Montana 1948 by Larry Watson

MONTANA 1948

The book Montana 1948, by Larry Watson, is about the life of a young boy named David Hayden and his family living in the town of Bedrock Montana and the struggles that they they all face after finding out information about a Hayden family member. This act changes the characters throughout the book as they are forced to take action even if it means going against other family members. In the book Wesley, Grandfather (Pop), and David are put in situations where they are forced to pick between “doing the right thing” and staying loyal to their family.

Wesley (davids father) is the sherif of the Bedrock Montana and when the whole incident begins with his brother Frank it has a huge impact on Wesley's character and he changes so much through out the book. In the begging of the book David describes his father, and says “And that disappointed me at the time. As long as my father was going to be sheriff, a position with so much potential for excitement, danger, and bravery, why couldn't some of that promise be fulfilled?” (5). Wes took his job pretty easily, most commonly he was arresting the town drunk or chaperoning a school dance and he never carried a gun or even wore his badge. When Wes found out about what his brother had been he did not want it hear about it “I wish you wouldn't have told the sheriff”. (37), he exclaims to his wife after she tells him about what Marie had said about Frank. Wes is upset not only because his brother is being accused of these terrible things but that he knows that because he is the sheriff he is going to have to investigate this and try to find more information. After talking to some local people and talking privately with Marie, Wes and his family visit their grandparents house where Wes has a talk with his father. They talk about how Frank and Gloria want children but have not been able to so Pop should not pester them about that, but Pop interrupts saying “-and white. We want them white” (62). Grandpa saying this shows that he knows about some of Franks interactions with indian girls and that he had never said anything to Frank about it.This was the first string that pushed Wes to “doing the right thing”. The second string was when Marie died and David came into his parents bedroom in the middle of the night and told them about how he had seen Uncle Frank sneak into the house a few hours before they had found Marie dead. After this Wes really committed to bringing his brother to justice. He brought his brother in, locked him up in the basement of their house and kept him in there even after grandfather and grandmother begged him to let him go and forget this whole investigation. From the begging of the book, to after he locked up Frank, Wes’ charter changes so much. He takes action in things and shows a lot of emotion, crying and anger something that in the begging of the book he rely would have done. Its fair to