Dec 03, 2007 a slim book of 169 pages races to the climax at the pace, intensity and inevitability of a great northern empire builder streaking and shrieking its doppler effect across the mercer county prairie. His grandfather was the former sheriff, and his uncle is a can do no wrong war hero and local doctor. 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. A narrative river in story of brothers baltimore sun. In montana 1948, justice, and white crosses you use the same locationmercer county and the town of bentrock, montana. For generations the hayden family has kept a controlling grasp on the town of bentrock, montana, and the rest of mercer county.
Montana 1948 characters from litcharts the creators of. Filling in the blanks of montana 1948 lyriewang in montana 1948 by larry watson, davids father believes that all indians are ignorant, lazy, superstitious, and all qualities that through jacksons quest ra restore his grandmothers regalia in what you pawn i will redeem sherman alexie. Wesley hayden a significant character in the novel montana 1948 is wesley hayden, father of david and spouse of gail. Filling in the blanks of montana 1948 freebooksummary. 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. We are introduced to the boy s father and mother, wesley and gail. Seeing as though julian hayden was the town sheriff, he gained great respect and authority, leaving the hayden family with a very powerful name. The main point i got from the first chapter though was the loss of innocence from the narrator, david. The reasonings behind the power of the name, which david stated throughout the book was his grandfather being wealthy and powerful. The book takes place only three years after the end of world war ii, in a small montana town neighboring a native american reservation. His father wesley hayden is the sheriff of mercer county, a position he has inherited from his father, the powerful julian hayden.
Montana 1948 by larry watson 785 words 123 help me. Missouri, mercer county, atlas frontispiece, 1877, c0829 1 folder history of mercer county, mo, as given on the frontispiece of the 1877 atlas. The death of little marie soldier, davids housekeeper, was the first event, which would ultimately change davids life. Montana 1948 is a novel set in mercer county, montana.
An exemplary native american man in the minds of many white people in mercer county, ollie young bear is a hardworking man married to a white woman and generally distanced from the sioux nation. This quote is important throughout the book, because to me says, who they are, what a name can do for you and how it can affect your life. Be prepared to read this compact book in one sitting. Located in the northeast corner of montana is mercer county, with bentrock only just locating near the border region. If you see your name among the mercer county high school graduates, someone is looking for you. 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. Beginning at the northeast corner of mercer county. Montana 1948 questions and answer key, part one by the. Set in 1948 montana duh, its the story of david hayden and his family. The physical object format paperback number of pages 182 dimensions 7. Mercer country has flat plains and the only trees that grow are the ones that have been planted by. The county is largely rural and includes a section of the fort warren indian reservation. Read montana 1948 online by larry watson books free 30day. This is the county seat of mercer county and where david and his family live.
David lives in town, across the street from the courthouse, but loves spending time at the farm of his grandparents, enid and julian hayden. They live in brentrock, montana, the county seat of mercer county where wesley serves as sheriff. River county mercer county cook county lake county previous question next question. Mercer county high school alumni from harrodsburg, ky.
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. There is the nearby warren indian reservation, the rockiest, saddest land in the county. Franks society in mercer county shares the same type of irony because of the outlook of being quiet and civil, but looking into the inside of what it means to live there is the opposite from being quiet. A twentieth century history of mercer county, pennsylvania. Racial inequality plays a critical role in montana 1948. David is a young boy, living in mercer county, montana. 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. Plot summary the book, montana 1948 by larry watson, is written from the perspective of a man, david, reminiscing his childhood. Mercer county missouri genealogy, history, maps with. Montana 1948 study guide contains a biography of larry watson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The county was very rural and consisted of a section of the fort warren indian reservation.
The story begins as davids indian babysitter, marie, becomes seriously ill. This is partially the reason why wesley takes so long in prosecuting his brother. I knew, from the time i was very young and without having been told, that that meant something in mercer county. This control comes mostly from the county sheriff position, a title that grandpa hayden held for decades before relinquishing it to his son. Includes plot summary, themes, major and minor characters, conflicts and more. Landmark web official records search mercer county, ohio. 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. The haydens is a powerful family of mercer county, including members such as the local sheriff and a war hero. 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 by larry watson 901 words 123 help me. The town of bentrock, montana located in mercer county in 1948 has a population of less than one thousand people. Significance of montana racism is very lighta noticeable.
Here, watson uses images synonymously with memories. Analysis of the book montana 1948 by larry watson bartleby. The book will continue to wonder about what makes or breaks a persons identity. Oct 21, 2011 montana 1948 from reading the first chapter of this book i really an enjoying it. Mercer county is in the far northeast corner of montana, and bentrock is barely inside the states borders. The writing is simple and the book paints quite a sullen picture in your head. After wwii, americans were elated at the allied victory and admiring of the bravery and heroism of us soldiers, but the war also brought with it several unhappy realizations. Mercer county is in the northeast corner of montan, 12 miles from canada and 10 miles from north dakota. The names listed below are alumni who have been searched for on this site from mercer county high schoolin harrodsburg, kentucky. 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. We realize that a mercer county high school year book may be hard to find so registering to complete your schools virtual yearbook may be the next best thing to finding mercer county high school yearbooks. The whole white population within mercer county were partly responsible for the terrible events of montana 1948. The events of the summer of 1948 mark for david a read full character analysis wesley hayden. It talks about the summer when david is twelve years old.
