There, Elsa discovers a tight community of fellow migrants, and she befriends Jean Dewey, who shares resources and survival tips. That hope is quickly dashed when they encounter discrimination, a lack of jobs, and the reality of life in a muddy squatters’ camp.ĭespite Elsa’s promise that their stay in the camp is only temporary, the scarcity of work and the meager wages force them to settle in for the long haul. After a grueling journey across the Mohave Desert, Elsa finally reaches the lush fields of California’s San Joaquin Valley, and she is hopeful for the first time in months. They pack up the truck and head west, while Tony and Rose stay behind to salvage what they can of the farm. At last, the choice she has struggled with for months-to stay on the farm or try her luck in California-has been made for her. The doctor advises Elsa to get out of Texas. Unhappy with farm life and his marriage, Rafe runs off in the middle of the night, leaving a distraught family behind.Īs the drought worsens and the dust storms become more severe, Anthony, Elsa and Rafe’s son, becomes sick, eventually requiring hospitalization. Massive dust storms pummel the region, covering everything in layers of grit and dust and causing an epidemic of lung disease. The Martinellis’ farm, which previously yielded plentiful supplies of wheat, dies under the scorching sun. By 1933, Texas is in the throes of a severe drought. He fantasizes about traveling and adventure, filling Loreda’s head with similar fantasies.
When Elsa gives birth to Loreda, Tony and Rose love their grandchild immediately and eventually accept Elsa as the daughter they never had.Įlsa finds that the hard work of farming agrees with her, but Rafe’s dreams lie elsewhere. Disowned by her parents for casting shame upon the family, Elsa marries Rafe and is taken in by Tony and Rose Martinelli, Rafe’s parents. 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 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. The Four Winds tells the story of Elsa Wolcott, a young woman born and raised in Texas during the boom years of the 1920s.
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