L. Watson, Montana, 1948: Pre-reading Questions
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- Navigate this page:
- Check out the useful links attached
- Useful Literary Terms and Usage Notes
- Montana 1948
- Any grammar/word usage errors that should be corrected Part One
- Analyze as potential thesis statements
| WR097
L. Watson, Montana, 1948: Pre-reading Questions Those questions are designed to focus your reading of the novel and to get you thinking about your final essay about this text, even before you start reading. You will be given additional handouts to help the discussions and to move you toward a thesis/argument and evidence (specific examples/ good quotes) for your final essay. It’s helpful to start formulating questions, opinions, hypotheses as you read along. The worksheets are HW assignments. We will also refer to them in our class discussions. ***********************************************************************
Look at the reading/discussion schedule. Be sure to budget enough time to read the assigned pages.
period, themes/issues?)
book? Check out the useful links attached. They may provide some context (background information) for understanding the novel. What information did you find most interesting based on this quick research?
questions about things you would like to know about the author, this novel, or this historical context. Write at least two questions here:
this novel? Write at least three assumptions/predictions/hypotheses about either its content or its style: Montana 1948 Useful Literary Terms and Usage Notes Point of view/Perspective (first-person point of view) Dialogue
Foreshadowing Flashback Digression Plot
Setting Characters *Characteristics The protagonist Major/minor characters The narrator The author
or issues might these images or symbols represent?
stand out in the narrator’s description? (Note page numbers) Pick another character to analyze in the same way.
out in the narrator’s description? (Note page numbers.) Does the house reflect anything about Grandpa, David, or about themes/issues in the novel?
the novel so far. Try to write one of them as a potential thesis statement about a theme we identified. Pretend that you must write a paper about this novel tonight – what argument could you make so far? Could the hypothesis be a possible answer to the questions you wrote in #5? WR097 Montana 1948 Do you see any promising ideas for an analytical essay about the novel? Do you see potential arguments for thesis or evidence to support arguments? Do you disagree with anything here? Do you strongly agree with anything here? Any grammar/word usage errors that should be corrected? Part One How author got to be interested in Native American’s problem? How real is this story? Is the novel based on reality? Why Montana? Why 1948? What happened during that time? What is, historically, the role of Indians in Montana? Is the father’s choice correct as a sheriff? What about as a father? What is the life on a small town like? What make the issue in the book so “hopelessly complex”?
Everyone, including Frank’s father and wife, knows Frank’s crimes, but why no one says anything? What kind of effect did the author expected by telling the story through twelve- year-old David? Do you think Grandpa raise his children the right way? Is Wesley Hayden’s position in justice affected only by his knowledge about law, as he went to law school? What did Marie’s and Frank’s deaths mean: justice, truth, or regret?
1. Watson’s style is simple and vivid. And, this writing style helps us understand the novel’s content easily. 2. Morality is influenced by many factors. 3. Life experience influences moral choice. 4. Honesty and love are the only way to connect family members. 5. Overprotection does not mean love. 6. This novel is about David’s growing up. He is taught about both good and dark sides of human nature. 7. In the novel, David does not fully understand the relationship between adults, especially his father, Frank, and Grandpa Hayden. 8. Because David, who is only twelve years old, is directing the readers through the story, there lies a possibility of some unseen facts or misunderstanding and bias. 9. David’s grandfather affects his family deeply. 10. The overpowering character of Grandpa Hayden contributed in building the characteristics of both sons. 11. People’s reactions to the moral dilemma are different in the small town. 12. Native Americans are judged as less important people by whites. 13. The novel is about loss of innocence.
How real is this story? Is the novel based on reality? Why Montana? Why 1948? What happened during that time? What is, historically, the role of Indians in Montana? Is the father’s role correct as a sheriff? What about as a father? What is the life on a small town like? What make the issue in the book so “hopelessly complex”? Part Two Everyone, including Frank’s father and wife, knows Frank’s crimes, but why no one says anything? What kind of effect did the author expected by telling the story through twelve- year-old David?
Is Wesley Hayden’s position in justice affected only by his knowledge about law, as he went to law school? What did Marie’s and Frank’s deaths mean: justice, truth, or regret? Download 21.13 Kb. Share with your friends:
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