Montana 1948 is a novel about power, influence, and judgement. Wesley Hayden, the head Sheriff, finds a devastating secret about his brother Frank, his father's favorite son. The Father is willing to do whatever he can to keep Frank as a perfect son, even going against the law and his own son. Wesley is stuck between family and the law, and it’s affecting his family enormously. His Father’s power over the town negatively influences many characters in the book. In Montana 1948, Larry Watson highlights an important message throughout the novel about how abusing power can lead to devastating effects through the vigorous character Julian Hayden.
Julian Hayden’s enormous power affects both his sons’ behaviors and futures negatively. Len, the neighbor
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Wesley had hopes of practicing law, but his father insisted him being the next new sheriff. David talks about how even he saw his father would do whatever his father asked: “So my father set aside his fledgling law practice and took the badge my grandfather offered. It would never have occurred to my father to refuse” (9). If Julian didn’t have power and put the pressure onto his son to be like him, Wesley could be doing a job that he would enjoy. If someone from outside the family had been elected as sheriff, they could have taken care of Frank without direct pressure from the family. The grandfathers overwhelming power forever changed parts in the book; his son wouldn’t have had to deal with impressing his grandfather and protecting the favorite son, …show more content…
He talks to Wesley about how he shouldn't arrest Frank for raping women: “You don’t lock up a man for that. You don’t lock up your brother. A respected man. A war hero….Stop this now. Stop this before I have to” (113). Julian makes Wesley feel bad about his case against Frank, by telling him: “You don’t lock up your brother.” Not only does he make Wesley feel bad, but he threatens to use his power to stop Wesley. If Julian had respected the law, it would be much easier to arrest Frank for the awful crimes he committed. As we find out later in the book, he sends four men out to break into the house and get Frank out. Julian has such enormous power in the small town, that he can find ways to go against the law and protect his son through negatively effecting
Montana 1948 is about the loss of innocence and the painful gain of wisdom. Discuss.
Nancy Drew Suders was hired March 1998 by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) as a police communications operator for the McConnellsburg barracks, where her three male supervisors subjected her to a "continuous barrage of sexual harassment." Suders said one of the supervisors Sergeant Eric D. Easton, talked to her repeatedly about sex with animals. The second, Corporal Eric B. Prendergast sat on her desk and made gestures simulating oral sex. The third, Patrol Corporal William D. Baker made obscene gestures as many as five or ten times a night. In June 1998, Suders spoke to PSP's Equal Employment Opportunities Officer, Virginia Smith-Elliot, and told her that she "might need some help." Two months later Suders contacted Smith-Elliot
Following a fight with a friend outside a bar, Floyd Johnson, went to his house, got his .22 rifle and ten cartridges, went back to the bar, crawled under a pickup truck across the street and sat in wait for his friend. He later testified that he at first intended to shoot the friend to “pay him back” for the beating he received earlier.
The United States’ attention was captivated on the Supreme Court Case of Powell vs Alabama during the 1930s. During the time period, this case revealed the brutal treatment towards African Americans more than any other event. The case began on March 25, 1931, when a group of young white and African American youths were traveling on a train to find a job. A physical encounter broke out between them and the white youths were thrown out of the train. Then they reported the incident to a stationmaster, who stopped the train. The police arrived to gather the nine African Americans and brought them to jail. Nine young African Americans were recognized as the “Scottsboro boys”. They were accused of rape of two white women on that train. The white jury convicted eight of them, all except one, the youngest at 12-years-old, and were sentenced to death. These youths were falsely charged with raping two white women in Alabama. Although there was no evidence that linked the African Americans to the white women, they were still charged with sexual assault. The two women -- fearing prosecution for their sexual relationship with the white men agreed to testify against the black youths. The Supreme Court Case of Powell vs Alabama is crucial in both Civil Rights history and in the evolution of the Constitution.
The first Moore, the author, began his deviance in school through failing to do his assignments and performing extremely poorly in class. The second Moore, the prisoner, began through the use of a knife to solve conflicts as a child. Another case of defiance in the two children is evident when the first Moore, the author, started vandalizing public property. On the other hand, the other Moore was busy helping drug peddlers in supplying narcotics in the neighborhood. The mother of the first Moore became concerned of his son’s behavior and enrolled him to a prison school, where he would later become a leader of several cadets. It was while at this school that he gave his deviant behavior after several attempts to escape failed. The discipline levels in the school were extremely high, resulting in the young Moore changing his behavior for the better (Moore, 2011).
