Book Group Template
DATE:
GROUP #: 5 Ashlee O'Doherty, Shayna Minuto, Colleen Bailey, Timmy Frantin
For your reading of Montana 1948, book groups will meet four times to discuss the novel and address each aspect listed below. Take notes on your wiki for each of your meetings and save it to your group’s Wiki, noting the date and members names at the top.
This is the reading/book discussion schedule. Be sure you have completed each part prior to the book discussion day.
1) Part One, Friday, March 19th
2) Part Two, Tuesday, March 23rd
3) Part Three, Thursday, March 25th
4) Afterward/Epilogue, Friday, March 26th
Directions: Write your notes for every category below on your group’s wiki space. Be sure to discuss in your groups:
• Imagery/ Symbolism
Imagery and Symbolism in Montana 1948 is the narrators dad because he is the county sheriff and he symbolizes law and his brother broke the law so he has to make a choice in weather to punish his brother or let him go. If he lets him go he will have to live with the fact that he let a criminal go but he arrests him has arrested his own brother.
Part 2.
An example of imagery and symbolism would be the wind
Another example of imagery and symbolism would be the dead bird's eye it symbolized death, lust and violence, desire and degradation.
Part 3:
in the 3rd part the gun is important because the mother shoots it as pertection for her family.
Also the jars of food because thats what the uncle was throwing throughout the basement and the shelf fell on him causing him to die.
• Character Behavior or Psychology:
For Part one you must focus on characterization of the main characters listed below. For each character, discuss all three modes of characterization:
1. What the character says
2. What the character does
3. What others/narrator says about the character
You must use textual evidence for each of these three elements of characterization
Narrator’s Father
1. What does the character say?
He doesn’t like Indians “He wear those and soon he’ll be as flat-footed and lazy we an Indian” (pg. 34)
2. What the character does?
He is the sheriff of mercer county, but was studying to be a lawyer “so my father set aside his fledgling law practice and took the badge my grandfather offered. It would never have occurred to my father to refuse.” (pg.21)
3. What others/narrator says about the character?
David feels that anyone can do his dads job. “all of which made my father’s job a relatively easy one. Oh, he arrested the usually weekly drunks, mediated an occasional dispute about fence lines or stray cattle, calked a ferww domestic disturbances, and warned the town’s teenagers about getting rowdy in wood’s café, but by and large being sheriff of mercer country did not require great strength or courage” (pg. 17)
Narrator’s mother (Gail)
Marie and Ronnie Tall Bear
Marie:
1. What does the character say?
-"No I don't need no doctor" Page 30-31
2. What the character does?
-House keeper. Page 25
3. What others/narrator says about the character?
-"Marie was neither small nor shy. She loved to laugh and talk, and she was a great tease."
"She was close to six feet tall, she seemed soft and strong." page 25
"I loved her." page 25
Ronnie Tall Bear:
1. What does the character say?
-Ronnie has basically said nothing this whole book.
2. What the character does?
-Worked on a ranch north of town. Page 26
-But when he was in school he played many sports and many people were jealous of him. Page 26
3. What others/narrator says about the character?
" I liked him almost as much as i like Marie."
"I worshiped Ronnie"
"Marie told me he was thinking of trying his hand on the rodeo circuit."
"During the war Ronnie was in the infantry(Good enough for the army but not college.)
Page 26
Uncle Frank (and Aunt Gloria)
Grandfather
What he says – “I'd like to bring my son up here.” Pg 37 He is very proud of his son Frank because of his actions in the War.
What He does – He is very power hungry. He likes to be in control of things. Even after he retired from being the sheriff he had his son become it so he could shill have a say in how to run the town.
What other characters or narrator say about this character – people though of the narrators grandfather as a strong man and had a powerful say in the town. • Interesting Passages (at least two passages, cited in proper MLA format)
“how long have you been feeling sick?”
“I don’t know a couple of days maybe”
“have you been eating”
marie shook her head.
“are you sick to your stomach?”
another head shake.
“have you been throughing up?”
maria whispered no.
“do you know anyone else who is sick? Someone you might have caught this from?”
