Exodus

This work of fiction, set during the Hurricane Rita evacuation from the Houston-Galveston area in 2005, explores characters trapped in the largest peacetime evacuation in U.S. history. They fear harm to themselves and their loved ones, they suffer anxiety over the possible loss of their homes and personal effects, and they endure the stress and trials of being trapped in a traffic jam beyond anything anyone could have imagined previously. Interactions between parents and children, husbands and wives, in-laws and extended family portray their relationships. They confront issues of loss, change, and control both in their everyday lives and in the evacuation. Characters attempt to balance independence and community connection. However, the narrative demonstrates how individual choices affect the community, or family, and how being part of a community affects individuals. Those who can accept, adapt, or at least tolerate change and difference are better prepared for an uncertain future.