Johnny Tremain

The novel’s final section revolves around the aftermath of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the way it transforms the protagonist. Chapter 10’s title echoes the words of Major Pitcairn, a British officer who fights in the Battle of Lexington: “Disperse, ye rebels, ye villains, disperse! Why don’t ye lay down your arms?” (256). As Johnny eventually learns, his best friend was one of the valiant men who refused to back down even though they were vastly outnumbered. Rab’s death develops the theme of Self-Sacrifice for the Greater Good.

At the start of this section, Johnny is unaware of his friend’s condition. It may seem ironic that Johnny is asleep when the war begins, but it reflects Forbes’s decision to place her protagonist near monumental historical events rather than at the heart of them. Johnny is a more realistic and relatable character to young readers because he’s an ordinary teenager rather than one of the Revolutionary War’s key figures. Johnny is also believable because of his struggle to make sense of the greater good in a time of war. In Chapter 10, Johnny has a symbolic dream that illustrates his internal conflict: “Lobsterback” was a common insult the Americans flung at the British soldiers due to their distinctive red uniforms. The tearful, beseeching human eyes on the lobsters indicate that Johnny still sees the British forces as people rather than targets. He doesn’t revel in war like Adams does, nor can he play the refined gentleman and avert his eyes from bloodshed the way Hancock does. Johnny feels like he has blood on his hands due to his role in the rebels’ plans and due to the lingering guilt of Pumpkin’s dismal end.

In Chapter 11, Forbes uses literary devices to intensify the novel’s suspense. She creates dramatic irony as Johnny, who knows about the Battle of Lexington, walks through a city full of people who do not yet realize they are at war. This calm before the storm lends an air of unreality and anticipation. In addition, the metaphor comparing the British army to a mighty dragon emphasizes how much better equipped and armed they are than the ragtag militiamen. Above all, the uncertainty of Rab’s survival keeps Johnny and the readers in suspense.

In addition, the protagonist’s actions contribute to the suspense and illustrate how he has grown throughout the novel. For example, Johnny finds shelter for the Lorne family, who took him in and gave him a new life when his whole world fell apart.

This also connects to the motif of printing because Mr. Lorne will bring his press to the Lytes’ house and continue to support the revolution with his work. Johnny shows how his priorities and values have shifted over the course of the novel through his reaction to Lavinia and the information she provides in Chapter 11. Mr. Lyte’s acknowledgment of their kinship and the promise of an inheritance have little impact on Johnny because he no longer desires a life of wealth and privilege. In addition, Lavinia functions as a sort of femme fatale throughout the novel because her elegance and beauty threaten to distract Johnny from the plainer but good-hearted Cilla. However, Lavinia’s cruelty in Chapter 11 breaks the spell, and Johnny’s attraction toward her ceases. Johnny’s parting with Cilla also demonstrates his maturity. He kisses her goodbye “[n]ot at all like a child” (280). The reader is left to wonder if the two young people will ever see each other again, let alone achieve their dream of marrying one another.

Johnny proves his courage by donning Pumpkin’s uniform even though the private’s fate showed him exactly what he can expect if he is caught impersonating a British soldier. It is important to note that Johnny’s bravery does not come at the cost of his empathy. Even now, with the war begun, Johnny is concerned for people on both sides. He’s most fearful for Rab, but he also worries for Sergeant Gale, Madge Lapham’s husband. In addition, he feels outraged compassion when he sees how the British treat the wounded privates, who lack the social status of the higher ranks.

Chapter 12 brings the theme of Self-Sacrifice for the Greater Good to its culmination and marks the beginning of a new life for the protagonist. The last chapter’s title, “A Man Can Stand Up,” comes from James Otis’s speech at the Boston Observers’ final meeting in Chapter 8. Otis’s speech proves prophetic, and Rab dies to defend the very ideals of liberty and equality that the orator espoused. Forbes wrote this novel during World War II. Dr. Warren’s fervent hope that there will always be good men like Rab who are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice reflects the author’s desire to instill patriotism in her readers.

In a painful instance of irony, Rab is lethally wounded before he ever fires the musket he was so anxious to obtain, but his sacrifice is not in vain. His best friend and his grandfather both rise up to take his place. Before Rab’s death, he passes the musket and the mission of defending liberty on to Johnny. Dr. Warren offers to perform surgery to restore mobility in Johnny’s right hand. The Johnny of old would have wanted to reclaim his life as the skillful, admired silversmith apprentice. Instead, he doesn’t hesitate to place his life at the service of a greater cause than his own happiness and prosperity. This is the final and ultimate proof of the protagonist’s development over the course of the story.

As the novel draws to a close, the suspense remains high. The Revolutionary War has only begun, and the reader is left to wonder if Johnny will survive. However, there is a solemn solace in knowing that the ideals of liberty will live on no matter how many fall defending them.