Abuse Of Power
Thomas Corey
12/2/2014
Writing Skills
Essay: Montana 1948
Montana 1948 and the Abuse of Power In the novel “Montana 1948” you see a common issue that is around still in our everyday lives. This issue is the abuse of power and how it leads to consequences that sometimes might be devastating. You see this in our everyday lives with the Government and also many times in are families across the nation. In the novel there are many examples of this in the Hayden family. Wes, Frank and their father all are very powerful due to their back ground. Wes Hayden who is the father of David (The Narrator) is the second generation of Hayden’s to be a Sheriff uses his power for good things; Frank Hayden who is the brother of Wes is a war hero uses his power for bad things such as rape, killing and lying; and finally you have Julian Hayden who is the father of Wes and Frank. Some would say he used his power to benefit his family, but in reality he protected Frank with his power to let the crimes add up. Julian Hayden is where the abuse of power effect many people’s lives and ends up hurting his own family in the long run.
Grandpa Hayden’s corruption and abuse of power should be blamed for the tragedies. You first find this out when David explains, “He wanted, he needed, power ... He was a dominating man who drew sustenance and strength from controlling others." (Watson 20). Also 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? It means knowing when to look and when to look away.”(Watson 93). Len saying this suggests that to Julian, being the sheriff does not mean keeping justice and doing the right thing; instead it brings power and the right to hide the truth. Grandpa Hayden tolerated Frank for molesting Indian girls and used his powers to cover up for him. This gave Frank the ability to continue to sexually assault girls without being
12/2/2014
Writing Skills
Essay: Montana 1948
Montana 1948 and the Abuse of Power In the novel “Montana 1948” you see a common issue that is around still in our everyday lives. This issue is the abuse of power and how it leads to consequences that sometimes might be devastating. You see this in our everyday lives with the Government and also many times in are families across the nation. In the novel there are many examples of this in the Hayden family. Wes, Frank and their father all are very powerful due to their back ground. Wes Hayden who is the father of David (The Narrator) is the second generation of Hayden’s to be a Sheriff uses his power for good things; Frank Hayden who is the brother of Wes is a war hero uses his power for bad things such as rape, killing and lying; and finally you have Julian Hayden who is the father of Wes and Frank. Some would say he used his power to benefit his family, but in reality he protected Frank with his power to let the crimes add up. Julian Hayden is where the abuse of power effect many people’s lives and ends up hurting his own family in the long run.
Grandpa Hayden’s corruption and abuse of power should be blamed for the tragedies. You first find this out when David explains, “He wanted, he needed, power ... He was a dominating man who drew sustenance and strength from controlling others." (Watson 20). Also 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? It means knowing when to look and when to look away.”(Watson 93). Len saying this suggests that to Julian, being the sheriff does not mean keeping justice and doing the right thing; instead it brings power and the right to hide the truth. Grandpa Hayden tolerated Frank for molesting Indian girls and used his powers to cover up for him. This gave Frank the ability to continue to sexually assault girls without being