Davids uncle frank, a war hero and respected doctor. Mercer county is in the northeast corner of montana, 12 miles from canada and 10 miles from north dakota. We are introduced to the boy s father and mother, wesley and gail. The temperatures are extreme, once reaching 106 degrees in july and 40 in january. Be prepared to read this compact book in one sitting. To ask other readers questions about montana 1948, please sign up. Discuss montana 1948, by larry watson is novel set in american midwest that raises a question who was to blame for the tragic events that occurred that summer. In montana 1948, justice, and white crosses you use the same locationmercer county and the town of bentrock, montana. Both library journal and booklist named montana 1948 one of the best books of 1993. 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. Aug 01, 2010 the movie rights to montana 1948 and justice have been sold to echo lake productions and white crosses has been optioned for film. Montana 1948 ueira practise essay montana 1 948 dont blame montana. 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.
Wesley slams the table in anger, and tells betsy she must never blame montana. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on montana 1948 by larry watson. David is the 12 yr old son of the sheriff of mercer county. In the beginning of montana 1948 by larry watson, a vivid scene is set using imagery. He and his parents live in montana where his father, wesley, is the sheriff of mercer county and his mother, gail, works in. The story has a mysterious undertone, beginning with its narration by david hayden. Montana 1948 summary and study guide supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Montana 1948 is deliberately engaging the western genre. In montana 1948, written by larry watson, the events that took place irrevocably changed david haydens life in several ways, both good and bad. A stark tragedy unfolds in watsons taut, memorable novel, the winner of the publishers national fiction prize. David is the narrator in the book, while his father, wesley, is the sheriff of mercer county, montana.
Population less than 2000, mostly ranchers and farmers. The book will continue to wonder about what makes or breaks a persons identity. It is bordered on the west by the fort warren indian reservation, a piece of land that is barely farmable and basically worthless and inhabited by members of the sioux tribe. In montana 1948, loyalty to family is shown to be more.
The first character we meet is the protagonist of the story, david hayden. We lived in bentrock, the county seat and the only town of any size in the. David hayden the narrator ot montana recollects powerful. Includes plot summary, themes, major and minor characters, conflicts and more. Books similar to montana 1948 meet your next favorite book.
Montana 1948 summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. The events of that cataclysmic summer permanently alter twelveyearold davids understanding of his family. Montana 1948 is a beautiful lyrical little novel of around 160 pages. The story begins as davids indian babysitter, marie, becomes seriously ill. 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. The town of bentrock, montana located in mercer county in 1948 has a population of less than one thousand people. The 1993 novel focuses on the life of young david hayden, his family, and the fictional town of bentrock, and it centers on the struggles of a family torn between loyalty and justice and it encompasses the various different levels of. When davids native american housekeeper marie little soldier falls ill, frank hayden, the local. Montana 1948 study guide from litcharts the creators of. It bordered the fort warren indian reservation where the sioux tribe lived.
Mercer county is in the northeast corner of montan, 12 miles from canada and 10 miles from north dakota. Montana 1948 is a novel set in mercer county, montana. Find books like montana 1948 from the worlds largest community of readers. Plot summary the book, montana 1948 by larry watson, is written from the perspective of a man, david, reminiscing his childhood. It is bordered on the west by the fort warren indian reservation, a piece of land that is barely farmable. The social environment was one that favoured the white peoples value and discriminated against the indians. The 1993 novel focuses on the life of young david hayden, his family, and the fictional town of bentrock, and it centers on the struggles of a family torn between loyalty and justice and it encompasses the various different levels of struggles that the hayden family has to go through. David hayden lives in a small town called bentrock, montana. The book, montana 1948 by larry watson, is written from the perspective of a man, david, reminiscing his childhood. In the first chapter, david describes the town where he lived with his parents in 1948. Gail is furious, and tells wesley what frank has been doing. The haydens is a powerful family of mercer county, including members such as the local sheriff and a war hero. The main content of this book was surrounded haydens family with many problems that were happened at the same time.
Anticipating is more accurate to describe the details were mentioned in each chapter. Larry watsons montana 1948 recalls images of the protagonist david hayden. 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. Filled with sharply drawn characters and set in an archetypal western town, this remarkable comingofage story is also a gripping mystery. David was 12 years old during the summer of 1948, where he and his parents lived in a large white house opposite to the courthouse. Dec 03, 2007 because the book strives so hard to reflect the time, mood and place, one or two anachronisms will catch the attention of the native reader, e. 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 where cowboys and indians are not caricatures, but people. 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. One time mentioning i tried running away one time, showing his negative emotions against the state of montana. Montana 1948 1995 read online free book by larry watson. Montana 1948 is a short novel written by larry watson.
For a chunk of the book, franks crimes against native american women are. Montana 1 948, by larry watson is a novella that focuses on the life of young montanan david hayden in 1948 and the struggles of a family torn between loyalty and justice. Racial inequality plays a critical role in montana 1948. The novel montana 1948, is written from the point of view of david, the son of the mercer countys sheriff, wesley hayden and features many events which are indelible from his memory. There is the nearby warren indian reservation, the rockiest, saddest land in the county. Part one the book opens with david hayden talking about his father serving his second term in 1948 in mercer country, montana. The main point i got from the first chapter though was the loss of innocence from the narrator, david.
