The oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark, paperback. First published in 1940, it focuses on the lynching of three innocent men and the tragedy that ensues when law and order are abandoned. It is a timeless book that speaks to our common humanity and remains just as relevant today as the day that it was written. Gil and i crossed the eastern divide about two by the sun. The oxbow incident 1943 cinemavens essays from the.
The oxbow incident is a 1940 western novel by walter van tilburg clark in which two local cattlemen are drawn into a lynch mob to find and hang three men presumed to be rustlers and the killers of a local man. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. Monkeynotes free online study guide book notes summary for. The story is told in the firstperson perspective by art croft. Produced and written for the screen by lamar trotti, this is an intense, blunt, and downbeat examination of frontier justice with simple characters that represent various philosophical stances, opinions. Related questions and answers for characters in the oxbow incident. Within hours the men become a part of a mob outraged both over the theft of some cattle and the murder of a popular cowhand. The oxbow incident written by walter van tilburg clark is a novel based on the western frontiers in about the mid 19th century. Understand more than 700 works of literature, including to kill a mockingbird, the catcher in the rye, 1984, and lord of the flies at.
It is a timeless book that speaks to our common humanity and remains just as relevant today as the day that it. Set in 1885, the oxbow incident is a searing and realistic portrait of frontier life and mob violence in the american west. The result is an emotionally powerful, vivid, and unforgettable recreation of the western novel, which clark transmuted into. In this novel, two cowboys return to town after a long winter caring for a herd of cows. Wellman, starring henry fonda, dana andrews and mary beth hughes, with anthony qui.
The oxbow incident quotes showing 117 of 17 true law, the code of justice, the essence of our sensations of right and wrong, is the conscience of society. The oxbow incident is a classic in the truest sense of the word. Wellman, starring henry fonda, dana andrews and mary beth hughes, with anthony quinn, william eythe, harry morgan and jane darwell. Two drifters are passing through a western town, when news arrives that a local rancher has been murdered and his cattle stolen. Buy a cheap copy of the oxbow incident book by walter van tilburg clark. Wellman, with henry fonda, dana andrews, mary beth hughes, at turner classic movies. A comprehensive book analysis of the oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark from the novelguide, including.
Scott fitzgeralds 1925 jazz age novel about the impossibility of recapturing the past, was initially a failure. They have been riding together for five years and have spent winter alone together in a shack. The opening action of the oxbow incident takes place in bridgers wells, nevada, a little frontier town located in a big valley on the western side of the continental divide. The oxbow incident discussion questions chicago public. It has taken thousands of years to develop, and it is the greatest, the most distinguishing. When a posse captures three men suspected of killing a local farmer, they become strongly divided over whether or not to lynch the men. The oxbow incident, novel by walter van tilburg clark, published in 1940. Chapter three summary there are 28 in the group and the chapter begins with them riding off on their hunt for the rustlers and the murderer of kinkaid. Many consider the oxbow incident to be the first serious western novel in american literature, and clarks novel wholly overturns many of the conventions of the typical western or cowboy story in which conceits like shootouts, the triumph of good over evil, and the figure of the cowboy hero tend to loom large. A painful but deep and meaningful book by walter van tilburg clark. Today, the story of gatsbys doomed love for the unattainable daisy is considered a defining novel of the 20th century. This factbased western stars henry fonda and harry morgan as drifters who attempt to stop a lynching of three men accused of the murder of a rancher.
Create marketing content that resonates with prezi video. Clarks version of the quest is different from the classic pattern in that art and gils immediate purpose is to be accepted by the men the cowhands of bridgers wells in. They are excited after working on the winter range. The oxbow incident book by walter van tilburg clark. Curiously, fonda was second choice for the oxbow incident, only getting the role when cooper turned it down.
