The doctor advises Elsa to get out of Texas. Over the course of their time in the ditch encampment, Jean becomes Elsas first real friend, and Elsa credits that friendship with giving her the strength to endure the many hardships she faces in California. Thats not to say this book has no substance, its just that its not that kind of book. Ana determines her fate during a stunning convergence of events considered among the most impactful in human history. Elsa is resilient, and readers will be drawn to her devotion to her children and her tireless efforts to keep her family well, efforts that bring her to pack them up and head west. eNotes Editorial. Download the entire The Four Winds study guide as a printable PDF! Why do you think Elsa is reluctant at first to go to the relief office or stand in the food line when they arrive in California? The adolescent years can be especially difficult on mothers and daughters. Weltys company store overcharges for food and supplies and keeps its workers forever in debt. I started it almost four years ago, and obviously, I had no idea how timely and relevant it would feel to come out at this moment, Hannah says. What do you think drives Loredas anger throughout the book? by Kristin Hannah. They willingly sacrificed for each other and did what they could to help. She begins the novel thinking that shes weak, thinking that shes uneducated, and unlovable, she says. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hope is a coin I carry. 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. Did Elsas married sisters survive? THE FOUR WINDS - Reading Group Choices The accent she does for the dialogue parts is more southern than Texan (where the characters are from), and it slips in and out at times, but I cant imagine that most people will notice or care. How does Jean Deweys death affect Elsa in The Four Winds? In 1935, the three of them embark on the ride towards California. "The Four Winds" (St. Martins 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 farms into ruins. What does she learn about motherhood from Rose? What do you think the idea of owning land and working the land means to people? Corrections & clarifications: A previous version of this story misidentified a 2018 film titled The Nightingale. The adaptation of Kristin Hannah's book of the same name has not yet been released. Fighting for any kind of social equality or radical change often requires great personal sacrifice. The audiobook runs 15 hours. Loreda says theyre like a plant that can only grow in one place. Lets discuss what Loreda is saying here. If youre looking for another epic style story, The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd is a great choice. How are womens stories different? Best-selling author Kristin Hannah reveals the unusual journey of 'The What happened to Rafe? Climate disaster is a threat, then and now. What do Jack and the Communist union organizers offer the migrant workers, and Loreda in particular? In turn, Jack inspires Elsa to find her own voice and fight back against the injustice faced by the migrant workers. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. By 1934, Loreda is 12 and has a difficult relationship with her mother. Expectations for their future were sharply defined. He has dreams of moving to a big city and having adventures but is forced to give up his chance to attend college in the city after Elsa becomes pregnant. Ana is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. Earned a master's degree at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Another small defiance against her parents small-mindedness? And I really began to want to write a quintessentially American novel about some story of lost history that I thought would be as emotional and as inspiring as The Nightingale.. Elsa finally releases all of the pent-up anger and grief she has held in for the sake of her children and decides to commit to helping Jack Valen organize the migrants into a strike. This post contains links to products that I may receive compensation from at no additional cost to you. who recently moved to Cambridge, MA. At the prospect of needing governmental assistance? The catalyst for her decision is the death of her best friend, Jean Dewey, who dies from typhoid in a roadside encampment. eNotes.com As an avid reader I found this book compelling and informative. Did any novel and/or character change your perception of either yourself or the world? 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. How did this treatment impact her later relationships and her search for love? When Elsa meets Rafe, everything changes but not in the way either expected. Elsa compares them to the early pioneers in their covered wagons. Q&A with Sarah Penner, Author of The Lost Apothecary. Elsa oversleeps the next morning, waking to find the entire Martinelli family has eaten breakfast and is busy with farm chores. Summary and Themes in the Four Winds by Kristin Hannah Alaska, 1974. The story is set during the Dust Bowl period a few years after . WEBSITE BY. She wants to join, despite her mothers prohibition, and sneaks out at night to attend meetings. One of Tony's friend and neighbor. The Four Winds. 