Montana 1948 - Context and Key Vocabulary

What is meant by the term 'revisionist western'?

• A traditional western narrative

• A western that challenges and critiques traditional representations of the genre

• An old fashioned western from the mid 20th Century

• A modern western that seeks to revive and glorify traditional representations of the past

Which of the following are you more likely to see in a traditional western

• Good guys wearing cowboy hats defending weak and innocent townspeople and fighting for justice

• Indigenous Americans portrayed as the good guys

• Women represented in central and empowering roles

• A critique of traditional representations of American culture

What is a protagonist?

• The leading villain in a play, film or novel

• A minor character in a play, film or novel

• The leading character in a play, film or novel.

• A character who is always morally good and right

What is an antagonist?

• The leading villain or leading character who is hostile to the protagonist

• The leading character in a play, film or novel.

• The bad guy

• The good guy

What is a novella?

• A long novel, usually more than 400 pages

• A novel based on a play

• A novel with particularly unique qualities

• A short novel, usually less than 200 pages

What is meant by the term 'archetypal character'?

• A character who serves as a central point to the narrative

• A character who represents a specific set of recognisable behaviours belonging to a particular genre

• The character who serves as a villain and is openly hostile to the protagaonist

• A character whose primary occupation is a builder

What is meant by the term 'dominant values'?

• The values that are most challenged by characters in a text

• The amount of wealth and privilege particular characters enjoy in a text

• The views and beliefs that are widely shared among the majority of a society

• The main themes and ideas to be studied in a text

What is a motif?

• A minor character

• A dominant or recurring idea in a text.

• A key feature of the text's setting

• A term used to describe a character's personality

Why might traditional western narratives be challenged in modern times?

• Because most western films and novels are now very dated and unpopular

• Because audiences are much more critical of everything in general

• Because social and cultural values have shifted and people consider more than just the dominant perspectives.

• Because westerns are not as popular as other genres so it is important to figure out why

Which description best captures Montana?

• Bustling, busy, overpopulated

• Beautiful, sanguine, peaceful and equal

• Warlike, hostile, dangerous and broken

• Vast, open, rugged, barren, but with a past not yet resolved.