Johnny Tremain

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Happy reading.

Chapter 1 “Up and About”

Part 1

The story takes place in the town of Boston. Boston is a city in Massachusetts and right next to the ocean. In Boston, there is a silversmith named Mr. Lapham. A silversmith is someone who makes things out of silver. Mr. Lapham lives with his daughter-in-law, granddaughters and three apprentices. An apprentice is someone who is learning how to make things with silver. Dove is 16 years old and is fat and very lazy. Johnny is 14 years old, skinny, and very bossy. Dusty is 11 years old and is the youngest apprentice. Dove and Johnny are always fighting. Johnny thinks Dove is too lazy, and Dove thinks Johnny is too bossy. Ha Ha! Gosh, Johnny. I’m sorry... Oh, you overgrown pig of-a-louse!! Even though Dove doesn’t like him, Mr. and Mrs. Lapham like Johnny and think he is a really good silversmith. Mrs. Lapham has 4 daughters: Dorcas is 18 years old, Madge is 16 years old, Cilla is 14 years old, and Isannah is 8 years old. Cilla and Isannah are friends with Johnny. When Johnny grows up, he is going to marry Cilla.

Part 2

Once everyone was awake, they all sit down to have breakfast. After breakfast, Mr. Lapham asks Johnny to read from the Bible. Johnny reads a part about having too much pride. Mr. Lapham makes Johnny promise not to be too proud, and everyone makes fun of him and makes him very angry. Johnny is mad because everyone was making fun of him, so he goes for a walk to get coal for the shop.

Part 3

When he comes back, Madge tells Johnny that John Hancock is in the shop to order some silver. John Hancock was a very rich man who owned the town where Johnny and the Lapham family lived. Johnny needs to help Mr. Lapham write down John Hancock’s order because Mr. Lapham is old and forgets. John Hancock tells Mr. Lapham that he wants a silver sugar basin to match the set he made for him. Mr. Lapham thinks he’s too old to make it, but Johnny wants to help and tells John Hancock it will be done on Monday. Mr. Lapham tells Johnny to work on the handles for the sugar basin.

Part 4

While he’s working, Cilla is drawing a picture for him that he can use when he becomes a silversmith. Johnny then tells Cilla that he is has a middle name that starts with an “L,” but doesn’t tell her what it is. J. L. T. Johnny worked so hard making the handle the he fell asleep while working.

Part 5

But Cilla wakes him up because Isannah is sick and wants to go for a walk by the water to get fresh air. While they’re walking, Johnny tells Cilla and Isannah that his full name is Jonathan Lyte Tremain. Jonathan Lyte Tremain Cilla notices that Johnny’s name is the same as Merchant Jonathan Lyte, a very rich and mean man. Once Isannah falls asleep, Johnny tells Cilla about his mom and about a cup that she gave him before she died. Johnny’s mom told him if he ever gets in trouble, he should bring the cup to Merchant Lyte because they’re related and he will help.