“Wesley Hayden is essentially a weak man.”Is this how you view him?Discuss with close reference to Montana 1948.

Through his upbringing, Wesley Hayden is developed into a weak, passive and indecisive sheriff of Mercer County, who as a result is reluctant to confront conflict of any sort. At first, David shares this vision and is clearly disappointed with his father. However, the significant moral dilemma surrounding Frank’s morally unacceptable crimes against Indian Women, changes Wesley into a courageous, strong-willed sheriff, who stands up for his conscience. He is able to conquer all conflicting allegiances and sacrifices his family for his town. By the end of the novel, Wesley has become a decisive sheriff who stands for moral integrity, a trait that his son strongly praises.

Wesley is brought up as a reserved and repressed character, whose elder brother Frank is much celebrated and favoured by their father Julian. After the war, Julian addressed to the people of Montana, “I would like to bring up my son.” Wesley did not move, as he knew his father was referring to Frank, the respe...