What is the book Montana 1948 about?

Montana 1948 is a 1993 novella by Larry Watson. 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. It was awarded the Milkweed National Fiction Prize.

What are the themes of Montana 1948?

Montana 1948 explores different kinds of familial loyalty, and what happens when these loyalties pull people in different, even opposite, directions. Wesley Hayden has a duty to his brother, but also to Marie Little Soldier, who cares for David and is described as being “like family” several times in the novel.

What does the wind represent in Montana 1948?

The Wind Quotes in Montana 1948 The harshness of the land and the flattening effect of wind and sky probably accounted for the relative tranquility of Mercer County. Life was simply too hard… nothing was left over for raising hell or making trouble.

Is there a Montana 1948 movie?

“’Montana 1948′ is a wonderful story that needs to be told, and we’re excited to be producing this film through all phases of its development, production and eventual release.” THE ENSEMBLE CAST of “Cold Mountain” continues to grow.

What happens in the end of Montana 1948?

The novel ends with David sitting in his father’s seat at the table later that night—he believes he can still feel his father’s blow reverberating through the wood. Winner, Kathryn. “Montana 1948 Plot Summary.” LitCharts.

What does the magpie symbolize in Montana?

When David had shot and killed a magpie while on his grandparents’ property, he saw the bird’s dead eyes and felt a strange mix of emotions. What he saw in the bird’s eyes was the power of death. The power and exhilaration he felt was from the fact that, when he had a gun, he had the power to take away life.

What does a dead magpie symbolism?

Another reason could relate to the association between magpies and the Devil, there was a belief that the bird had drunk of drop of Satan’s blood and therefore best avoided. Whilst on the supernatural subject some folk would hang a dead magpie over the doors to their houses in the belief it kept ghosts away.

Who is Len Montana 1948?

Len is a reformed alcoholic who begins drinking again shortly after he realizes Frank Hayden has murdered Marie Little Soldier. He remains loyal to Wesley and Gail after Frank’s arrest, and rescues Gail and David when Dale Paris and other employees of Grandpa Hayden attempt to break into the house.

What is the summary of the book Montana 1948?

PLot summary. The book, Montana 1948 by Larry Watson, is written from the perspective of a man, David, reminiscing his childhood. 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. Montana,…

How do you track the themes in Montana 1948?

LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Montana 1948, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. The narrator, a man named David, reflects on the “summer of his twelfth year” in 1948 and tells us that the images remaining from this summer are “indelible”—the years have not erased or faded them.

What is the plot of M Ontana 1948?

M ontana 1948 by Larry Watson is a 1993 novella about David Hayden, a twelve-year-old boy whose family is torn apart by a racially charged tragedy. David is cared for by Marie, a Sioux woman whom he adores.

How old is Hayden in Montana 1948?

Montana 1948 Summary. 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.