The story focuses on the powerful hayden family living in a small, insulated town in montana. 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. 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. To ask other readers questions about montana 1948, please sign up. Montana 1948 from reading the first chapter of this book i really an enjoying it. David is the narrator in the book, while his father, wesley, is the sheriff of mercer county, montana. What is the name of the small town that david lives in. The town of bentrock, mercer county, montana, 1948c. Page 14 and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all that part of allegheny county, which shall be included within the following boundaries, viz.
Montana 1948 summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. The novel ends with david sitting in his fathers seat at the table later that. Montana, 1948 is one book that parents should read with their teens. Mercer county is in the northeast corner of montana, 12 miles from canada and 10 miles from north dakota. An informative and historical overview of mercer county, missouri including two separate sections on one cd which include 17 historical maps 1851, 1862, 1876, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1899, 1902, 1904, 1911, 19, 1920s, 1922, 1929, 1939, 194849, and 1950 showing the locations of 25 settlements. Even though the sheriff of mercer county is an elected post, grandpa haydens.
Setting montana 1948 is set in mercer county, montana. A slim book of 169 pages races to the climax at the pace, intensity and inevitability of a great northern empire builder streaking and shrieking its doppler effect across the mercer county prairie. David hayden lives in a small town called bentrock, montana. Get all the key plot points of larry watsons montana 1948 on one page. The people there have a harsh life, and they have to endure poverty and a harsh climate all year round. In the novel of montana 1948, irony is conveyed in the beginning as the narrator depicts the setting of the town. Wesley is the mercer county sheriff, but is also franks brother, and. The main content of this book was surrounded haydens family with many problems that were happened at the same time. David describes his father as being different from most montana men. Montana 1948 by larry watson charcters, plot summary. The war has passed and life is, according to david, mundane. As one of the many enthusiastic reader blurbs noted, you can start reading at 10. Canada is only twelve miles away though the nearest.
Larry watsons montana 1948 recalls a time when the west was becoming civilized fences were going up, towns were growing, and families were making names for themselves. In the first chapter, david describes the town where he lived with his parents in 1948. Chapter one begins with davids description of the town of bentrock, his family, and his life. The county constitutes the trentonprinceton, nj metropolitan statistical area and is considered part of the new york metropolitan area by the united states census bureau, but also directly borders the philadelphia metropolitan area and is included within the federal. This book was recommended to me by my lt friends and i got a copy from paperback swap. I was attracted by each moment that was happened in this book. Aug 09, 20 montana 1948 is a short novel written by larry watson. Mercer county was used for both farming and ranching. This control comes mostly from the county sheriff position, a title that grandpa hayden held for decades before relinquishing it to his son, wesley hayden. David s father and the elected sheriff of mercer county. The town of bentrock, montana located in mercer county in 1948 has a.
Town of bentrock, county seat of mercer, montana, 12 miles from canada. David is the 12 yr old son of the sheriff of mercer county. Montana 1948 by larry watson, april 1, 1995, washington square press edition, paperback in english. In montana 1948, written by larry watson, the events that took place irrevocably changed david haydens life in several ways, both good and bad. This is davids interpretation of life in rural montana. Population less than 2000, mostly ranchers and farmers. Justice is the stunning prequel that illuminates the hayden clans early. Dec 16, 2003 the haydens is a powerful family of mercer county, including members such as the local sheriff and a war hero. There is actually not much for a county sheriff to do in mercer. The harshness of the land and the flattening effect of wind and endless sky probably accounted for the relative tranquility of mercer county. The list of names is also useful for getting together a mercer county high school reunion if you dont have a complete list of the students. The temperatures are extreme, once reaching 106 degrees in july and 40 in january.
He tells the story as a grown man of 52 looking back on his childhood. The social environment was one that favoured the white peoples value and discriminated against the indians. Montana 1948 is told from the point of view of an adult david, whos reflecting on images from his childhood that are more vivid and lasting than any others of my boyhood and indelible beyond all attempts the years make to erase or fade them watson 11. In the beginning of montana 1948 by larry watson, a vivid scene is set using imagery. Wesley has always felt inferior to his older brother frank, who is a doctor and hero of wwii.
We are introduced to the boy s father and mother, wesley and gail hayden. The county constitutes the trentonprinceton, nj metropolitan statistical area and is considered part of the new york metropolitan area by the united states census bureau, but also directly borders the philadelphia metropolitan area and is included within the federal communications. Testified that he saw frank enter the hayden household the daylight of maries death 2. 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.
A narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests. The town is small and composed primarily of farmers and ranchers and such small business and local government officials as one would expect in a rural county seat. The first character we meet is the protagonist of the story, david hayden. It is bordered on the west by the fort warren indian reservation, a piece of land that is barely farmable. The events of that cataclysmic summer permanently alter twelveyearold davids understanding of his. Montana 1948 is being passed among friends and family members, as river was.
Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in montana 1948, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. 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. 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. Montana 1948 study guide from litcharts the creators of. Anticipating is more accurate to describe the details were mentioned in each chapter. At the age of 52, david hayden recalls and reflects on the events of the summer of 1948 when he lived in montana.
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