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. The last date is today's What choices do they have, and what might you have done during the drought? THE FOUR WINDS is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it --- the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have- nots. Years later, when Loreda is 18, she bids a final farewell to Elsa and the farm as she heads back to California to attend college, the fulfillment of her mothers most important wish. Massive dust storms pummel the region, covering everything in layers of grit and dust and causing an epidemic of lung disease. With your friends? Texas, 1934. The first time I heard it, I assumed it was a mistake, but the second time I started wondering if there are people out there who just pronounce it that way. And you couple that with the reality of the impacts of climate change. They stop off at a meeting, and Loreda is inspired by the cause. Why? Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. Would you have had the courage to do the same? She engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. 20 Best Book Club Books for 2022 (New & Anticipated), Best Mystery & Thriller Books for 2022 (New & Anticipated), 20 Best Books with Asian American Protagonists (for Adults), Persephone by Madeline Miller: What We Know, Books to Movies & TV in 2022: 25+ Adaptations Coming Soon, Your email address will not be published. Already a member? What do you think prompts the changes in her behavior or in their relationship? How does one become American? Describe that unique and complicated connection. The Four Winds - ReadingGroupGuides.com When Jeans baby dies in childbirth, Loredas anger at the inequity of their situation boils over, and she runs away. 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? By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. by Kristin Hannah. For Hannah, that vindicates the decision to place Elsa at the center of the story, which like her 2015 bestseller The Nightingale, a novel about the women of the French Resistance during World War II, focuses on an epic story about women set against the backdrop of history. That all said, like Hannahs other novels, The Four Winds is fairly plot driven, and I wouldnt recommend it for anyone looking to read literary fiction. Different translations give . . In a wild, remote corner of Alaska, the Allbrights find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. Did it add to the experience of the book? Sturdy. Why do you think Loreda takes on her fathers mindset instead of her mothers? 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. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Time and again, when life threatens to overwhelm her, Elsa finds strength in those around her. A solitary child unused to the company of others, Elsa learns the power of having a support network, a lesson reinforced by Jean Dewey and other migrants in the squatters camp. "Hope is a coin I carry. Day after day, they worked together, prayed together, held their growing family together through the hardships of farm life. (9091) Do you share a similar bond with the women in your lifeeither as a mother, a daughter, or a daughter-in-law? . 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. Kristin Hannahs absorbing new novel begins just a few years before, when it seemed as if Elsa Wolcottmight finally have a peaceful, fulfilling life ahead. Kristin Hannahs new novel The Four Winds is a historical epic about about a woman finding the strength to keep her family going during the hard times of the Dust Bowl and the Depression in Texas and California. Decisions Julia made or voices that stood out? Rafe Martinelli is Elsas husband. She understands the impossible odds her mother faces and the sheer tenacity it takes to simply keep the family together and put food on the table. Were you surprised that Elsa set off without her in-laws? Instead, she meets and sleeps with Rafe Martinelli. Elsa describes him as a man who believes in two things: God and his land, both of which fail him during the long Dust Bowl years. How have the Dust Bowl and going west been treated by the American imagination (perhaps in song or cinema)? Rosalba: Martinelli: Rafe's mother. When she's finally able to leave with her kids, they become migrant workers in California -- which she quickly realizes is an exploitative system. The Four Winds : The Fiction Addiction 1 May 2023 . Spoiler Alert:Please note that the discussion guide below contain spoilers to the book. I figured I was missing something here that makes sense! Here are some more recommendations along with links to book club questions. The Four Winds - Book Clubs - Kristin Hannah She has the capacity to dream big and embrace change like her father, but she also has her mothers stubborn determination and fierce protective drive. Ant represents the thousands of children who were forced to endure the hardships of hunger, poverty, illness, and prejudice during the Dust Bowl migrations. Life in California is not at all what the migrants expected, what advertisements had led them to believe. What do we know now that people didnt know then? Elsa ends up doing seasonal field work for larger farms. eNotes.com, Inc. Both Elsa & Loreda, are very strong personalities, which eventually find common ground & are able to come together in family love & unity! In what way? The Four Winds Themes - eNotes.com Unlike any other person in her life, he made her feel valued. And a dog named Buddy. 