montana 1948 - struggle for individual identity
Topic 2: Montana 1948 is about the struggle for individual identity. Discuss
Montana 1948 shows Indian people, and characters struggling to make their own choices, leads to the struggle of finding their own identity.
In this novel, some people do not have identity because they were born that way, and some people just cant choose for themselves. Indians do not have individual identity and Wes struggles to choose for himself in many situations.
Indians, especially Indian women do not have individual identity, they are seen as one big group of people with the same characteristics. As a whole, they were seen as “ignorant, lazy, superstitious and irresponsible.” Indians were seen this way because of their skin colour, they did not get many opportunities because of this. Ronnie did not go to college because “college was not for Indians.”
Everyone simply accepted the fact that they were lower class than white people. Women in 1948 had little to no voice over men, and being an indian made it worse. “She's an Indian, Why would she tell the truth?” Marie little soldier and her Indian friends were raped by Frank, a white male.
They knew they couldn't stand a chance of proving his act, nobody would’ve believed them.
Indians in the town of Montana struggled to find their own individual identity, they were misunderstood and stereotyped.
In the beginning of the novel, wes Hayden struggles to find himself as he finds it hard to make decisions. He left his job practising law and “took the badge my grandfather offered…It would never have occurred to my father to refuse.” He cannot decide for his own career. Julian Hayden, his father was a sheriff who was ready to retire and he handed down his job to Wes. Deep down,
Wes would’ve said no because his dream was to be an attorney, which he was, but Wes was too weak, he wasn't loyal to himself so he doesn't decline his offer, and take it instead. Wes ultimately chose the loyalty of his father over the loyalty of himself which is lack of
Montana 1948 shows Indian people, and characters struggling to make their own choices, leads to the struggle of finding their own identity.
In this novel, some people do not have identity because they were born that way, and some people just cant choose for themselves. Indians do not have individual identity and Wes struggles to choose for himself in many situations.
Indians, especially Indian women do not have individual identity, they are seen as one big group of people with the same characteristics. As a whole, they were seen as “ignorant, lazy, superstitious and irresponsible.” Indians were seen this way because of their skin colour, they did not get many opportunities because of this. Ronnie did not go to college because “college was not for Indians.”
Everyone simply accepted the fact that they were lower class than white people. Women in 1948 had little to no voice over men, and being an indian made it worse. “She's an Indian, Why would she tell the truth?” Marie little soldier and her Indian friends were raped by Frank, a white male.
They knew they couldn't stand a chance of proving his act, nobody would’ve believed them.
Indians in the town of Montana struggled to find their own individual identity, they were misunderstood and stereotyped.
In the beginning of the novel, wes Hayden struggles to find himself as he finds it hard to make decisions. He left his job practising law and “took the badge my grandfather offered…It would never have occurred to my father to refuse.” He cannot decide for his own career. Julian Hayden, his father was a sheriff who was ready to retire and he handed down his job to Wes. Deep down,
Wes would’ve said no because his dream was to be an attorney, which he was, but Wes was too weak, he wasn't loyal to himself so he doesn't decline his offer, and take it instead. Wes ultimately chose the loyalty of his father over the loyalty of himself which is lack of