Because the book strives so hard to reflect the time, mood and place, one or two anachronisms will catch the attention of the native reader, e. 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. 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. Even though the sheriff of mercer county is an elected post, grandpa haydens influence and clout was so strong that voters followed his wishes. She wanted him to better himself and become a lawyer.
It was awarded the milkweed national fiction prize plot. In montana 1948, place is a big role in this novel because the characters make. David hayden, the main character of the novel, re tells the events which happened in the summer of 1948 that changed his family lives forever and reshaped his moral values and beliefs. Mercer county was used for both farming and ranching. Justice is the stunning prequel that illuminates the hayden clans early. 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. During the summer of 1948, a solid, middleclass family in a small montana town is wren. 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. With david, i learned that regardless of his illusions, he is finally able to see things as they really are, and the slightest bit of evidence can be the difference between innocence and guilt. The novel ends with david sitting in his fathers seat at the table later that nighthe believes he. The county was very rural and consisted of a section of the fort warren indian reservation. The whole white population within mercer county were partly responsible for the terrible events of montana 1948. Upon finishing a book, i always try to understand the lesson learned.
Montana 1948 from reading the first chapter of this book i really an enjoying it. Analysis of the book montana 1948 by larry watson bartleby. Montana 1948 is being passed among friends and family members, as river was. English 2b 17 november 2017 the theme of abuse of power in montana 1948 by larry watson published in 1993, larry watsons book montana 1948 is a mysterious comingofage story. David is a young boy, living in mercer county, montana.
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 study guide contains a biography of larry watson, literature essays, quiz. The writing is simple and the book paints quite a sullen picture in your head. Town of bentrock, county seat of mercer, montana, 12 miles from canada. Throughout the entirety of the book characters such as wesley and julian hayden show a strong dislike of native americans believing they are ignorant, lazy, superstitious, and irresponsible. Goodreads members who liked montana 1948 also liked.
I was attracted by each moment that was happened in this book. David lives in town, across the street from the courthouse, but loves spending time at the farm of his grandparents, enid and julian hayden. By clearly stating that montana was not to blame, sheriff hayden means that it was the whites in montana as well as his family and himself who were held responsible from the events that arose within the summer of 1948. Montana 1948, chapter summaries 4960 words bartleby. Davids mom wants them to leave bentrock and she wants wesley to become a lawyer instead of a sheriff. Mercer county lies hidden away up in the far northeastern corner of montana, and the county is schizophrenically divided between the flat plains of its west and the gullyrivened ravines of its east. At the tolerable length of 175 pages, this book is the right size and the right interest level for all. Located in the northeast corner of montana is mercer county, with bentrock only just locating near the border region.
It talks about the summer when david is twelve years old. He recalls the summer of 1948 as the summer everything changed for him. Montana 1948 summary from litcharts the creators of. Montana 1948 by larry watson essay 585 words bartleby. It was awarded the milkweed national fiction prize. He and his parents live in montana where his father, wesley, is the sheriff of mercer county and his mother, gail, works in the county courthouse. 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. The people there have a harsh life, and they have to endure poverty and a harsh climate all year round. Mercer country has flat plains and the only trees that grow are the ones that have been planted by. To 12yearold david hayden, his family is comfortable and familiar. The town of bentrock, montana located in mercer county in 1948 has 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. Davids father doesnt fit the ideal of what he should be in his occupation, and his wife didnt think so either. Oct 21, 2011 montana 1948 from reading the first chapter of this book i really an enjoying it.
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. A narrative river in story of brothers baltimore sun. When david is at his grandfathers ranch, he escapes from mercer county and. The pressure begins years in the past in the form of grandpa hayden s expectations for his sons, and his means of controlling their life outcomes.
Read montana 1948 online by larry watson books free 30day. The firstperson narrator, david hayden, lives in mercer county, montana, in 1948. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in montana 1948, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. David is a storyteller, he is also the main character of montana 1948. Montana 1948 by larry watson 901 words 123 help me. Montana 1948 study guide contains a biography of larry watson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Aug 09, 20 montana 1948 is a short novel written by larry watson. Essay abuse of power in montana 1948 by larry watson. David admires his father, the modest town sheriff, and his charming uncle, the local doctor. Montana 1948 is definitely attention grabbing and constructive. Analysis of the book montana 1948 by larry watson words 6 pages.
Setting montana 1948 is set in mercer county, montana. So begins david haydens story of what happened in montana in 1948. A significant character in the novel montana 1948 is wesley hayden, father of david and spouse of gail. Through characterisation, watson exposes how family loyalty can be challenged by moral truths and how unfair power structures. The harshness of the land and the flattening effect of wind and endless sky probably accounted for the relative tranquility of mercer county. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. In the novel of montana 1948, irony is conveyed in the beginning as the narrator depicts the setting of the town. In the city of mercer county, montana, the emotions spinning around the head of david hayden shows the hatred he has for the state of montana. 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. Even though the sheriff of mercer county is an elected post, grandpa.