Johnny Tremain Themes

I decided to select, Johnny Tremain, for my book report because of the fundamental and universal ideas the author, Esther Forbes, employs. Throughout the book, Forbes displays the dynamic of his characters and how the American Revolution transformed these boys into men. I appointed this book over others because of its underlying messages about Family, Friendship, and Patriotism. The cover of the book is nothing special, but displays the Revolution as a coming of age. The story begins by describing the life of the most gifted silversmith apprentice in Boston, Johnny Tremain. Tremain is determined to become the best silversmith but that takes a drastic turn when he decides to work on the sabbath and when Dove, one of the other apprentices hands him a broken crucible as a prank, it results in an accident that disfigures his hand and thus ends his career as a silversmith. Tremain tries to find a job, and finds one with his best friend Rab as a newspaper
Tremain metamorphosizes from a conceited boy into an altruistic man after the accident which changed his life forever. After the accident, his adopted family found him to be useless and thus Johnny realizes he went from the top to the bottom of the chain since he had become crippled. Furthermore, Mrs. Lapham, possibly the cruelest of them all, tells him that he was only good for picking rags and thus kicks him out of the hose. Thus, Johnny realizes that he needs to grow up and it taught him independence, and that nothing lasts forever. The other characters in this novel feel that Johnny is better than them because of his successes, but after the accident people associate him as a cripple and thus worthless. Ultimately, Johnny learns humility through adversity and towards the end of the book, he accepts his disability. People can identify with Johnny, because when people are faced with adversity, their true colors are