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. Motherhood changes Elsa in almost every way. How does it weaken her? Although a lengthy read with some good descriptive writing, I found the story really sketchy, threadbare and boring. Her death is a breaking point for Elsa, who finally realizes that the cruelty and injustice the migrants have faced must be combatted rather than merely endured. The events in the book reflect a sense of pioneering spirit and resilience that is bespoke with determination, love for self, love for family, survival, and the American Dream. This story, about family, love, & struggle during the Dust Bowl, captivated my interest from start to finish! In the margins of Hannahs story as she initially conceived it, there was the character Elsa, a young woman whod grown up feeling unloved and unworthy, who found meaning as the mother of two young children. (Photo by Kevin Lynch). Rafe Martinelli is Elsa's husband. Hannah mixes in a variety of historical facts as she tells this familys story and show the technology progressing in that era. Discuss the shift in thinking that happens between generationsthe freedoms longed for and the sacrifices required. We flash forward to 1934 and the farm is experiencing a severe drought. Or losing their land? Graduated from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. with degrees in English and Communications. Free shipping for many products! Its not a difficult read, so if youre on the fence about it, Id encourage you to give it a shot. What lessons of resilience and healing might be embedded in this story? He grew up, in order, in California, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oregon. Rose is a woman of strong Catholic faith, and she prays often, especially during the drought. How do you see Loredas life being like her mothers? However, she puts her duties as a mother ahead of all else, and she knows that she must leave in order to protect Ant. Whereas Elsa grew up and became the mother that her children needed her to be, Rafe remained the same immature dreamer that he started out as, and the two became increasingly incompatible. Or do you think theres something deeper involved? Elsa, fearing the violence will break the strikers spirits, picks up Jacks megaphone and exhorts the workers to stay united. After a grueling journey across the Mohave Desert, Elsa finally reaches the lush fields of Californias San Joaquin Valley, and she is hopeful for the first time in months. She watches as the lands around her crack in their perpetually parched state and the hopelessness threatens to breaks the spirit of those around her. Was he as trapped by his familys expectations as Elsa had been by her own? THE FOUR WINDS DISCUSSION GUIDE Book Club Collection (630) 232-0780 x366 bookclub@gpld.org . The Four Winds: Recap & Chapter-by-Chapter Summary - The Bibliofile 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. Her 2015 novel The Nightingale was voted a best book of the year by The Wall Street Journal, Library Journal, Buzzfeed, and The Week. How will it be different. In Kristin Hannahs recently released The Four Winds (published February 2, 2020), Elsa is a woman trying to raise two children on a Texas farm as they watch the lands dry out and as relentless dust storms ravage everything in sight. How does Elsa represent the courage it takes to stand up and make trouble and be counted? Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. Unloved by her family, she falls for the sweet words of Rafe, a younger man who woos her but is not ready for the responsibility of fatherhood. I just found that journey of a woman finding her voice to be incredibly powerful.. When the squatters camp is destroyed by flooding, Jack and his colleagues are the only help the migrants receive. Eventually, however, even Elsa is forced to admit that the way the migrant Okies are being treated is unjust. Did you find the end of Elsas and her familys journey satisfying? Gia: Composto: Rafe's fianc. The Four Winds Character Analysis | SuperSummary He brings Elsa and the children to an abandoned hotel where he provides them rooms for the night. You can order the book on Amazon here. Do you have sympathy for how broken he felt by the poverty and