By including internal conflicts in a character's development, an author can add depth to both the character and the novel. Larry Watson's novel Montana 1948 is the perfect example of this. The main character's father, Wes, is divided between his love for his family, and his obligation to the law, which is his career. 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. .
The novel Montana 1948 begins as an ordinary coming of age story of a young boy. It describes a simply country life and the boy's family life. Like any other family, his has its few problems. His father is the sheriff, but he never seems to do anything heroic. "And that disappointed me at the time. As long as my tather was going to be a sheriff, a position with so much potential for excitement, danger and bravery, why couldn't some of that be fulfilled?- However, the novel quickly takes a more complex turn that raises it to a new level. David, the main character, realizes "as do both his parents "that his Uncle Frank, a doctor, has been molesting, if not raping, young Indian girls during office visits. David's father, Wes, is torn. He is the town sheriff, and he must uphold the law. But this is his brother. At the same time, David's grandfather is an extremely powerful and controlling man who will not stand for having his favorite son imprisoned. This development dramatically changes the novel as a whole. It now becomes the story of a complex moral struggle that Wes must face. "He had long since stopped being my father. He was now my interrogator, my cross-examiner. The sheriff. My Uncle's brother."" With so much to live up to, Wes is utterly lost in a struggle to define himself.
Wes cannot make a final decision in the matter. Torn between family and law, he cannot decide which way to turn. Taking the middle ground, he decides to arrest his brother "but to avoid scandal, he holds him in his own basement.
Montana 1948 Creative Imaginary The flawed individual ultimately is responsible for his own devastation. Dear David, I've just finished Montana 1948 and I must say your experience with life has touched me in a very moving way. ... If so, did he ever talk about the horrendous events that occurred in Montana 1948? ... I wish I had the same courage to face such unspeakable events that occurred during Montana 1948. ...
Montana 1948 Creative Imaginary The flawed individual ultimately is responsible for his own devastation. Dear David, I've just finished Montana 1948 and I must say your experience with life has touched me in a very moving way. ... If so, did he ever talk about the horrendous events that occurred in Montana 1948? ... I wish I had the same courage to face such unspeakable events that occurred during Montana 1948. ...
The book "Montana 1948" shows us how people can be very dishonest and shows us that certain people will choose what they want to see and what they want to forget about. ... If you lived in Montana the answer would be no. Frank, Wesley, Gloria, David and Julian Hayden are all examples of the trust issues that echoed through the small town of Montana in the summer of 1948. ... After the war Frank worked as a doctor in Montana. ... Don't trust anyone in the town of Montana....
In the novel Montana 1948 by Larry Watson, the life of a seemingly perfect family is thrown into chaos by the actions of a family member. ... This secret was kept, and their family remained the "aristocracy- of Bentrock, Montana. ... In the prologue of the novel Montana 1948, David goes on to describe how this secrecy changed his view of the world. ... The realization of this gives us a better understanding of, as David Huddle says, "the moral complexity of our history, a refined sense of our weakness and our strength, [and] a profoundly improved understanding of the American character- (Mon...
Montana 1948, a novel written by Larry Watson and published in 1993, describes an embarrassing recollection of David Hayden happened in a small town called Bentrock. ... However, this decision makes Wes's life very painful and miserable, with further accumulating conflicts between these two brothers. ... And the most critical lesson of Montana 1948 is, we should always be vigilant of the danger an over-concentrated power may bring us....
Montana 1948 is a story about a sheriff family in a small town. ... We must understand the "Cowboys and Indians" in Montana. ... On August 13, 1948, Marie was died. ... Their only link with Montana was Grandma Hayden. ... Frank's ex-wife, Gloria, left Montana and remarried in order to forget Frank. ...
Montana 1948 is a story about a sheriff family in a small town. ... We must understand the "Cowboys and Indians" in Montana. ... On August 13, 1948, Marie was died. ... Their only link with Montana was Grandma Hayden. ... Frank's ex-wife, Gloria, left Montana and remarried in order to forget Frank. ...
The novel "Montana - 1948" by Larry Watson begins as a story of a young boy growing up in rural Montana shortly after World War II. ... First, I considered the real reason Grandpa gave Davy an automatic pistol, not a rifle, and a full box of ammunition, enough ammunition to kill every coyote in eastern Montana? ... Grandpa knew Wes would not object and Davy knew his dad would never confront Grandpa on this or any other conflict. ... He was accustomed to his Dad lying about trips to Yellowstone, knowing these lies where only a diversion to end conflict. ...
It is through grandpa Hayden that Montana 1948 shows how destructive a powerful father can be. ... Julian made Wes the sheriff to retain his power in Montana, this made Wes" life very difficult and miserable. ... When David visited Len after Marie's death, Len talked to him about being a sheriff in Montana. He told David "You know what your granddad said it means to be a peace officer in Montana? ... Montana 1948 shows that a powerful father can be extremely destructive through Grandpa Hayden's impact on Wes and Fran ...