“His tone must have angered her, because her voice went right back to where it had been earlier, and though it seemed each word was the product oif effort it also seemed born out of absolute determination. “What things? I’ll tell you what things. Your brother makes his patients—some of his patients—undress completely and get into indecent positions. He makes them jump up and down while he watched. He fondles their breasts. He—no, don’t you turn away. Don’t! you asked and I’m going to tell you. All of it. He puts things into these girls. Inside them, there, his instruments. His fingers. He has… your brother I believe has inserted his, his penis into some of these girls. Wesley, your brother is raping these woman. These girls. These Indian girls. He offers his serviced to the reservation, to the BIA school. To the high school for athletic physicals. Then when he gets these girls where he wants then he … oh! I don’t even want to say it again. He does what he wants to do.”(pg. 47) Grandfather laughed a deep, breathy cuh-cuh-cuh that sounded like half a cough and half laugh. “Come on, Wesley. Come on, boy. You know Frank's always been partial to red meat. He couldn't have been any older than Davy when Bud caught him down in the stable with that little indian girl. Bud said to me, “Mr. Hyden, you better have a talk with that boy. He had that little squaw down on her hands and knees. He's been learnin' from watching the dog or the horses and the bulls.' I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some young ones out there who look a lot like your brother.” Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Ed. Washington Square Press. New York : Pocket Books , 1995. 72. Print. Those were my last words Marie spoke to me. The next day, Monday, August 13, 1948, Marie Little Soldier was dead. My mother came home from work at 5:15 and found Marie lying dead in her bed. By the time I came home at 6:00 (I had spent the day fishing with Charley and Ben), the hearse- a Buick station wagon from Undset's Funeral Parlor – was backing out of the driveway and carrying Maries body away. Uncle Franks pick up was parked in front of the house. On the courthouse lawn across the street stood a few onlookers, and Mr. and Mrs. Grindahl next door were on their porch, staring at our house as if it might burst into flames at any second. Fromn somewhere on the block came the steady ratcheta-ratcha of a lawn mower – someone who didn't know that for the moment all usual activity had ceased. Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Ed. Washington Square Press. New York : Pocket Books , 1995. 86-87. Print. My Father took off his hat and sailed it hard against the refrigerator. “He's in the basement. Goddamn it! Don't you get it- I've arrested him. He's down there now.” Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Ed. Washington Square Press. New York : Pocket Books , 1995. 109. Print. Uncle Frank lay on the floor, his head cradled against my father's chest. The gash across Uncle Franks wrist had already started its useless healing: the edges of the wound had begun to dry and pucker; the blood, what was left in him, had begun to blacken and congeal. I could see only his right arm, but I knew the cut there was one of a matching set. Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Ed. Washington Square Press. New York : Pocket Books , 1995. 160. Print.
• Questions/ Predictions you have: Why is this not complete? Part 2:
-I believe what happened was Uncle Frank had something to do with Marie death.
-I Predict that Uncle Frank will get caught towards the end.
-Is David going to run away at sometime in the book?
-I predict that they will move away to get away from all the crazy.
-I think that the Grandparents are going to become more involved in Davids life
-Do you think that David's father will ever have a good relationship with his Dad?
-I predict that when confronting Uncle Frank he will deny everything, but nobody will believe him.
part 3 how do you think the family connectiongs will change because of franks actions?
how do you think the family would react if they found out how frank really killed himself.
i think that the family will stay in their home and try to cope with their hardships.
• Connections to modern life or your personal life
-In the beginning when Marie was sick they had the doctor (Uncle Frank) come to there house to check Marie. Now a days many doctors do not make house calls.
-Now a day Sheriffs are very in charge, but in this book the Sheriff is more laid back and doesn't even carry a gun with him. (At first he didn't even own a gun, he traded it with a drunk man for a train ticket home.)
Part 3 connections
- In part three Frank kills himself and now a days there is many books a lot more going on with suicide its more noticed today.
Part One: Very nice job. You guys did great work finding textual evidence and were able to collaborate well. Please be sure to properly cite (using MLA) all the evidence you get from the text. Also, in future posts, be sure all elements are done. Keep up the good work!19/20.
