Rating:
Summary:
Northfield tells the story of the James-Younger Gang and their final robbery at the Northfield bank. The story begins with a train robbery and Bill Stiles idea to go north and rob a bank in Minnesota. After some persuasion, Jesse and Frank James; Jim, Cole, and Bob Younger; Bill Stiles; Clell Miller; and Charlie Pitts go north. They separate and stake out surrounding towns to find the best bank to rob. Against their better judgment, they ride into Northfield and attempt to rob the bank. The robbery goes wrong, and they flee from the chasing posse.
Analysis:
Northfield is told from the multiple perspectives of the people involved with the Northfield robbery. Each chapter is written from a different persons’ point of view. Boggs marvelously created each character and personality. The only downside was the use of foul language. Overall, it was a great book and very enlightening.
Impact:
The outlaws have always been popularized from the stories of Robin Hood and his Merry Men to Jesse James and all the other famous western outlaws. I always thought of Jesse James and the gang as a noble gang fighting for the rights of the poor. But I realized it was the result of the media. In all actuality, the James-Younger Gang was full of thieves and killers.
“Society remains intolerant. That’s why Christ was put to death on the cross. That’s why Lee may have surrendered, but the war is not over. Intolerance. Power. Religion. Wait a few years, and we shall be fighting again, probably for the same reasons, but maybe using some other words.” ( Northfield 57 )
“I guess greed and love had brought me here. Brought me here to die.” (Northfield 153 )
“You know the difference between us…You rob the poor, and I rob the rich.” (Northfield 163 )
“There is no heroism in outlawry…and the fate of each outlaw in his turn should be an everlasting lesson to the young of the land.” (Northfield 188 )
7/9/10 – 7/15/10
No comments:
Post a Comment