hardship? Do you think sharing these stories will make a difference to future generations? There will be spoilers so for more context about the book, check out my spoiler-free review first. There is a strong thread running through this novel about mans connection to the land. PDF THE FOUR WINDS DISCUSSION GUIDE - Google Chapter-by-chapter summaries and multiple sections of expert analysis, The ultimate resource for assignments, engaging lessons, and lively book discussions. Rafe opened the door and stood in the opening, his face dusty. The Four Winds Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsalike so many of her neighborsmust make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family. Im also guessing that this will be a hit with book clubs, given that its accessible and tells a relatively fast-paced story. For more detail, see the full Chapter-by-Chapter Summary. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. His efforts seem largely inspired by the memory of his mother, a single woman who died in a factory fire after her employers locked the factory doors to prevent employees from taking smoke breaks. Why do you think that is? It was published in 2021. When a flash flood hits the migrant camp, everyone there, including the Martinellis, lose everything. Although the story dragged along, the ending was abrupt and I felt, cobbled together. At 18, Loreda prepares to return to California to go to college.). If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original (1) What is the significance of the fact that it is an American penny? Through that door, Elsa saw whole other lives, other futures. She would never fall in love, never have a child of her own. (8) Literature is, quite honestly, the opening of a door. 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. Overall, I liked it. Throughout the drought, Tony continues to work hard and plant seasonal crops in hopes that rain will come and nourish the land again. Chapter 5 Summary. In what ways does hope anchor us in the moment, and in what ways does it push us forward? Unlike Rafe, who never seemed to care about Elsas desires or interests, Jack is respectful of her boundaries, and when the two become intimate, he ensures that Elsa enjoys herself as well. Her family and her world have pared her down to inconsequence. She wished shed never read The Age of Innocence. What does Rafe represent to Elsa on the night they meet? Did you expect him to leave? Elsa is 25, and her parents, wealthy members of the local social scene, consider her too old and too plain for marriage, relegating her to the status of spinster. Rafe is unhappy, drinks heavily and dreams of going West to pursue new opportunities. An armed guard fires through the teargas and hits Elsa in the abdomen. All 68 characters in The Four Winds are listed by chapter with character descriptions included. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. 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? What I keep hearing and what I believe to be true is that its a really good book for people to read right now. Hannah is the author of more than 20 novels, including the bestsellers Winter Garden, Night Road, and Firefly Lane. How are the workers exploited on the Welty farm in The Four Winds? Does it reveal anything about the grit that literally fills their bodies? Why do you think theyve gone unreported for so long? Chapter-by-chapter summaries and multiple sections of expert analysis, The ultimate resource for assignments, engaging lessons, and lively book discussions. When word of a strike begins to spread, Mr. Welty implements increasingly cruel measures to ensure that his workers cannot organize, including rescinding their federal aid and installing a gun tower in the cotton fields. By 1933, Texas is in the throes of a severe drought. The Four Winds Characters - eNotes.com There, Elsa discovers a tight community of fellow migrants, and she befriends Jean Dewey, who shares resources and survival tips. Word Count: 2203. Elsa is reluctant to leave Texas, as she has found the only true happiness she has ever known on the Martinelli farm. Initially hesitant of Jack and his ideals, Elsa ends up falling hard for himand experiences romantic love for the first time. Is it simply sex and loneliness? With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows. If youre looking for a feel good type of book. Lets talk about the climax of the story. