It stood for social order, good manners, the chimed schedules of school and church. Julian, frank and wes are victims of their own inability to wield power and use it correctly. In larry watsons novel montana 1948 power and privilege play a large part. With this internal struggle, the novel takes a deeper meaning, as a young boy must watch his father act with courage against the pressure of his family. From the summer of my twelfth year i carry a series of images more vivid and lasting than any others of my boyhood and indelible beyond all attempts the years make to erase or fade them so begins david haydens story of what happened in montana in 1948. I loved the characterizations, the story, the narrator, and the writing overall. This book is about the horrific events that consumed the summer of 1948 in bentrock, montana.
Both library journal and booklist named montana 1948 one of the best books of 1993. Abuse of power is clearly demonstrated in the novel montana 1948. Even our small townreally, in 1948, still a frontier town in many respectstasted to me like pabulum. David hayden would be the most representative character of this theme. Set in bentrock, montana, in 1948, it is a powerful exploration of conflict, relationships and power dynamics in the world around us from the perspective of one boy growing up through a scandalous time period. As their story unravels around david, he learns that truth is not what you believe it to be, that power is abused, and that sometimes you have to choose between family loyalty and justice. This book just displays how people all around the world have been dealing with the same problem for quite a while. Watsons tale positions itself as a kind of antidote to these kinds of fictions by revealing the real american westa place where heroes are not what they seem to be, and. It carries an aura of privilege and power that doesnt stop at the montana border. The events are seen through the viewpoint of a 12yearold boy, now 52, who is looking back 40 years to understand how and why his life was shaped the way it was.
For the hayden boys, wesley and frank, their legacy carries an aura of privilege and power. Wesley slams the table in anger, and tells betsy she must never blame montana. Justice is the stunning prequel that illuminates the hayden clans early. The book montana 1948, published by larry watson in 1993, is a dark adult.
Montana 1948 is a beautiful lyrical little novel of around 160 pages. If you are a deputy of the town, of course theres a time when you can use it to your advantage. He was born in 1910 in mercer county and grew up on a large cattle ranch just outside of bentrock with his brother frank, mother enid and father julian. He is an adult, however he tells the story as he saw it from when he was 12 years old. She was killed by his uncle frank who was a war hero, a doctor with the reputation when david was a 12yearold boy. Montana 1948, by larry watson milkweed editions larry watson is one of those good writers who few. Watson in a dark time, 1980, winner of the 1993 milkweed national fiction prize, offers a lean, gaunt narrative rich with implication about a 12yearold boy who witnesses the anguish of his sheriff father, who is forced to arrest his own brother for rape. After using his power and influence in the community to hand the role of. Larry watsons novel montana 1948 is the perfect example of this. Montana 1948 by larry watson book discussion questions. For example, julian hayden was the previous sheriff on bentrock, montana and he abuses that to benefit himself and so, he wanted. At the age of 52, david hayden recalls and reflects on the events of the summer of 1948 when he lived in montana. It would never occur to my father to refuse the role of the sheriff. Montana 1948 is an intriguing novel written by larry watson.
The novel montana 1948 by larry watson is set in a small town in northeastern montana in the period just after world war ii. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The story is narrated by david hayden, who is 52 at the time he is telling the story, but is only 12 when the events of the story occur. In a voice as brilliantly clear as the eastern montana sky, larry watson has created a completely new. The events of that cataclysmic summer permanently alter twelveyearold davids understanding of his family. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. Montana 1948 study guide contains a biography of larry watson, literature essays, quiz.
It also tackles other issues like racism, the abuse of privilege and power, and the. Goodreads members who liked montana 1948 also liked. All the main characters in montana 1948, to some extent, were victims of power. Seeing as though julian hayden was the town sheriff, he gained great respect and authority, leaving the hayden family with a very powerful name. Find books like montana 1948 from the worlds largest community of readers. Montana 1948 is an excellent example of this struggle between the weak and the strong. Watson drew upon his background in north dakota with his grandfather and father being the sheriff of rugby, a small town similar to the fictional bentrock in montana 1948. Larry watsons bestselling novel montana 1948 was acclaimed as a work of art susan petro, san francisco chronicle, a prizewinning evocation of a time, a place, and a family. Montana 1948 ebook king county library system bibliocommons. In the bestselling novel montana 1948, larry watson presented a prizewinning evocation of a time, a place, and a family. Its only a beginning and choosing the right sites to read and follow through on can be difficult.
Rather, the events in the novel are the fault of a group of men blinded by racism, power, and family legacy. View notes montana 1948 quotes from english english an at clifton high school. Montana 1948 by larry watson plot summary litcharts. Marie is davids baby sister and also his housekeeper. Montana 1948 ebook epub electronic book montana 1948 by larry watson for iphone, ipad txt format version, file with page numbers montana 1948 by larry watson kindle edition with audio multimedia cd video hardcover new or used, cheap audiobook pric theres also other available format to download. Both montana 1948 and 12 angry men explore how personal bias corrupts the. Davids uncle frank, a war hero and respected doctor. Getting the privilege of power can be abused and misused. Read montana 1948 by larry watson for free with a 30 day free trial. Through personal bias, power is abused, obstructing the process of justice. The reasonings behind the power of the name, which david stated throughout the book was his grandfather being wealthy and powerful. Unlike me, however, many teens greet reading with a certain dread, finding books boring or too long.
Privilege in both texts is founded on white supremacist beliefs that encourage. Wesley discovers that franks privilege within the community has sheltered. This 29page guide for montana 1948 by larry watson includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 3 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Abuse of power is problematic because the consequences for this issue are devastating and sometimes fatal.