In the novel, Montana 1948, written by Larry Watson, a story of a young boy named David and the events of a cataclysmic summer holidays are recounted. Set in the heart of North America in the 19th century, when Native Americans were considered B class citizens and persecution was inevitable ever since the Europeans first arrived on the continent. David matures in a short span throughout the text from naivety to maturity as a result of the series of horrendous events he experiences. The murder and sexual assault of Marie Little Soldier evokes a case in which Wes, David’s father and sheriff of the county must re-moralise his choices as his brother Frank is to
In Montana 1948, it's obvious that Hayden Family are the most powerful in their area; "They couldn't arrest us- we are the law." It must be the reason why Frank, the doctor, felt that it's okay to take advantage of his American Indian patient, because he knew that no one is going to be against him; "If you could hear him talk. As if he had no more concern for what he did than if he had kicked a dog. No. He'd show more remorse over a dog." However, Wes is the only one who is responsible in capturing his brother because he is a sheriff, and he has the 'power'. That's why it's easy to say that he is responsible in carrying out justice. Yet, Wes didn't do the right thing, putting his brother in the basement instead of jail, because he is aware that Frank is the favorite son of their dad; "Then why have you got him locked up here and not over at the jail? This is your brother. My son." It's also because of the prejudice on his mind- it's shown when he didn't believed his own wife immediately when she told him that his brother is doing something immoral. As a result of his fear,
Montana is a large and lovely state. It has a population of 1,005,141 people. The big sky of Montana covers more than 147,046 square miles. It is considered the fourth largest state in the nation. The size of Montana is equivalent to the combined size of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York. It is located in the North West of the United States. Granite Peak is the highest point in Montana.
Laramie, Wyoming is known as a mostly conservative, republican party majority, which is why there were no hate crime laws that had to deal with sexual orientation or gender identity. Republicans typically were Christians meaning they were against homosexuality and believed it was very wrong. The Laramie officials did not pass any law for about ten years, which showed the Laramie community that their own government did not approve of homosexuals. The government in Laramie is a major influence on a citizen’s political opinion and how they feel on certain topics like homosexuality. If the government does not show approval, how will the citizens of Laramie gain a major acceptance towards homosexuals? Even the governor of Wyoming did not
By having multiple roles in the community and being the Sheriff of Bentrock, it puts Wesley in an even tougher position. Wesley is seen as a well respected member of the community, but during the novel he becomes very conflicted with himself and has to face one of the biggest decisions of his life when he has to chose between family or justice. He overcomes this conflict with himself by making the right decision no matter what anyone else thinks or is trying to tell him. There is plenty of description of Wesley at the beginning and through the novel. His conflict can be seen When he challenges gail “Are you telling me this because i’m Frank’s brother? Because i’m your husband? Because i’m Marie employer? ... Or because i’m the sheriff?”. This shows us that he is not sure what to believe anymore or what to do. Another time that we are shown Wesley's internal conflict is when he locks Frank in the basement instead of taking him straight to the police. He knows that Wesley needs consequences for his actions, but he is not sure how to do it, he just wants to do what's best for everyone, but sometimes that isn’t always possible. The technique of dialogue is used to show us the conflict Wesley has with himself and the true battles that he has to be able to face justice. We are shown all the barriers that he has to overcome and how this has shaped him into a person. Through the aspect of Wesley’s conflict, Watson has helped to understand the concept of how hard it actually is to chose between family and the law, sometimes it is harder than we think to do the right
David’s father doesn’t fit the ideal of what he should be in his occupation, and his wife didn’t think so either. She wanted him to better himself and become a lawyer. The reason that his father is the sheriff of Montana is because when David’s grandfather finally decided to retire, he handed the job down to his son; David’s father.
Julian had built up the Hayden name from his ranch and being County sheriff for many years. In the end he was one of the main people to break the Hayden family apart in the name of loyalty towards Frank. Julian believed that “Screwing an Indian…You don’t lock up someone for that… A respected man” was the correct way to see things. His unjust belief system conflicted with the law even though he worked by it for many years. Julian also kept the 'open secret’ about Frank’s obsession with Indian women even though he knew that it already made an impact on people in Bentrock. Julian was told to do deal with this problem early on by Bud but let the incident pass instead. Julian’s wealth and high status allowed his dominating personality to overrule what was right in the mind of justice for the sake of what was most suitable for
From this description, it is obvious that Wesley surrenders and caters his father’s wish accepting everything his father requires him to do: like to be a sheriff, which even is a struggling occupation for him. The job “Sheriff” likes a burden for him but he still chooses it because the job is what his father designates to him, and until Frank dies, after he moves out of Montana, gets rid of his father’s control, to the extent, he dismantles his suffering a little from his father’s autocracy.
The social setting in Maycomb County has a profound effect on the expectations in the novel. Initially, all individuals of Maycomb know about each other’s background and upbringing for
He was compelled to make their wrong right and did so by taking the case to trial. He viewed this as a way to turn his life and career around by doing what was right, but he discovers quickly that Ed Concannon was always one step ahead and through many corrosive acts almost derails Frank’s case.