Group+Three

Book Group Template DATE: 3/19/10 GROUP #: Three MEMBERS: Michelle T, Lauren W, Jen E, Gabby J

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:

• Character Behavior or Psychology: For Part one you must focus on characterization of the main characters listed below. 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
 * For each character, discuss all three modes of characterization:

Michelle - Narrator’s Father The narrators father seems to be content with his life, even though his brother has a life most other men would covet. For example when the narrators grandfather steps up on the table when his uncle comes home, his father doesn't move when his grandfather says "i would like to bring my son up here" showing that his father is content with being second best. "My father was standing next to me when my Grandfather said that. My father did not move. Grandfather did not say, 'my son the veteran' or 'my son the war hero' or 'my son the soldier'. He simply said 'my son'." (pg. 26) He seems to understand who his brother really is and dislikes him for it, but at the same time wants to protect him. When the narrators wife tells him of the terrible deeds committed by his brother, he wishes that he had just told him - not the sheriff, but he is both people.

**Gabby: Marie and Ronnie Tall Bear**

__** *MARIE **__

**In Part I, the character Marie is a Native American housekeeper for the Haydens. The narrator describes Marie as being 6 ft tall, beautiful, hair black and long and straight, wore dresses that never fit her quite right, she understands the narrator (talks to him), and is sexy (the narrator has a chase love for Marie). Towards the middle-end in part one, the character Marie speaks of her being sick, and that she does not want doctor Hayden to check her. In addition, other characters in part 1have something to say of Marie.** “Because she was sexy, though my love for her was, as a twelve-year-old’s love often is, chaste. **-The narrator describes a love for Marie, but not one that’s physical.** // “No! I don’t need no doctor!” With that outburst she began coughing again, this time harder than ever. // **-The character Marie persists that she doesn’t need a doctor, and that it is just a cold. However, Mrs. Hayden thinks otherwise.** // He laughed and hung up the phone. “Frank said maybe he’d do a little dance around the bed. And if that doesn’t work he’ll try beating the drums.” // **-The narrator’s father has a discrimination towards Native Americans, and this is shown when he comments on doing a spiritual dance for Marie if she is not well.**
 * __Others/Narrators Quotes about Marie:__ **

__** *RONNIE **__


 * In Part I, the character Ronnie does not have a speaking role. The narrator only mentions the character in Part I, and speaks highly of Ronnie (worships him).**
 * The narrator introduces Ronnie as being Marie’s boyfriend; who is one of the finest athletes of Bentrock. The narrator describes Ronnie as athletic, plays wall types of sports and set records; Ronnie also works on a ranch north of town.**

//
 * __Narrator’s Quotes About Ronnie:__**
 * “I never wondered then, as I do now, why a college didn’t snap up an athlete like Ronnie. Then, I knew without being told, as if it were knowledge that I drank in with the water, that college was not for Indians.”** //

//**“During the war Ronnie was in the infantry (good enough for the Army but not for college).”**//
 * The narrator describes the discrimination that Native Americans endure in the little town of Bentrock, Montana. Ronnie is great at sports, but colleges are not interested because he’s Native American.**


 * The narrator describes in this text, that Ronnie is good for the army but not for college. Ronnie is strong and athletic, special characteristics that are perfect for the army.**


 * Narrator’s Mother** – She acts very motherly. When Maria gets sick she is instantly alarmed and goes to check on her. She takes care of her as best as she can. She also listens very well and believes what people say. When Maria tells her that Frank takes advantage and rapes Indian girls she believes her. The Narrator thinks his mother is kind of protective. She never let him get sick and she wanted to move some where else because she was worried about his values.

"My mother was concerned about my values....she saw the problem as centered on my moral being" (Watson 21)

Jen - Narrator’s mother (Gail) Gabby - Marie and Ronnie Tall Bear Lauren - Uncle Frank (and Aunt Gloria) Frank was broad-shouldered, tall, pleasant looking with wavy hair and a jaw chiseled on such precise angles. He was also athletic, he was also a genuine war hero. He was witty and charming, at smiling ease with his life and everything in it. The character is also a doctor.

All - Grandfather

Lauren • Interesting Passages (at least two passages, cited in proper MLA format)

Jen • Questions/ Predictions you have: ~Why does Marie feel safe telling Gail about whats she's heard about Uncle Frank rather than the town Sheriff who is her employer?
 * ~Does the narrator perspective of his uncle change or remain the same through out the rest of the book?

