. Elsa notes that it was only possible to live without love when youd never known it. She is hurt by Loreda withdrawing and rejecting her because she recalls what it felt like to have that closeness. Despite Loreda's interest in the cause, Elsa firmly resists. Jean names it Clea, after her mother. When the woman refuses, Elsa grabs a bat and smashes the door and the desk until the woman gives her the aspirin in fear. Instead, she instructs Loreda to go boil some water and do the laundry to help her mother out. Elsa has since had two more children, but one died three years ago. He takes her for a ride on his truck, and they drive it out to a barn at an abandoned homestead. That day, no cotton is picked and Loreda is delighted. Climate disaster is a threat, then and now. Elsa also finds out that if she leaves the cabin to pick peaches, then she loses the cabin and the cotton job. As Elsa thinks about how Loreda also doesnt love her, Rose comes and comforts her. By switching back and forth from Elsa and Loredas perspective, Hannah juxtaposes how vastly differently the two perceive and view things. Despite knowing the logistical reasons why the plan was bad, a part of Elsa wishes she wouldve just agreed to go to California, and she misses Rafe. But Hannah structures this narrative in a way that forces the reader to think about the things that Elsa likely took for granted as well. 1934: 6: Milo : Sure enough, Loreda has left a note saying shes gone to look for Rafe. Meanwhile, Rafe continues to withdraw from Elsa. He also offers to let them take a hot shower there. Just because Rosa is right and wise about some things doesnt mean that she is right about everything. The four time periods in the novel - 1921, 1934, 1935, 1936? Still, as the cotton picking continues, theres a tension among the workforce regarding the decreased wages. When talking to Loreda, Rafe says that he made a bad choice which limited his options. Meanwhile, Elsa spends the day cleaning and doing household chores. Her unloving parents keep Elsa . Near the entrance of Welty Farms stands Mr. Welty. (p. 33) Decorate with a loaf of Wonder Bread like the billboard when they got to California. Loreda tells Elsa that her family missed out by not seeing how special Elsa is. Elsa knows this will be a big, potentially dangerous day. In 1940, Loreda is home on her grandparents farm. There are several mysteries Outer Banks still needs to answer, including what happened to Sarah and Rafe's biological mom. When shes done, she starts up the chant of No more! and the crowd responds. "The Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah is a 2021 historical fiction novel about the Dust Bowl era. After a few weeks, Elsa settled into a routine of getting up to find work, oftentimes not successfully. Rose has been a loving maternal figure to Elsa, and the two women share a strong bond. After a week-long dust storm, Ant is severely ill due to inhalation of dust. She goes to the barn to get the truck, which results in their horse Bruno running into the storm. A world beyond this struggle. The kids also give Elsa a journal for her Christmas gift. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Later, on the fields, fences have been put up, a tower has been erected and men with guns roam the field. She thinks about the women of the Great Plains had do to survive. Even more hopefully, she beings to feel like she belongs, and she starts to imagine a future where her children are happy there. Afterwards, she discards the clothes, leaving her dress on instead. She glanced sideways at him, seeing his perfect profile. She has a fever, and she thinks its typhoid. Elsa and Loreda decide that they will both work instead of having Loreda go to school. Once Loreda meets Jack, her mindset begins to shift quickly. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds . She feels restless and destined for spinsterhood. On Christmas morning, Elsa reveals that she has a letter from Rosa and Tony and small gifts for the kids. Her dress is made from old flour sacks, as is customary now. For February's Read With Jenna book club pick, Jenna Bush Hager selected "The Four Winds," by Kristin Hannah. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail, water dries up . In 1921, Elsa Wolcott is a 25-year-old unmarried woman who is not particularly pretty and too tall for most men. That night, Elsa pens a cheery letter to Tony and Rose to let them know they made it. I often read my book club selection as soon as it is chosen, then forget details by the time it rolls around. Before she could at least expend some of it by picking cotton and do something productive with her frustrations, but now that it is winter and she feels powerless, she does the only thing that she can which is to run away. From the rudeness of other people to the teasing by the other students, Loreda directs all that anger towards her mother because her mother is the only person that there for her to take it out on. Then, just as Jack announces the sixth as the day of the strike on fields across the valley, the sound of police sirens ring out. Elsa stops at a gas station in time to see a hunger riot nearby as a mob attacks a grocery store belonging to the local mayor. The man driving the truck is Jack Valen, who Elsa remembers. After they all have haircuts and are fixed up, Loreda feels transformed. Then, slowly, he closed the door behind him. With her dress and makeup on, she walks down the stairs with confidence. Feb 2 nd, 2021. In 1921, as a sickly, homebound teen, Elsa dreams big. Elsa is someone who is driven by her survival instincts, so the idea that someone needs her and that shes doing something because she must is enough to motivate her. The school administration and other kids all notice how unkept the Martinelli kids are, but they are taken into class nonetheless. In the prologue, the narrator makes a pointed statement about how saying are always about men or a man. She gets inspired to sew her red fabric into a daringly modern dress. They know Elsa needs to leave, but they plan to stay and take the governments offer to plant grass on the land as part of the collective effort required to save the Great Plains. As she nears, she hears the teacher talk about the girls learning to make cosmetics for the day, and Loreda changes her mind and goes to the library instead. The Four Winds is an immersive listenaward-winning narrator Julia Whelan offers a commanding performance, elevating the cinematic historical detail, wrenching drama, and moving portrayals of friendship and love. Rafe and Elsa are married unceremoniously with a quick exchange of rings. At church, another family inquires about whether Rafe has found a job, since Tony has not told them the shameful truth that Rafe abandoned them. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 11:13 PM CST. Trying to re-inspire her kids, Elsa takes her them into town. Elsa is taken aback by the low pay, vowing to search for better paying work tomorrow. in CA. Elsa tried to do something for herself and to build up her own confidence, only to have her mother take it away was bad enough. Stella: Loreda's best friendin Lonesome Tree. This is the exact kind of novel that is perfect for book clubs. Elsa does the laundry even though it is blindingly hot and it seems pointless when everything gets dusty anyway. As the people flee, Elsa turns back to get their truck. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Gre Elsa tears up in relief. As Elsa gets settled, shes surprised to find the Martinellis have no indoor plumbing. She believed she was never beautiful . . She and Jack fall in love as they help to plan a strike. In November, snow falls and people feel hopeful of rain to come. In mid-August, Elsa discovers she is pregnant. I think its tempting for authors to write characters (especially older/wise ones) who are right about everything, but much more realistic for them to be depicted with human flaws. Elsa falls in love with a union organizer and helps to organize a strike against their bosses, but gets shot by the farm boss. The Four Winds is a deeply moving, powerful story about the strength and resilience of women and the bond between mother and daughter, by the multi-million copy number one bestselling author Kristin Hannah. The Pioneer Days celebration comes up, a holiday which used to be exuberant and patriotic. The note is short and asks Elsa not to look for him. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. When the day finally comes, she qualifies for 13.50 per month. Even with the gas mask, Ant is weak, has a bad cough and is soon unable to get out of bed. Back at home, Elsa digs up the small flower shed once planted and places it in the earth near Lorenzos headstone. Tony consoles her by saying that at least the government will give them some money for it. We see this period through the eyes of the Martinelli family who have a sizable piece of land in Texas. They are surrounded by wheat farms, and Tony explains that he also makes wine, a skill passed down from his family in Sicily. 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. Then, the police come, arrest Jack and break up the meeting. The dust storm settles, but Ant now has a fever. Elsa, Loreda and Ant all get ready to pick cotton. Inside, there is a book with a passage about Elsa and a grainy photo of her leading the workers in the strike. 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