Conflicts In Larry Watson's Montana 1948
“From the summer of my twelfth year I carry a series of images move vivid and lasting than any others of my boyhood and indelible beyond all my attempts the years make to erase or fade them…”(p. 11). These are the very first lines of Larry Watson’s Montana 1948. This first thought immediately gives off the ambiance that there are major conflicts to occur. Of course every novel needs a conflict to move the plot along, but what makes Montana 1948 special is all of the conflicts involve family members. This makes resolution more difficult because of a natural desire to want the best for the person while also wanting them to face their consequences. This causes a person to choose between doing their job as a family member and a member of the surrounding society,which increases intensity and makes the issue very personal. David’s uncle, Frank, the doctor is described as “He had been a star athlete in high school and college, and he was a genuine war hero, complete with decorations and commendations.”(p. 37) So when Marie, David’s nanny, fell ill, Frank was the obvious choice to treat her. At this point he was just the Uncle, who happened to be a doctor. But when Marie’s allegations of rape came to
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They most often lead to pain, anger, and people to shift into different roles than they are used to. The role shifting can be difficult. People are usually unsure of how to proceed and hungry for power, so they will take it anyway they can get it. But as in almost any family, David’s family shows the qualities that hold a family together. Loyalty, trust, compassion, and selflessness to name a few. The personal level of the arguments can make them hard to talk through, but if a family can work through something like this, it often draws them closer together in the future. Even with the occasional struggle, or more than occasional in David’s case, families can at least partially overcome to stay
They most often lead to pain, anger, and people to shift into different roles than they are used to. The role shifting can be difficult. People are usually unsure of how to proceed and hungry for power, so they will take it anyway they can get it. But as in almost any family, David’s family shows the qualities that hold a family together. Loyalty, trust, compassion, and selflessness to name a few. The personal level of the arguments can make them hard to talk through, but if a family can work through something like this, it often draws them closer together in the future. Even with the occasional struggle, or more than occasional in David’s case, families can at least partially overcome to stay