DATE:
GROUP #: 5 Ashlee O'Doherty, Shayna Minuto, Colleen Bailey, Timmy Frantin
For your reading of Montana 1948, book groups will meet four times to discuss the novel and address each aspect listed below. Take notes on your wiki for each of your meetings and save it to your group’s Wiki, noting the date and members names at the top.
This is the reading/book discussion schedule. Be sure you have completed each part prior to the book discussion day.
1) Part One, Friday, March 19th
2) Part Two, Tuesday, March 23rd
3) Part Three, Thursday, March 25th
4) Afterward/Epilogue, Friday, March 26th
Directions: Write your notes for every category below on your group’s wiki space. Be sure to discuss in your groups:
• Imagery/ Symbolism
Imagery and Symbolism in Montana 1948 is the narrators dad because he is the county sheriff and he symbolizes law and his brother broke the law so he has to make a choice in weather to punish his brother or let him go. If he lets him go he will have to live with the fact that he let a criminal go but he arrests him has arrested his own brother.
Part 2.
An example of imagery and symbolism would be the wind
Another example of imagery and symbolism would be the dead bird's eye it symbolized death, lust and violence, desire and degradation.
Part 3:
in the 3rd part the gun is important because the mother shoots it as pertection for her family.
Also the jars of food because thats what the uncle was throwing throughout the basement and the shelf fell on him causing him to die.
• Character Behavior or Psychology:
For Part one you must focus on characterization of the main characters listed below.
For each character, discuss all three modes of characterization:
1. What the character says
2. What the character does
3. What others/narrator says about the character
You must use textual evidence for each of these three elements of characterization
Narrator’s Father
1. What does the character say?
He doesn’t like Indians “He wear those and soon he’ll be as flat-footed and lazy we an Indian” (pg. 34)
2. What the character does?
He is the sheriff of mercer county, but was studying to be a lawyer “so my father set aside his fledgling law practice and took the badge my grandfather offered. It would never have occurred to my father to refuse.” (pg.21)
3. What others/narrator says about the character?
David feels that anyone can do his dads job. “all of which made my father’s job a relatively easy one. Oh, he arrested the usually weekly drunks, mediated an occasional dispute about fence lines or stray cattle, calked a ferww domestic disturbances, and warned the town’s teenagers about getting rowdy in wood’s café, but by and large being sheriff of mercer country did not require great strength or courage” (pg. 17)
Narrator’s mother (Gail)
Marie and Ronnie Tall Bear
Marie:
1. What does the character say?
-"No I don't need no doctor" Page 30-31
2. What the character does?
-House keeper. Page 25
3. What others/narrator says about the character?
-"Marie was neither small nor shy. She loved to laugh and talk, and she was a great tease."
"She was close to six feet tall, she seemed soft and strong." page 25
"I loved her." page 25
Ronnie Tall Bear:
1. What does the character say?
-Ronnie has basically said nothing this whole book.
2. What the character does?
-Worked on a ranch north of town. Page 26
-But when he was in school he played many sports and many people were jealous of him. Page 26
3. What others/narrator says about the character?
" I liked him almost as much as i like Marie."
"I worshiped Ronnie"
"Marie told me he was thinking of trying his hand on the rodeo circuit."
"During the war Ronnie was in the infantry(Good enough for the army but not college.)
Page 26
Uncle Frank (and Aunt Gloria)
Grandfather
What he says – “I'd like to bring my son up here.” Pg 37 He is very proud of his son Frank because of his actions in the War.
What He does – He is very power hungry. He likes to be in control of things. Even after he retired from being the sheriff he had his son become it so he could shill have a say in how to run the town.
What other characters or narrator say about this character – people though of the narrators grandfather as a strong man and had a powerful say in the town.
• Interesting Passages (at least two passages, cited in proper MLA format)
“how long have you been feeling sick?”
“I don’t know a couple of days maybe”
“have you been eating”
marie shook her head.
“are you sick to your stomach?”
another head shake.
“have you been throughing up?”
maria whispered no.
“do you know anyone else who is sick? Someone you might have caught this from?”
