They did whatever had to be done about the farm and went back to the house feeling irritable with the discomfort and fearful for the wheat. Milt said nothing, but his silence was as ominous as that of the storm, broken only by the small pecking sound of the dust against the house. He was nervous, worried, but not yet quite hopeless. Julia tried to iron the clothes, but the dust, sifting in from places that had kept out even the wind, gave them a dirty grayness. She put the clothes away quietly, trying to make as little fuss as possible, knowing they were all on edge. She felt the dust in her clothes and on her skin, in her mouth and nose, on everything she touched.

Question

They did whatever had to be done about the farm and went back to the house feeling irritable with the discomfort and fearful for the wheat. Milt said nothing, but his silence was as ominous as that of the storm, broken only by the small pecking sound of the dust against the house. He was nervous, worried, but not yet quite hopeless. Julia tried to iron the clothes, but the dust, sifting in from places that had kept out even the wind, gave them a dirty grayness. She put the clothes away quietly, trying to make as little fuss as possible, knowing they were all on edge. She felt the dust in her clothes and on her skin, in her mouth and nose, on everything she touched.
From Sanora Babb, Whose Names Are Unknown. Copyright 2004 by Sanora Babb
The previous text suggested that the Dust Bowl resulted from damage to the Great Plains landscape.

How does this historical novel build on or challenge that idea?

it suggest that effects of the dust bowl felt inescapable.
it shows ways that people entertained themseleves during the dust bowl.
it explain how farming practices improved during the dust bowl.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The historical novel "Whose Names Are Unknown" by Sanora Babb builds on the idea that the Dust Bowl resulted from damage to the Great Plains landscape by vividly illustrating the inescapable effects of the dust and the anxiety it brought to those living through the event. The description of the characters’ experiences—feeling overwhelmed by dust infiltrating their homes and bodies, alongside their worries about the wheat—reflects the pervasive nature of the disaster and its emotional toll on the people.

The text does not focus on entertainment during the Dust Bowl or on improvements in farming practices; rather, it emphasizes the oppressive atmosphere created by the dust and the characters' struggles with fear and discomfort. This depiction serves to reinforce the idea that the Dust Bowl was not just an environmental catastrophe but also a deeply impactful social and personal crisis for those who lived through it.