Study Questions & Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. In what ways
is Johnny Tremain's life shaped by the social and economic practices
of colonial America on the eve of the Revolution? What does the
novel reveal about these practices?
2. What does
Johnny Tremain reveal about marriage customs in colonial America?
3. What role
does religion play in Johnny Tremain's world?
4. Contrast
James Otis's rousing speech about the need for revolution with Samuel
Adams's attitude toward rebellion. Which do you think Johnny finds
more appealing, and why?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. How does Jonathan Lyte serve
as a foil to Johnny? How does their relationship dramatize the tension
between the colonies and Britain?
2. Compare how Rab and the Lornes
influence Johnny's psychological development.
3. How does Johnny Tremain address
race in colonial America?
4. Why is the relationship between
the colonists and British troops complex and often ambivalent?
5. Do you think Johnny Tremain
would have helped the Whigs in their fight for independence if he
had not injured his hand?
