Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the ox bow incident modern library classics. The ox bow 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. Wellman, starring henry fonda, dana andrews and mary beth hughes, with anthony quinn, william eythe, harry morgan and. The oxbow incident, novel by walter van tilburg clark, published in 1940. The oxbow incident oxbow incident by walter van tilburg. They pause to look down into the big valley below and excitedly spy the little town that is their destination. They have been riding together for five years and have spent winter alone together in a shack. Monkeynotes study guide summarythe oxbow incident by.
A terse account of a lynching, the oxbow incident is a mans book. Walter van tilburg clark, american novelist and shortstory writer whose works, set in the american west, used the familiar regional materials of the cowboy and frontier to explore philosophical issues. Two men fonda and morgan who ride into a town plagued by. In this novel, two cowboys return to town after a long winter caring for a herd of. The novel is narrated by art croft from the first person point of view. He then accepted a post as a high school teacher and basketball coach at cazenovia, new york. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comic con sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. In the oxbow incident, the heroes are in search of a just resolution which will rid the valley of the rustlers and the murderers which the rustlers have apparently become. Gil and i crossed the eastern divide about two by the sun. Set in 1885, the oxbow incident is a searing and realistic portrait of frontier life and mob violence in the american west.
William wellmans claustrophobic western, the ox bow incident 1943, on the other hand, actually seems to have inspired sidney lumets courtroom drama, 12 angry men 1957. She must have had fun doing something different, and she certainly makes the oxbow incidents west bleak and hateful. The ox bow incident is a 1943 american western film directed by william a. In this novel, two cowboys return to town after a long winter caring for a herd of cows. The book begins as art and his friend, gil carter, cross the eastern divide about two oclock in the afternoon. The oxbow incident is a novel by famed western writer walter van tilburg clark. Osgood, the preacher, beseeches them not to form a lynch mob and says they should act in a reasoned and legitimate manner and not as a lawless mob. A comprehensive book analysis of the oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark from the novelguide, including. A painful but deep and meaningful book by walter van tilburg clark. They are excited after working on the winter range. Wellman, starring henry fonda, dana andrews and mary beth hughes, with anthony quinn, william eythe, harry morgan and jane darwell. First published in 1940, it focuses on the lynching of three innocent men and the tragedy that ensues when law and order are abandoned. The oxbow incident was filmed by william wellman and stared the young henry fonda as art croft.
Chapter 2 farnley is ready to ride off and get the sonsofbitches on his own. The ox bow incident is a novel by famed western writer walter van tilburg clark. In explaining to jaques his decision to marry audrey, touchstone says, as the ox hath his bow, sir, the horse his curb. Summary the ox bow incident begins with the firstperson narrator, art croft, and gil riding into the town bridgers wells. It was produced by lamar trotti who wrote the screenplay, an adaptation from the novel by walter van tilburg clark. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the ox bow incident by walter van tilburg clark. The ox bow 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 film by wellman 1943 britannica. For the book of the same name, see the oxbow incident novel. Welcome to hard times by wirt williams nce again, the legend of the old west has been rescued for a serious literary purpose, say the publishers of this first novel by a philosophy major.
Egos are sharpedged, every shoulder carries a chip. The ox bow incident by clark, walter van tilburg a copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. Set in nevada in 1885, the story concerns the brutal lynching of three characters falsely accused of murder and theft. Questia read the fulltext online edition of the oxbow incident 1940. The oxbow incident book by walter van tilburg clark. Unfortunately, advertising revenues have declined so much that we can no longer afford to offer all of our notes for free. Walter van tilburg clark american writer britannica.
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. Like this is our monkeynotes downloadable and printable book summary booknotessynopsis for the ox bow incident by walter van tilburg clark in pdf format. 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. Jack is the most hunted man in america after the incident at the hotsy totsy. Gerald, who is in his fathers group, does not get out his gun.
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. A description of the town ensues and it is depicted as losing its stagestop look and beginning to settle into a half. The result is an emotionally powerful, vivid, and unforgettable recreation of the western novel, which clark transmuted into a. The opening action of the ox bow incident takes place in bridgers wells, nevada, a little frontier town located in a big valley on the western side of the continental divide. Gil begins to play poker and wins one hand after another. Along the way, the oxbow incident came to mean less to me.
American author walter van tilburg clarks novel the oxbow incident 1940 is a western that tells the story of two men who join a lynch mob in a small town to try to catch and hang three suspected cattle rustlers, only to discover that their attempts at justice were misguided. Goofs juan martinez throws a knife that lands right next to farnleys foot. Youll love and hate it and probably want desperately to discuss it with someone like i did. Monkeynotesthe oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark. Summary farnley is ready to ride off and get the sonsofbitches on his own. The oxbow incident is a 1943 american western film directed by william a. Incident kod oxbowa, na prostoru bivse jugoslavije poznat i pod naslovom omca za vjesanje je americki crnobijeli vestern film snimljen 1943. The oxbow incident quotes by walter van tilburg clark. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Incident kod ox bowa, na prostoru bivse jugoslavije poznat i pod naslovom omca za vjesanje je americki crnobijeli vestern film snimljen 1943. The ox bow incident, on the other hand, is as mainstream as it gets a beloved american genre, a hot charismatic hollywood alister lead, a familiar intro of two outsiders riding into town, ordering a whiskey and looking for a fight.
