Montana 1948 Essay
Montana 1948 Practice Essay
Topic: “At the heart of ‘Montana 1948’ is the conflict between loyalty to the family and duty to the community”. To what extent do you agree?
In Larry Watson’s ‘Montana 1948’, there is an overwhelming conflict between loyalty to family and duty to the community. The Hayden family are very loyal to one another but this loyalty goes too far and causes conflict. In the Hayden family, there is a lack of duty to the community and this creates some small-town tension. When people attempt to be loyal to their family, they are unable to be loyal to the community as well, creating inner conflict. In the heart of ‘Montana 1948’ is the conflict between loyalty to family and duty to the community.
Loyalty in the Hayden family nurtures the conflicts, as loyal decisions and actions go too far. The Haydens are very loyal to one another and Wesley and Julian (in particular), put their family first. After Frank committed his crimes of rape, David’s father “knew he was guilty”. Yet Wesley lets Frank get away with it, because they are brothers and in their eyes, family is the first priority. This loyalty creates conflict not just to the wider community, but to their own family as well. The relationship between Julian and Wesley is a frightening one at certain points in the novel. Julian “wanted, he needed, power”, and he gets this power from the authority he has over his child, Wesley (and the community itself). Julian is dismissive of Frank’s crimes and asserts his dismissive behaviour upon Wesley, influencing the decisions Wesley makes. As a result of Julian’s authority, combined with his intimidating nature and his ‘family first’ views, Wesley fails to make decisions of his own that aren’t affected by the pressures of other people. Wesley informs Gail that Frank will “have to meet his punishment in the hereafter”, and that he “won’t do anything to arrange it in this life”. He says these things because he is afraid of Julian. Loyalty in Hayden
Topic: “At the heart of ‘Montana 1948’ is the conflict between loyalty to the family and duty to the community”. To what extent do you agree?
In Larry Watson’s ‘Montana 1948’, there is an overwhelming conflict between loyalty to family and duty to the community. The Hayden family are very loyal to one another but this loyalty goes too far and causes conflict. In the Hayden family, there is a lack of duty to the community and this creates some small-town tension. When people attempt to be loyal to their family, they are unable to be loyal to the community as well, creating inner conflict. In the heart of ‘Montana 1948’ is the conflict between loyalty to family and duty to the community.
Loyalty in the Hayden family nurtures the conflicts, as loyal decisions and actions go too far. The Haydens are very loyal to one another and Wesley and Julian (in particular), put their family first. After Frank committed his crimes of rape, David’s father “knew he was guilty”. Yet Wesley lets Frank get away with it, because they are brothers and in their eyes, family is the first priority. This loyalty creates conflict not just to the wider community, but to their own family as well. The relationship between Julian and Wesley is a frightening one at certain points in the novel. Julian “wanted, he needed, power”, and he gets this power from the authority he has over his child, Wesley (and the community itself). Julian is dismissive of Frank’s crimes and asserts his dismissive behaviour upon Wesley, influencing the decisions Wesley makes. As a result of Julian’s authority, combined with his intimidating nature and his ‘family first’ views, Wesley fails to make decisions of his own that aren’t affected by the pressures of other people. Wesley informs Gail that Frank will “have to meet his punishment in the hereafter”, and that he “won’t do anything to arrange it in this life”. He says these things because he is afraid of Julian. Loyalty in Hayden