This psychological study of corrupt leadership and mob rule was read as a parable about fascism when it first appeared. The oxbow incident takes place in nevada in 1885 and begins with art croft harry morgan and gil carter henry fonda riding into the town of bridgers wells. The oxbow incident is a novel by famed western writer walter van tilburg clark. A description of the town ensues and it is depicted as losing its stagestop look and beginning to settle into a half. Questia read the fulltext online edition of the oxbow incident 1940. Youre still not going to convince me that it should have beat out casablanca, but thats because i love casablanca so much, its part of my soul. The guy killed by the rustlers, everyone thought he was a good man. Set in nevada in 1885, the story concerns the brutal lynching of three characters falsely accused of murder and theft. Monkeynotesthe oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark. I have not read the book nor seen the film of the oxbow incident, but i found the wikipedia entry on the title enthralling. In the ox bow incident, we get one sense of this mythical structure from the very outset, as art and gil cross the divide from their own range to bridgers wells range. We know immediately if tentatively that this cowboy story is going to be about two men, rather than the lonely hero of such books as shane, for example.
The oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark, 1940 online research library. The ox bow incident character list flashcards quizlet. The oxbow incident is a 1940 western novel by walter van tilburg clark, in which two drifters are drawn into a posse formed to find the murderer of a local man. The premise of the movie is then slowly built up as news of the shooting of a rancher arrives and a lynching party forms with fonda and morgan tagging along. The novel set in the west recreates the west for a contemporary audience and narrates the lynching of three innocent men without being given the right to a fair trial. With henry fonda, dana andrews, mary beth hughes, anthony quinn. The opening sentence of the oxbow incident, simple as it appears to be, presents basic information.
Posse member, winders assistant, and he hates negroes. In the oxbow incident, what did martins letter say. The oxbow incident begins with the firstperson narrator, art croft, and gil riding into the town bridgers wells. The town was formed to serve the many ranchers in the area, who come into bridgers wells to buy supplies, drink at the saloon, play poker and find women. From the novels opening, narrator art croft seems unsure about the rightness of joining the lynch mob. The oxbow incident is a 1940 western novel by walter van tilburg clark in which two local cattlemen are drawn into a lynch mob to find and hang three men presumed to be. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. The oxbow incident is a 1943 american western film directed by william a.
The last part of the oxbow incident functions as a denouement. Still the oxbox incident deals with something way more real than casablanca, something that film rarely touches on. The theme of a story is very important to the essential turning out of a book. Explore a character analysis of gatsby, plot summary, and important quotes. Its accepted wisdom that the lone gunman and the stranger with a secret belong to the old west, but such conceits are often coopted to drive other kinds of pictures. Wellman based upon the famed novel by walter van tilburg clark of the same name. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Two cowboys henry fonda, henry morgan watch a posse get out of hand and hang three innocent men. Youll love and hate it and probably want desperately to discuss it with someone like i did. The oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark, 1940. The oxbow incident was filmed by william wellman and stared the young henry fonda as art croft. Summary the oxbow incident begins with the firstperson narrator, art croft, and gil riding into the town bridgers wells.
The oxbow incident great westerns, like all genre films worth their salt, are meticulously structured, and they feature a pretty short list of archetypal characters. Since it first appeared in 1940, clarks psychological western has steadily gained admirers, both in its original form, and as a popular film. The oxbow incident 1943 is a grim, lowbudget western masterpiece from director william a. There needs to be a good theme to a story in order for the story to be good. I would discover the contents of this letter myself, the old. In 1943, the novel was adapted into an academyaward nominated movie of the same name, directed by william a. It reminds us that no matter how much our world has changed no matter how sophisticated our technology we humans have changed very little. They go into darbys saloon and find that the atmosphere is subdued, in part because of the recent incidents of cattlerustling the stealing of livestock in the vicinity. In 1943, the novel was adapted into an academy awardnominated movie of the same name, directed by william a. The oxbow incident 1943 cast and crew in this classic western, wanderers gil carter henry fonda and art croft henry morgan ride into a small nevada town plagued by cattle thieves. This new edition adds much supplementary material in its effort to confirm the novels status as a modern masterpiece.
1225 139 1203 1356 574 425 1122 1209 1375 1042 1107 395 1478 1590 830 724 862 921 949 1580 337 391 553 375 1122 1342 189 696 947 1016 1211 117 302 946 1042 80