Final Project Outline

What is the question you are answering in your own words? (Essay Question #2- Favorite Text/ Themes Montana 1948)

How is corruption both political and otherwise affecting our society?

What is your thesis statement? This sets up the entire paper with your focus and direction.

Corruption is a theme that many scholars agree is a major theme in the book Montana 1948. The corruption of power plays a huge part in both the story and the society within the story. The message shown by the writer is the chain of events that can happen when a person abuses their power.


BODY PARAGRAPH 1
What is the topic/idea of this paragraph?
Scholar’s opinions on the theme of corruption in the book

What quote(s) ideas from research will you use to help prove your points?
a. Sounds corrupt, this looking away by authorities sworn to prevent violent acts, or stop them, or punish the breakers of laws. To look or not to look; to act or not to act are dilemmas we face everyday, decisions complicated and various as our lives, always compelling. (Don’t Blame it on Montana)

b. For instance, if your war-hero brother, who is a doctor, molests Indian girls under the guise of treating them, and you are the sheriff, should you arrest him? If you are a 12-year-old boy, and you see something that implicates your uncle in a murder, should you tell your sheriff father? If your husband is holding his brother under house arrest in your basement and your father-in-law sends his ranch hands to break out his favorite son, should you shoot at them? Or should you give up and run away in order to protect your only son from the knowledge that will shatter his innocence? (Don’t Blame it on Montana)

What example(s) from the book(s) will you use to help prove your points?
a. Although Wesley was completely aware of what is brother Frank was doing to Indian girls he did nothing because his didn’t want to upset his father, or taint his family name.

b. David was told that his grandfather’s philosophy of law enforcement was to “know when to look and when to look away”


BODY PARAGRAPH 2
What is the topic/idea of this paragraph?
Corruption can be caused by those trying to cover up their crimes.

What quote(s) ideas from research will you use to help prove your points?
a. Under the deal, the archdiocese has agreed to provide internal files on accused abusers to a retired judge, who will then decide what can be released to the victims and the public. Yet, based on the archdiocese's past hardball tactics, some victims and their lawyers fear that Mahony won't allow the documents to be made public without a fight. Release of these documents -- which might show which church leaders covered up for pedophile priests -- is the kind of transparency that victims want and Mahony should promote. (More than Money)

b. “…five years ago with revelations that pedophile priests had preyed on children while higher-ups concealed the wrongdoing, often transferring the priests so they could repeat their crimes on other young, unwary victims.” (More than Money)

What example(s) from the book(s) will you use to help prove your points?
a. After Marie accused Frank of molesting Indian girls Frank later returned to see Marie and in an effort to hide this secret, murdered her.


b. Frank eventually realized that the situation got out of hand and committed suicide when he felt that he couldn’t come back from his crimes with the same reputation he had had before.







BODY PARAGRAPH 3
What is the topic/idea of this paragraph?
Sometimes people will go over the edge to prevent their crimes from becoming public.

What quote(s) ideas from research will you use to help prove your points?
a. What the victims, their families and other Catholics want, beyond financial compensation, is transparency, a conciliatory attitude from church leaders and the kind of hard-nosed reforms that would ensure that this kind of abuse won't happen again. (More than Money)

b. Grandpa Hayden dismisses Frank's attraction to "red-meat" with his characteristic laugh, "a deep, breathy cuh-cuh-cuh." The old man can't believe Wesley's torment about whether to look away or not. No real man would shame his brother, put him in jail for giving in to natural desires. (Don’t Blame it on Montana)

What example(s) from the book(s) will you use to help prove your points?
a. Grandpa Hayden pressured Wes from letting the crimes committed by Frank from going public, and even defended Frank so that Wes could try to see why Frank hadn’t done anything shameful.

b. Wesley, in an attempt to hide the crimes and Frank, he locked Frank in his basement as opposed to the county jail where Frank would have been scrutinized; later that night Frank would kill himself.

BODY PARAGRAPH 4
What is the topic/idea of this paragraph?
Any type of corruption or covered up crime will always come back to haunt those covering it up.

What quote(s) ideas from research will you use to help prove your points?
a. Because "Montana 1948" is so intense, so short, so straight-to-the-kill, it would be a disservice to discuss its denouement in sequence or in detail. Only know there will be murder. There will be suicide. There will be breaking of fruit jars in the basement. (Don’t Blame it on Montana)

b. The old, lame, sick with cancer lawyer and ex-sheriff Wesley Hayden (not such a far remove from John Wesley Hardin) slams his hand down on the table so hard the dinnerware jumps. (Don’t Blame it on Montana)

What example(s) from the book(s) will you use to help prove your points?
a. Frank commits suicide because he can no longer live with himself after these crimes that he has committed.

b. This crime continues to haunt the family for years afterward, and it is something that they cannot avoid.

CONCLUSION
What should we now understand after reading your paper? Where idea(s) does your paper led to?
a. Covering up crimes can cause too much trouble, so people be more honest and forthcoming if they were to make a crime because then even if they got into trouble, at least their consciences would be clear.

b. Crimes and corruption that causes them can be harmful to society and can cause a dramatic affect in all the people involved either in the crime lives as well as those around them.
Final Assessment/ Research Paper Outline