Andy Cho’s Reviews > Montana 1948 > Status Update

Frank's suicide was unexpected and David's reaction to this incident was interesting. David was ambivalent as he mentions that the pressure on David, Wes, and Gail of another attack on their house was gone while mentioning that his family will mourn Frank's death. David mentions that he felt something very close to love, seeing Uncle Frank die, who was once a war-hero and an uncle who every child would want.

As Frank is locked up in the basement, anxiety starts to build up in the household. Gail expresses her feelings that she doesn't care about anything except for the family's safety. David is surprised when Gail fires a shotgun at the four men and when Wes talks about sexaul assault in front of him. Through all this chaos, I can start seeing the family growing weaker with the unseen tension between Wes and Julian.

David has been acting abnormal since Marie's death as he believed in one of his grandmother's superstitions, which his parents advised him not to. Marie's death was so abrupt and unexpected as she started to feel better. Frank is a top suspect not only because of David's observations, but also due to possible causes of Marie's death that he talked about. These medical reasonings may be a plan to cover up his crime.

The scene of Frank and Wes talking on the riverbank was intriguing. David describes the similarities he noticed between the two brothers as "strange." Obviously, many comparisons were made between the two brothers like a competition. I can infer that David doesn't want his father to relate to a pervert who molests Indian women. The anxiety of David is also shown when he pulls out a handgun as Frank approaches Wes.

The author continues mentioning about Julian's greed for power and authority in the county. One of Julian's specialties are turning casual talks into opportunities to talk about his browbeating opinions. The author's word choice of "browbeating" demonstrates the dominance that he possesses. Additionally, Julian complains about having just one grandchild, meaning that he wants more grandchildren to maintain authority.

Our visualization of Uncle Frank drastically changes throughout the chapter. I learned to not judge someone by their reputation and accomplishments, but to know someone's true identity and personalities. I feel that although Wes is in a state of disbelief, part of him wants the information that Marie told Gail to be true. Wes wants to be the favored son since not being the "war hero" has been significant in his life.

The comparison between Uncle Frank and Wes is significant. This again creates an awkward relationship and this is proven on page 26. When the grandfather says "my son" during his announcement, both brothers knew who he was referring to. Being a "war hero" who served on the battlefield as a doctor, people considered Frank as the more accomplished brother. This might instill a feeling of betrayal in Wes.

The author creates minor tension by making Wes a county sheriff. Since Wes graduated from law school, it can be assumed that he would practice law. There is an awkward tension between Wes, Gail, and the grandfather since they all disagree on what Wes's occupation should be. Gail believes that practicing law would allow him to recognize his true self while the grandfather wants power by making Wes the county sheriff.