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Quote for support of this: “ I suppose I wanted to see what would happen when someone else brought out into the open a topic that had never been discussed in any detail in my presence.” Pg 174

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Throughout the events of 1948, David wants adult status and to be included in family discussions, and to be trusted with his family’s secrets. However, he is always excluded and has to find out what is going on for himself. This further decreases the accuracy of his story, because all of the the majority of the events of the story were found out through whispers, clippets of information and rumours.

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He wants to be part of a family where he is accepted for who he truly is, and where he doesn’t have to live up to the expectations of his father, uncle and grandfather. He recalls a memory of playing football with Marie and Ronnie Tall Bear, when he felt apart of “ a family that accepted me for myself and not my blood or birthright.” P173

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“The harshness of the land and the flattering effect of wind and sky probably accounted for the relative tranquility of Mercer county. Life was simply too hard...nothing was left over for raising hell or making trouble.”

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When finding out that his uncle was a murderer and rapist, especially to a women that he thought he loved, he got so angry that he wanted to shoot and kill him.

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He experiences “perversion, scandal, family division and decay.” p127

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Davids childhood is pleasent and uneventful prior to the summer of 1948, but when unsettling rumours about his uncle frank comes to light, David must contend with some very adult and unpleasant realities; his uncle is a sexual predator and murderer

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He experienced his uncle murder a woman that he was very close to and thought he was in love with.

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He was in love with a girl from a different race, and started to experience sexual attraction for the first times.

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David is a thoughtful and some what quiet and solitary boy, who loves living in the country side.

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“A story that that is only mine to tell”

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He tells the story as a grown man of 52 looking back on his childhood

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David is the story’s contemplative and a highly perseptive chartacter

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David Hayden is the son of Wesley and Gail Hayden. Wesely’s father, Grandpa Hayden was the sheriff before passing the role to Wesley. His Uncle Frank, who had always seen like a second father figure to him, is found guilty of a crime and which changes the course of their lives.