Chapter 4, Drought Summary and Analysis

After 1941, there were no significant rainfalls for five years; a terrible drought unfolded. Conway was in her eighth year of school in 1942 and was doing private correspondence school. Studying was a leisure activity given her other work. Conway's father's spirits declined with the land. One day, many of the sheep were lost due to wind and cold rain, and Conway's father's spirits declined and he lost his calm. Anxiety filled the house. Household routine fell apart and Conway's father started to have mood swings and imposed strict punishment. When Bob visited home, he aired his growing doubts about religion which brought out the tension between his parents on religious matters. Bob was treated as unnatural for his doubts. Conway herself was puzzled about religion since both of her parents' faiths seemed to make them moral.

In February 1943, Conway came...