“His tone must have angered her, because her voice went right back to where it had been earlier, and though it seemed each word was the product oif effort it also seemed born out of absolute determination. “What things? I’ll tell you what things. Your brother makes his patients—some of his patients—undress completely and get into indecent positions. He makes them jump up and down while he watched. He fondles their breasts. He—no, don’t you turn away. Don’t! you asked and I’m going to tell you. All of it. He puts things into these girls. Inside them, there, his instruments. His fingers. He has… your brother I believe has inserted his, his penis into some of these girls. Wesley, your brother is raping these woman. These girls. These Indian girls. He offers his serviced to the reservation, to the BIA school. To the high school for athletic physicals. Then when he gets these girls where he wants then he … oh! I don’t even want to say it again. He does what he wants to do.” (pg. 47)
Grandfather laughed a deep, breathy cuh-cuh-cuh that sounded like half a cough and half laugh. “Come on, Wesley. Come on, boy. You know Frank's always been partial to red meat. He couldn't have been any older than Davy when Bud caught him down in the stable with that little indian girl. Bud said to me, “Mr. Hyden, you better have a talk with that boy. He had that little squaw down on her hands and knees. He's been learnin' from watching the dog or the horses and the bulls.' I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some young ones out there who look a lot like your brother.”
Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Ed. Washington Square Press. New York : Pocket Books , 1995. 72. Print.
Those were my last words Marie spoke to me. The next day, Monday, August 13, 1948, Marie Little Soldier was dead. My mother came home from work at 5:15 and found Marie lying dead in her bed. By the time I came home at 6:00 (I had spent the day fishing with Charley and Ben), the hearse- a Buick station wagon from Undset's Funeral Parlor – was backing out of the driveway and carrying Maries body away. Uncle Franks pick up was parked in front of the house. On the courthouse lawn across the street stood a few onlookers, and Mr. and Mrs. Grindahl next door were on their porch, staring at our house as if it might burst into flames at any second. Fromn somewhere on the block came the steady ratcheta-ratcha of a lawn mower – someone who didn't know that for the moment all usual activity had ceased.
Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Ed. Washington Square Press. New York : Pocket Books , 1995. 86-87. Print.
My Father took off his hat and sailed it hard against the refrigerator. “He's in the basement. Goddamn it! Don't you get it- I've arrested him. He's down there now.”
Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Ed. Washington Square Press. New York : Pocket Books , 1995. 109. Print.
Uncle Frank lay on the floor, his head cradled against my father's chest. The gash across Uncle Franks wrist had already started its useless healing: the edges of the wound had begun to dry and pucker; the blood, what was left in him, had begun to blacken and congeal. I could see only his right arm, but I knew the cut there was one of a matching set.
Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Ed. Washington Square Press. New York : Pocket Books , 1995. 160. Print.
• Questions/ Predictions you have:
Why is this not complete?
Part 2:
-I believe what happened was Uncle Frank had something to do with Marie death.
-I Predict that Uncle Frank will get caught towards the end.
-Is David going to run away at sometime in the book?
-I predict that they will move away to get away from all the crazy.
-I think that the Grandparents are going to become more involved in Davids life
-Do you think that David's father will ever have a good relationship with his Dad?
-I predict that when confronting Uncle Frank he will deny everything, but nobody will believe him.
part 3
how do you think the family connectiongs will change because of franks actions?
how do you think the family would react if they found out how frank really killed himself.
i think that the family will stay in their home and try to cope with their hardships.
• Connections to modern life or your personal life
-In the beginning when Marie was sick they had the doctor (Uncle Frank) come to there house to check Marie. Now a days many doctors do not make house calls.
-Now a day Sheriffs are very in charge, but in this book the Sheriff is more laid back and doesn't even carry a gun with him. (At first he didn't even own a gun, he traded it with a drunk man for a train ticket home.)
Part 3 connections
- In part three Frank kills himself and now a days there is many books a lot more going on with suicide its more noticed today.
Part One: Very nice job. You guys did great work finding textual evidence and were able to collaborate well. Please be sure to properly cite (using MLA) all the evidence you get from the text. Also, in future posts, be sure all elements are done. Keep up the good work! 19/20.