Because the water bucket means strength, freedom, and something real, it’s a way to discover the world outside the school. The thing was always to be done by boys and the boys are unwilling to give the pride to girls. They think the work can only be done by boys
The boys threat the girls and bully them to let them give up. They threat them of loss of the softball game, and they bully the girls by tripping down the aisle or got an ink ball in their hair or got trapped in the outhouse.
The narrator, because there’s no I and all the characters’ saying is in the story.
The rural country in Ontario in middle 1900s, which at that time, boys and girls are not equal at that time in countries. It’s person vs society conflict.
Because she asked the question which changed the situation of boys and girls in the school.
It changed the situation of boys and girls at the school. The dust is probably means the old rules at the school and the theme is like the equality between boys and girls.