~I predict the narrators father will say something to his brother before he does any legal actions and find out if he is really guilty.**


 * Gabby • Connections to modern life or your personal life

~The narrator's life is similar to that of a boy's modern life. The narrator is a young boy who gets a taste of real life from his parents. He realizes discrimination, which still goes on in modern life. As well as a chaste love for the opposite sex (older).**

Michelle • Imagery/ Symbolism

** Ladies, very nice job. Part One: good work using textual evidence to support your claims. In the future, just be sure that you have all components of the postings done. 19/20

Section 2

imagery/ symbolism (michelle)- (Pg. 59) "Grandpa stood on the porch to great us. He was dressed in his Sunday rich ranch owner best - white Western shit and string tie, whipcord trousers, and the boot that were handmade in Texas. He was alone, and while we got out the car he watched us as impassively as he would strangers. He has his hands thrust in his pockets, and his big belly stuck out like a stuffed stack of grain." in this passage, the author uses figurative language and very descriptive words to describe how unapproachable the protagonist's grandfather seemed as he was standing out on the porch before Sunday dinner.

interesting passages (lauren)- yet now that i have the opportunity, alone with my mother, my courage was running out. i wasn't sure which prospect was more unsettling: that she wouldn't tell me anything and would scold me for prying, or that she would reveal everything and i would have to hear that story coming from my mother's lips. ( page 64)

grandpa stood on the porch to greet us. he was dressed in his Sunday rich ranch owner best- white western shirt and string tie, whipcord trousers, and the boots that were hand made in Texas. he was alone, and while we got out of the car he watched us as impassively as he would strangers. he has his hands out thrust in his back pockets, and his big belly stuck out like a stuffed sack of grain. his legs were spead wide, as if he were bracing himself. he wore his white hair longer than most men, over the tops of his ears, curling over his shirt collar, and with bushy sideburns almost to his jowls. as he stood there the wind lifted his hair and made his large head seem even bigger. ( page 69)

questions/predictions you have (jenn)- below gabby's

connections to modern life or your personal life (gabby)-**

//The narrator experiences the effect of a messed up family. He realizes the struggle his father has to face, because Uncle Frank rapes Indian girls. The narrator experiences the fact that people wear "masks". He is upset that sweet Aunt Gloria has no clue that her husband rapes his patients. In addition, when the narrator shoots a bird, he realizes the power of a gun and that you feel indestructible when you fire it. In modern life, a family that falls apart, usually often ends in violence, so that the family can escape their depression. Prediction: it will not end well for the Haydens.//

Questions and Perdictions ~**Does what David saw have an effect on the investigation? ~Does Uncle Frank's and narrator's father agreement fall through?

I predict that the father will take legal action**

PART 3

imagery/ symbolism- (**Michelle) (Pg. 145) "I woke around 1:00 am, startled but unsure of what had roused me. Then i heard it a distant POP and a faint clicking. I searched the dark, not because i thought that sound was in my room, but because i felt, in my sleepy groping, that activating and of my other senses might help my hearing. " in this passage, the author uses an onomatopoeia to describe the sound of the jars being smashed in the basement. **

interesting passages(lauren)- I remembered that she had once been uncle frank's patient. I couldn't recall the reason or how I had even known acquired this knowledge- another overheard conversation, perhaps- yet it was the one fact at the moment that pushed aside all others. i looked up at her astride her horse, and all i could think of was- //what did uncle frank do to you? did he touch you there? there? what did he put inside you?//

She turned the shotgun over, looking for something, holding it awkwardly across her forearms and wrists, trying to cradle it, to balance it. When she found what she was searching for, the loading chamber, she tried to push in a shell. when she couldn't get it in, I said " you have to pump it open"

questions/ predictions- Why did uncle Frank feel the need to kill himself? Will he ever be convicted for his crimes? Does David understand why his Uncle decided to kill himself?

connections to modern life or your personal life-
 * Wesley Hayden is suffering mentally and physically from arresting his brother. His brother molested and raped Indian women, as well as murder Marie. Wesley Hayden does not want to arrest his brother, because it’s his family member. He has to make a decision between the law and his family. He of course chooses the law, and puts his brother in his unfinished basement (as confinement, because the brother does not want to go to jail). However, making the arrest results in a split within in the family as well as outrage, and embarrassment. This deals will real life, because when you find out that someone you love did something against the law, you don’t whether to turn them in or not (because you love them). In contrast to someone one you don’t know, you definitely would turn that person in. Wesley Hayden endures harassment from his father, stating that Wesley has always been jealous of his brother. Wesley denies it and says that the reason he locked up his brother was because of murder and sexual assault. The father can’t believe and claims that is know reason to lock up his favorite son, because the to will know and it will embarrass the Hayden name. This relates to real life in which case there is one sibling that the parents favor more than the other sibling. This leads to low self-esteem and trying to establish an identity that pleases the parents.**