What is life like in Montana 1948

Montana 1948 was written in Wisconsin and published in 1993 by Larry Watson as the follow-up to his doctoral thesis-turned-first novel In a Dark Time. The setting within Montana is the fictional town of Bentrock just—as the title indicates—a few years following the end of hostilities between America and the fascist hordes of Europe and Japan. David Hayden provides a first person narration of life on an Indian Reservation—as they known back then—some forty years following the timeline of events. In the first chapter, David describes the town where he lived in with his parents. On 1948, David lived in a little town called Bentrock in Montana, a small town near an Indian reservation. The life the people have is a harsh one and they have to endure poverty and a harsh climate all year round. Despite all this, David feels happy and protected. David’s father, Wesley, was among the only men who did not go to war because of his leg and serves as the sheriff of the little town.

The storyteller opens his story with a nitty gritty portrayal of the setting, that is, Bentrock, Mercer County. It is a residential area in Northern USA and the novelist's decision of name is an unobtrusive reference to the skewed ethics of the town occupants. The scene is grim in this level plain region wherein the occupants are subject to the full force of the elements. The ground is exposed, unrelieved by any natural vegetation. Winds blow tirelessly over the infertile land. The depressing setting gives a suitable backdrop to the ethical predicament of the characters. The time is set post World War II. This was while returning troopers discovered a 'blessedly peaceful era' (p. 16), when agriculturists could continue their quiet, normal lives. The dreariness is additionally reflected in the identity of the inhabitants as most of them are cruel and unwavering, much the same as the town.