How does Egan integrate the story of the Dust Bowl into a broader examination of the Depression and FDR’s New Deal policies?

Consider the two major philosophies toward the land at play throughout The Worst Hard Time. Which figures emerge as most representative of each, and why?

How do the Introduction and Epilogue frame the text’s main narrative, and to what end?

What role did newspaper articles, photos, film, etc., play in publicizing the Dust Bowl crisis? How does The Worst Hard Time take part in this tradition?

Analyze the imagery Egan uses to characterize the High Plains. How does his depiction of this region support the work’s themes?

Egan depicts many of the figures he focuses on as last chancers. How does this characterization serve as commentary on the American Dream?

Discuss Hugh Bennett’s function in the text. To what extent does he serve as the story’s “hero”?

Discuss Egan’s use of primary sources. Where does he construct a secondhand narrative, and where does he let these sources speak for themselves?