Steven Shandrick #67

Mrs. Plamiotto

English/ Jane Schafer

March 15, 2004

“Johnny’s Journey of Hardships”

“Now let us all join hands and say the Our Father.” Those are the words of a priest on Sunday mass preaching to the devote Catholics. In Johnny Tremain, due to the community of Boston’s strict religious beliefs, Johnny’s silversmith career is ended because of improper medical attention to his hand. Johnny shows himself to be and arrogant, hardworking determined young boy, but disobeys his religious vows and breaks the law of the Sabbath.

After Johnny makes his promise to Mr. Lyte to finish the sugar basin by Monday, he becomes very determined which leads to a severe hand injury. “You shall have them. Sabbath or no Sabbath that sugar basin is going to be done on time.”(p.33) Johnny, a determined and arrogant silversmith, tries to keep his promise to Mr. Lyte, but ends up breaking the law of the Sabbath. Johnny did not put God and his religion first in his life and honor his promise to God. Johnny ends up as a dishonest and strong-minded young man.

After Johnny harshly burns his hand, he does not want any doctors to know he broke the law of the Sabbath. I don’t want any doctors to know we was breaking the Sabbath day. And we don’t need no doctor for a burn.”(p.34) Due to Johnny’s strict religious beliefs he has to wrap his own hand. Johnny’s work on the Sabbath also causes Johnny to ruin the crucible he has worked so hard on. Johnny turns out to be unhonorable to his faith and brutally burns his hand.

Johnny ends up as a deceitful young man and unhonorable to his religious beliefs. As a result Johnny ends up with a crippled hand, and not able to continue his silversmith career. This which forces him to find a new trade that he can perform with a crippled hand.