Wes Hayden’s gun and Sheriff’s badge are used by the author as symbols reflecting his character. What do they represent?
> Wes Hayden’s gun and Sheriff’s badge represent Wes’s power in the novel and montana. It also represents the position of sheriff. ‘gun was scratched and nicked and had a faint blush of rust along the barrel’. Indicates it was an old job. A job that had already been overused. However, Wes never carried around the gun and ‘everytime [David] came across the gun it was unloaded’ signifying that Wes Hayden never intended on using the gun, meaning he didn’t want to hurt anyone. The gun was ‘the size of his palm’ and almost looked exactly like a toy gun. To my understanding, this indicates that Wes never took his Sheriff job seriously. It was just another job that had been passed down by generation. The badge represents the the weight of the sheriff job. Even though he does not intend on hurting anyone he must live up to the standard of Julian as grandfather is still in control.

What were ‘the tensions that set the air humming’ in the Hayden household?
> In the Hayden household, the tensions that set the air humming refer to the relationship and opinions Gail had with Wes. Gail disliked the fact that Wes did not become a Lawyer and instead was pressurised to take up the sheriff job his Dad had left him. This decision forced the family to stay in the small town which made it hard for David (according to his mother) to develop civilised behaviours.

In what sense is David’s father a disappointment to him?
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In what sense is Bentrock a harsh place to live?
>Bentrock is harsh place to live as it is far away from larger communities and developed civilisation. There is also some moral values which are disagreed upon. The constant wind also makes Bentrock a harsh place to live.

Why is there so much description given to Bentrock and its location
> Much description is given to Bentrock and its location as it sets an image for the reader to visualise.

What does the time setting, 1948, add to the place?
> Nineteen fourty-eight is after world war two. This means that life was very simple after the war, and many families carried traditional values. It also indicates that people had not yet opened up to