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah | Book Club Discussion Questions Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. Why is it a risk to associate with them and what is Elsas hesitation? online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. . When Ana commits a brazen act that puts her in peril, she flees to Alexandria, where startling revelations and greater dangers unfold, and she finds refuge in unexpected surroundings. The locals treat them badly, are afraid of them. Loreda, too, skips school during cotton-picking season to help, though Elsa's ardent wish is for Loreda to go to college. Loreda really finds her voice after going to the Communist movement meeting and being introduced to Jack. Originally from Alabama, the Deweys were farmers, but they were forced to sell their land to the bank when the drought started. How do Elsas and Loredas actions embody this idea? What did you think of Elsa as a character, and did your perception of Elsa shift throughout the novel? Unloved by her family, she falls for the sweet words of Rafe, a younger man who woos her but is not ready for the responsibility of fatherhood. Elsa dies, surrounded by Jack, Loreda, and Anthony. After trying to convince Elsa to leave behind the farm, Rafe eventually leaves the family behind. If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ($2, $3, or $5) or joining the Patreon! I highly recommend it! How well does the narrator, Julia Whelan, fit the characters personas? 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.". However, it quickly becomes clear that Mr. Welty is not a benevolent individual but rather a cruel and manipulative man who entraps his workers in a cycle of debt that forces them to accept increasingly low wages. Her dreams of a better future are interrupted Although she is initially ambivalent about Elsa, she comes to genuinely care for her, viewing her as the daughter she never had. Elsa grieved daily for the loss of that closeness with her firstborn. Meanwhile, Loreda, now 13, grows dissatisfied with their life and her mothers inability to move them out of the camp. What did you think about their romance? Why was it so important for Loreda to get her mother back to Texas, even if at such a high cost? Before Elsa dies, she asks Jack to take her kids home to Texas. Novel Approach: Depression-era tale 'The Four Winds' feels poignant See the archives. I wrote it for at least a year, and Elsa was kind of a peripheral character, Hannah says. Hear a sample of The Four Winds audiobook on Libro.fm. The Martinellis farm, which previously yielded plentiful supplies of wheat, dies under the scorching sun. So many characters, like Jean, were really two dimensional. When Elsa is swept off her feet by Rafe Martinelli, an 18-year-old son of a local farmer, their romantic affair leaves Elsa pregnant. Elsa falls in love with a union organizer and helps to organize a strike against their bosses, but gets shot by the farm boss. As the Dust Bowl ravages Texas, one woman must make a choice: Leave the farm that has been her familys livelihoodor stay and risk succumbing to cyclones of dirt. How does her lack of self-esteem color her relationships with her husband and eldest child? ahh awesome thank you! Back home, Elsa tells Tony & Rose first, and they blame Rafe. Thank you Kristin for hours of enjoyment while listening to The Four Winds! It is Ants bout of dust pneumonia that ultimately forces Elsa to journey to California, as the constant dust storms put his health at further risk. Does this idea resonate with you? She believes that Elsa is the one inhibiting their dreams and does not understand how her mother can work so hard around the farm for so little payoff. When Elsa gets pregnant, her father disowns her, and Rafe's parents (Tony and Rose) tell him to marry Elsa. 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. If you'd like me to review your book, contact me! Best-selling author Kristin Hannah reveals the, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Best-selling author Kristin Hannah reveals the unusual journey of The Four Winds, Searching for Savanna author Mona Gable investigates violence against Native American women, The Vietnam War 50 years on: Two authors explore the conflicts lasting effects, The Book Pages: 5 Independent Bookstore Day events, Wendell Smith covered sports, history and civil rights and traveled with Jackie Robinson. All of that hardship, its remarkable and its inspiring, Hannah says. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. In the Epilogue, in 1940, Loreda has been living in Texas. The "four winds" encompass all directions or the " four corners of the earth ": north, south, east, and west ( Jeremiah 49:36; Matthew 24:31 ). What similarities? Rafe, has become distant and something of a hard drinker, and after he abandons them, Elsa reluctantly leaves with her children for California with the promise of steady work. A first-person narrator announces, "Hope is a coin I carry.". How does Loredas view of her father change throughout the book and why? Do you think these societal mores were designed to keep women in their place? The Four Winds Themes. How would you describe the Texas landscape the author paints? The second date is today's The story of our family. One day, Rafe abandons them with only a note. How difficult is it to defy both family and society in a small town? T he main themes in The Four Winds are prejudice, love and family, and the American dream..
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