"But of all of
northeastern Montana
is hard country -- the
land is dry and sparse
and the wind never
stops blowing. The heat
and thunderstorms in
summer can be brutal,
and the winters are
legendary for the
fierceness of their
blizzards and the
depths to which the
temperatures drop.
These two extremes would cause difficulties with growing crops and such,
which would therefore make the state a relatively hard place to live.
This description of the setting could also be seen as a symbol of struggle. The setting works as a metaphor that mirrors the struggles of the Hayden family. The internal battle within Wes between loyalty and justice, or the conflicts that have become apparent
between family members because of th case.
MERCER COUNTY
"Mercer County was both
farm and ranch country,
but with only a few
exceptions, neither farms
nor ranches were large, or
prosperous."
This highlights
the harsh and
ever-changing
climate of the
county.
"Western edge of the county . . . was the
Fort Warren Indian Reservation, the
rockiest, sandiest, least arable parcel of
land in the region."
This shows the racism that
lives within the county. That
the Natives were given the
worst land, and even though it
was common during the
1940's it still plants the first
ideas about how racist the
community of Mecer County
were, and how although the
people claim to be welcoming,
there is still the underlying
feeling of racism towards the
Native Americans.
"Life was simply too hard, and so much of your attention
and energy went into keeping not only yourself alive, but
also your family, your crops, and your cattle alive. that
nothing was left over for raising hell or making trouble."
This quote
emphasises both
the hard climate of
the area, as well as
the immature
nature of David as a
boy. He was
oblivious to the fact
that there were
more sinister and
evil things happened
just below the
surface.. The quote
also been
foreshadowing the
events that followed,
the "hell raised" by
the Sherfifs
brother.
BENTROCK
". . . the county seat and the only town of any size in the
region. In 1948 its population was less than two thousand
people."
The fact that the size of the town is described gives the
reader an insight into how much power the Hayden family
have. It is like a monarchy and they have absolute power. It
also shows that it is a place where no secrets are kept for
long as everybody knows everybody.
1948
"And 1948 still felt like a new, blessedly peaceful era. The
exuberance of the war's end had faded but the relief had
not."
The novel takes place three years after the end of World War ll. There is a happiness within the community because everyone has returned from war,
mostly safely. However, the public has also been exposed to terrifying hateful actions, and now have a deeper understanding of evil. The post-war small
town is not nearly as Idyilic as once though. And the war heroes are intact not heroes at all.
Symbol
THE WIND
The novel often references the windiness of Bentrock. Gail loves the wind,
she says it has a kind of cleansing effect, though she notes the in
Montana smells too much of ice and rock (a lifeless smell), and wishes it
smelled more like dirt (organic and full of life).
"Had I any sensitivity at all I might
have recognized that all this talk
about wind and dirt and
mountains and childhood was my
mother’s way of saying she
wanted a few moments of purity,
a temporary escape from the
sordid drama that was playing
itself out in her own house. But I
was on the trail of something
that would lead me out of
childhood."
Julian however, aggressively states that anyone who
doesn't like the wind should get out of Montana. The
wind is a natural result of the setting, but it also
symbolises the unavoidability and often harshness of
change, bringing to mind the phrase “winds of change.”
It blows incessantly, just as time moves irreversibly
forward, and as David comes to understand his
childhood will not last forever, and that adulthood
brings with it new and difficult challenges, the wind
serves to underscore that this is a story about
dramatic and irreversible change.
NUTTY
Nutty is Davids horse that lives at his grandparents ranch. however, within the novel Nutty is more than just a
horse. He acts as a symbol for childhood. When Wesley tells David that he is never to let his grandparents inside
the home, David cries. Not because he will never see his grandparents again, but because he will never see his
horse again. David's sorrow at first seems misplaced - his concern for his horse perhaps seems trivial in light of
all of the day's events. But his sorrow at the fact that he will never see his horse again reveals that on some level
David understands his life has been irreversibly changed.
"That night I cried for the first time since that
whole sad, sordid, tragic set of events began. My
tears, however, were not for Marie, whom I loved, or
my uncle, whom I once idolized, or for my parents
or grandparents or my community or my life in it -
all, all changed, I knew, by what had happened. But
that night I cried myself to sleep because I believed
that I would never see my horse, Nutty, again."
THE COYOTE
In Marie Little Soldier's last words to David, she says how a coyote is hard to see if
you look for it. This is referring to the situation with Frank.. We don't always know
where the danger is, and we may be looking in the wrong places for it. Frank was a
beloved doctor and war hero (the whole town had heard rumours about the abuse
of Native American women, and yet they did nothing) but in reality he is a monster.
Marie's final remark is fitting. This novel is in so many ways
about failing to see: wrong doing (Julius about Frank), Bigotry
(Wes failing to see his own bigotry), abuse, and in justice (white
people's feelings towards Native Americans).
"and did you see a coyote?". . . "No", I said "but I was looking." "He's hard to see when you look for him."