The
Four Winds by Kristin Hannah will give the famous novel
The Grapes of Wrath a run for its money. As with
her other books, this one also portrays a woman who overcomes
something in her life and turns out stronger in the end. It
is a complex, intricate journey where the main protagonist
comes into her own, overcoming many obstacles thrown her way.
Hannah noted, "Obviously, I read The Grapes of Wrath
and loved the story. I would not say it particularly influenced
me except to open me up to that era and experience. I looked
at the Dust Bowl, the Depression, and the Mid-West migration
to California through a woman's eyes. As with Steinbeck's
story, so much of what we know about that era is that women
many times were not in the picture. I wanted to show female
courage, heroism, and bravery in the face of difficult and
dangerous odds."
Set during the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and the mid-west
migration to California, the book emphasizes the crime of
inhumanity to one's fellow citizens. It shows how nature,
literally and figuratively, can be so cruel. Elsa's story
really begins after meeting Rafe. She feels unwanted and unloved
by her wealthy family and decides one night to go on the town
in a red dress. Unfortunately, she mistakes his lust for love,
becomes pregnant, and is disowned by her family. Rafe's family
takes her in and forces him to marry her. These new parents
become the family she never really had. But hard times hit
this farming family, and instead of stepping up to the plate,
Rafe leaves them.
It is relevant today, with this book quote, “My American
dream was turned into a nightmare by poverty and hardship
and greed. These past few years have been a time of things
lost: Jobs. Homes. Food.” Hannah started this book “four
years ago and had no idea that it would turn out as relevant
for today. There is this sense of being a time lost. I think
there is a very strong correlation to be made now. I think
history can teach us something. It’s a good reminder
now. After reading a story like this, people can relate to
how the human spirit has strength and durability with the
power of family. Looking back, it’s important to recall
that we have been through hard times before in America and
not only survived but thrived. If we pull together and look
towards the future, we can thrive again. The message of America
is to be brave, have courage without fear, and to be a survivor.
I think it has been this way for all of our history.”
Now 1934, her youngest son Anthony has "dust pneumonia,"
a then-common ailment of the Great Plains. Because of this,
Elsa decides to leave her home in Lonesome Tree, Texas, and
move to California's fresh air. Ending up in the San Joaquin
Valley, Elsa, her daughter, Loreda, and her son, trade one
set of terrible circumstances for another. Work is scarce,
and the locals are prejudiced against "Okies," as
migrants were known regardless of where they are from. The
family settles into a camp riddled with filth on the banks
of an irrigation ditch. Eventually, they end up in the town
of Welty, named after a large farm owner. She meets Jack,
an idealist union organizer who wants the migrants to unite
for better wages and working conditions. Falling in love with
him, Elsa becomes the migrants' spokesperson, understanding
that she has a voice of power.
"Comparing Rafe to Jack. After meeting her future husband,
Rafe, it seemed like the worst thing that could happen to
Elsa, but it was actually the best thing that happened to
her. She became a wife, a mother, and part of a loving family.
Her love for Rafe was defined by a lack of love for herself.
He was a weak man and a dreamer at a point when the world
had no place for someone without the strength to stand up.
While Jack became the great love of Elsa's life. He showed
her the power of passion, both physically and ideologically.
He helped her to unlock something within herself. With his
unfettered idealism, he looked through a lens of what he wanted
the world to be and lost focus on how dangerous the real world
was. Elsa knew this from the moment she chose to be with Jack."
This novel will tear at the reader's heartstrings. Whether
the scenes during the Dust Bowl, the struggle to survive the
Depression, or the challenges the migrant workers faced, people
will take a journey with this compelling family. The story
is about motherhood, resilience, and the strength of the human
spirit. Once again, Hannah has hit a home run.
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