Montana 1948 is a novel based on a 12 year old boy named david hayden. It carries an aura of privilege and power that doesnt stop at the state border. His use of his power has allowed him to sexually molest many of the young. Having power and privileges can make a great impact on your life and other peoples lives and give you a variety of advantages. At the tolerable length of 175 pages, this book is the right size and the right interest level for all. The pressure begins years in the past in the form of grandpa haydens expectations for his sons, and his means of controlling their life outcomes. Read montana 1948 online by larry watson books free 30day. One night betsy is having dinner with david and his parents, and she brings up the summer of 1948, remarking that montana back then really was the wild west. From the summer of my twelfth year i carry a series of images more vivid and lasting than any others of my boyhood and indelible beyond all attempts the years make to erase or fade them. The main characters father, wes, is divided between his love for his family, and his obligation to the law, which is his career.
The use of power the haydens have on the town include, wesley hayden. A concise biography of larry watson plus historical and literary context for montana 1948. His father, his strongwilled mother, his uncle and the familys sioux housekeeper, marie little soldier, whose shocking revelations form the heart of the story. Montana 1948 marks the second book by larry watson that will make my top ten list of books for 2014.
Montana 1948 is a very good example of what it was like to be part of the fringe of society. Wes cautions david at the end of the book, dont blame montana. At the beginning of the novel david is an innocent young boy living and being cared for by his parents. The novel ends with david sitting in his fathers seat at the table later that nighthe believes he. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Jul 01, 2008 what does the book montana 1948 say about privilege and the abuse of power. Depending on a given person, the privilege to gain power may be abused or. The story is narrated by 12 yearold david hayden of bentrock, montana. Marie, david and gail are genuine victims of power. During the summer of 1948, a solid, middleclass family in a small montana town is wren. Power and priviledges in montana 1948 by larry watson 123 help.
Montana 1948 is deliberately engaging the western genre. An indian girl from the reservation is the housekeeper babysitter for young david. It was a world meant for storekeepers, teachers, ministers, for the rulemakers, the ordergivers, the lawenforcers. When davids native american housekeeper marie little soldier falls ill, frank hayden, the local. David hayden, now a history teacher, narrates the events of over 40 years ago, when his father, trained as a lawyer, was in his second.
It was awarded the milkweed national fiction prize plot. The movie rights to montana 1948 and justice have been sold to echo lake productions and white crosses has been optioned for film. Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. He could be cautioning readers to not blame the events of montana 1948 on a mythical image of the wild american west propagated in hollywood movies and classic westerner novels. Filled with sharply drawn characters and set in an archetypal western town, this remarkable comingofage story is also a gripping mystery. Montana 1948 quotes montana 1948 quotes david it would. The story has a mysterious undertone, beginning with. Montana 1948 teststories due today creative grammar and style. The author of the prizewinning national bestseller montana 1948 returns wi. To 12yearold david hayden, his family is comfortable and familiar. The author does an extraordinary job at depicting certain struggles of power between the characters in the book. The story is written in first person from the perspective of david hayden, a twelveyearold boy at the time of the. Came to mercer county, montana because of her mothers marriage to frenchy was 20 when she came to montana a hunkpapa sioux native originally from the fort berthold reservation in nd loved to laugh and talk, great tease, close to 6 feet tall, dresses were either handed down or handed up, wide face and high cheekbones, long straight. Anybody know where i can download an mp3 file of somebody reading montana 1948 by larry watson.
In the novel called montana 1948 by larry watson, the power of the law is being abused in the situations occurring throughout the book. It was awarded the milkweed national fiction prize. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on larry watsons montana 1948. Julian hayden, a retired sheriff who served many years and has respect of all people in the county through his occupations and deeds over the years, and frank hayden as a doctor.
The novella focuses on the life of young montanan david hayden, his family and the fictional town of bentrock, montana, and focuses on the struggles of a family torn between loyalty and justice. Being the sheriff of the entire community gained him power over all lawful sins of the people. Power and priviledges in montana 1948 by larry watson. Montana is the 41 st state of america close to the. One day david notices that marie little soldier, his native american babysitter and housekeeper, whom he loves dearly, is sick with a cough his parents, gail and wesley, agree to call. His father wesley hayden is the sheriff of mercer county, a position he has inherited from his father, the powerful julian hayden. David 12, comes of age during 1948 when his uncle is accused of molesting and murdering native americans in his small montana town. Many lives were destroyed by the events in the summer of montana 1948. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading montana 1948.
So begins david haydens story of what happened in montana in 1948. This book is about the horrific events that consumed the summer of 1948 in bentrock. At the beginning of the novel david is an innocent. David is a storyteller, he is also the main character of montana 1948. Montana 1948 and the abuse of power free essay example. He recalls the summer of 1948 as the summer everything changed for him. Montana 1948 study guide literature guide litcharts. He adopts the feeling that his name is synonymous with power, authority, status, and privilege.
One of the strongest themes in montana 1948 is the theme of becoming of age. The harshness of the land and the flattening effect of wind and endless sky probably accounted for the relative. Submitted by trudy schrandt profile title and author. Wes haydens dilemma lies at the heart of larry watsons novel, montana 1948. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Wesley hayden a significant character in the novel montana 1948 is wesley hayden, father of david and spouse of gail. A stark tragedy unfolds in watsons taut, memorable novel, the winner of the publishers national fiction prize. Each vignette packs power and purpose as it examines the intertwined lives of a. At its heart, montana 1948 is the story of one familys struggle for justice and truth in the face of overwhelming family ties and bonds. Most characters are somehow involved in this process. Montana 1948 by larry watson marquette university high. Montana 1948 from the summer of my twelfth year i carry a series of images more vivid and lasting than any others of my boyhood and indelible beyond all attempts the years make to erase or fade them so begins david haydens story of what happened in montana in 1948. Montana 1948 by larry watson overdrive rakuten overdrive.
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