After finishing the book it just seemed natural for me to delve into my movie collection and dig out the film version of the oxbow incident. The oxbow incident discussion questions chicago public library. Summary and analysis part 5 the last part of the ox bow incident functions as a denouement. From the novels opening, narrator art croft seems unsure about the rightness of joining the lynch mob, yet he does. 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 ox bow incident, novel by walter van tilburg clark, published in 1940.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. After studying philosophy and literature for two more years at the university of vermont, clark received a second masters degree. This page for walter van tilburg clarks the oxbow incident offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. The opening sentence of the oxbow incident, simple as it appears to. Monkeynotes free online study guide book notes summary for. Buy a cheap copy of the oxbow incident book by walter van tilburg clark. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the oxbow incident near you. Walter van tilburg clark is a critically acclaimed author of three novels who, although born in maine, has. If you look closely you can see a thin wire attached to the end of the knife, indicating that first the scene was filmed with the knife being jerked backwards by the wire, then the film was played in reverse, to give the desired illusion of the knife landing at farnleys feet. The film came out three years after the book and didnt seem to deviate from the book that much until the end and perfectly captured the bleak and psychological elements of the story. An ugly study in mob violence, unrelieved by any human grace save the futile reproach of a minority and some mild postlynching remorse, is contained in the ox bow incident, which was delivered. The ox bow incident, american western film, released in 1943, that was a thoughtprovoking and disturbing look at the dangers of mob justice. This psychological study of corrupt leadership and mob rule was read as a parable about fascism when it first appeared.
Gil downs his opponent but is knocked unconscious when canby hits his head with a bottle. Two drifters are passing through a western town, when news arrives that a local rancher has been murdered and his cattle stolen. Related questions and answers for characters in the oxbow incident. The oxbow incident nodust by clark, walter van tilburg. Wellman, with henry fonda, dana andrews, mary beth hughes, at turner classic movies.
It does nothing more than pursue to their conclusion the natural and inevitable results of the climactic act the lynching of martin, morez, and hardwicke on the basis of what seemed sufficient evidence. Read the full synopsis of the oxbow incident, 1943, directed by william a. This psychological study of corrupt leadership and mob rule was read as a parable. The ox bow incident great westerns, like all genre films worth their salt, are meticulously structured, and they feature a pretty short list of archetypal characters. The stakes and the bad feeling grow higher and finally erupt in a rough confrontation between gil and a man named farnley. The oxbow incident the oxbow incident discussion questions from the novels opening, narrator art croft seems unsure about the rightness of joining the lynch mob, yet he does. Toward the end of my stay, i started reading a western called the oxbow incident. 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. Many consider the ox bow 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. The novel is set in the 1880s, when the western frontier in america was being shaped. The opening sentence of the ox bow incident, simple as it appears to be, presents basic information.
Their disagreement is focused on the means by which this justice will be attained that is, who is to be followed. If you actually stumbled upon a good book, youd better read it fast because they dont tell you when youre leaving, they just wake you up at two oclock in the morning and tell you its time for your flight on conair. The oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark librarything. Summary the oxbow incident begins with the firstperson narrator, art croft, and gil riding into the town bridgers wells. It has taken thousands of years to develop, and it is the greatest, the most distinguishing quality which has developed with mankind. The ox bow incident involves a posse of cowboys who lynch the wrong men. Shes right from the book, and is a wicked turnabout from darwells saltoftheearth the grapes of wrath image. With the appearance of the ox bow incident in 1940, clark came into immediate prominence as a writer. The oxbow incident discussion questions chicago public. Set in 1885, the ox bow incident is a searing and realistic portrait of frontier life and mob violence in the american west. The last part of the oxbow incident functions as a denouement. Henry fonda stars as a man who rides into an unfamiliar town and ends up witnessing an exceptionally ugly incident.
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. Monkeynotes study guides download storedownloadable study guides book summary, book notes,notes,chapter summary synopsis. It deals with a mans world where communication by word is spare but communication by gesture, expression and body movement is nuanced. The ox bow incident modern library classics kindle edition by clark, walter van tilburg, stegner, wallace. The opening sentence of the oxbow incident, simple as it appears to be, presents basic information. Jul 26, 2012 if you actually stumbled upon a good book, youd better read it fast because they dont tell you when youre leaving, they just wake you up at two oclock in the morning and tell you its time for your flight on conair. First published in 1940, it focuses on the lynching of three innocent men and the tragedy that ensues when law and.
The movie, which was based on the novel of the same name by walter van tilburg clark, epitomized a new maturity in the western movie genre, having progressed. Law is a lot more than words you put in a book, or judges or lawyers or sheriffs you hire to. 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. Analysis and discussion of characters in walter van tilburg clarks the ox bow incident. The oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark, 1940 online research library. The oxbow incident by walter van tilburg clark, paperback. The leaders of the other three groups ma grier, bartlett and winder take their men off in different directions to surround the wanted men. Complete summary of walter van tilburg clarks the oxbow incident.
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