Chapter Summary Of No Promises In The Wind By Irene Hunt

Week 32 “No Promises in the Wind Summary”: Chapter 1
No Promises In the Wind, authored by Irene Hunt, gives an excellent description of growing up in the center of the Great Depression. Chapter One begins with the alerting sound of an alarm clock going off at 4am. Josh, a fifteen year old boy, leaves his bed, and departs from his family’s home to deliver newspapers. Notwithstanding, the paper route brought very little money, but the money earned was needed. Directly after finishing his route, Josh returns home to prepare for school, where he anticipated the day’s end, knowing that Miss Crowne’s music room belonged to them after school hours.
Music served as an escape for Josh, because, as Hunt vividly describes, being a 15 year old, in the Great Depression was not an easy task. Josh, and his best friend Howie would produce beautiful music, temporarily losing themselves in the exquisite music they created. Josh and Howie were talented past their age, and they were given a role to play for the school assembly. Though their rehearsals were beneficial, they both dreaded the thought of returning home. Sadly, Stefan, Josh’s father did not feel the love he once felt toward music anymore, so he believed Josh should not spend time on luxuries such as music.

Josh’s relationship with his father began to disintegrate when his little brother Joey was born.

Joey was a frail child, yet he was tough. Innocently, he showed great affection toward Josh, though, Josh was not deserving of the love Joey showed. As the Depression prolonged, Stefan’s attitude worsened. Often times, Josh was the subject in which his father carried out his rage. Josh’s father was a proud man, and once the Depression hit, all of his pride was ripped away from him. Stefan stated quite often, He pulled himself up by his own bootstraps, then suddenly, his bootstraps, his thriftiness, and his industry were all pulled away from beneath

him.
Meanwhile, Josh’s adventurous travels began when his father lashed out at him because he asked for a second helping of food. In the middle of the Depression, food was scarce, so every morsel was considered a blessing. Openly, Stefan began to verbal badger Josh, stating that his newspaper job, bringing in the little money that it did, did not allow him to receive special privileges such as second helpings of food. Upon reaching the conclusion of his rant, Stefan arose and stalked out. Joey went outside to sit on the steps and Kitty, Josh and Joey’s sister, ran to her room, leaving Josh and his mother at the table. Angrily, Josh began to inquire on the reason for his father’s hate towards him. After his mother sided with his father, Josh decided to set out into the world on his own, hoping to find a better dwelling place.