Report On April Morning Essay Research Paper

Report On April Morning Essay, Research Paper

Book Report on April Morning by Howard Fast

Published by Bantam Books New York

The afternoon

This book is set in Massachusetts, in April 18th and 19th of the year 1775. Adam Cooper is 15 and is a bit different, he likes to chant nonsense spells. His father, Moses is a strict, argumentative father that never compliments his son. Levi is Adams little 11 year old brother, he is a snitch. Ruth Simmons is Adam s girlfriend. He spoke bad things to her about Isaiah Peterkin, the rich deacon of the church. Granny is Moses mother, she is very old and wise. Granny tells Adam that most folks are not Coopers when Adam told her that age doesn t teach most folks a blessed thing. Moses speaks directly to God rather than bowing his head. Adam is thinking of going to sea with his uncle, Captain Ishmael Jamison. Papists and High Church are regarded as bad. Moses asks Adam how tall he was and he answers that between 23 and 24 hands. Tells him that as tall and strong as a man, but not the mind of a man. Levi told about his water spell. Moses gets calmed by Granny and by Joseph Simmon s, their neighbor and kin, arrival. He sits on the 6th chair. Mrs. Cooper explains how the donkers are Dutch Food. Says that her Grandfather Isaac was a sea captain. He had two wives and was living in sin. His Holland cook taught her Grandma Zipporah Dutch foods. Simmons stopped by on his way to the Committee meeting. Simmons had to write a letter based on the rights of man. Moses was a company captain. Moses not content with letter. Adam not allowed to go because he won t work, use his mind, or his judgment. Adam feels that his father hates him, Granny soothes him.

The Evening

Mother admired Moses gift of argumentations. There s a maize-flower pudding controversy. Half of the women stop talking to each other, Reverend preaches and sets peace again. Meeting called in order by Samuel Hodley. Jeremiah Phitts gave the financial report. Hodley wanted a central shot and powder depot. Voted down. Clarence Pinckney brought up drilling, put of for the night. Simmons reads his paper. Reverend says a few words on tyranny and the proper place of Oliver Cromwell. Samuel Adams suggests a newspaper, Moses dreams of being the newspaper editor. Voted on the Minutes, decide to keep them under the Reverend s Bible. During the meeting Adam walks to his Cousin Simmons house, to see Ruth. Four of Mr. Simmons brothers bought shares in slavers. Moses and the Reverend believed that slavers were devils, the Haman of our time. Expulsed Noah Cotton from the Committee when he bought 5 slaver shares. Joseph Simmons stays as the Smith in town, his brothers go and open an Ironworks in Connecticut. Mrs. Simmons and her widow sister, Susan were reading the book on Job from the Bible. Adam and Ruth go on a walk. Mrs. Spencer criticizes Adam. Adam points out that Gideon Perkins is younger and has attended the meetings since Christmas time. His Uncle Ishmael is a smuggler, they believe that he has a colored wife in Jamaica. He kisses her while arguing by the Hyams well house. Mrs. Hyam shooed them away. Adam tells Ruth about his Uncle s invitation on his ship. When he gets home, Levi is cleaning Adam s gun, Levi want s to kill some Red Coats. Granny and Mother tell Moses about the gun incident and how Adam believes that he hates him. Granny says that Abraham Cooper (Moses father) was just as pigheaded and stubborn as Moses. Moses realizes that he s been hard to the boy, Adam listens on how much his father loves him and sleeps well that night.

The Night

Moses was a Christian-Judaic. Moses really dislikes the Church of England. He is a Presbyterian. Judaic because of his respect for their powers of disputation. Materialist because it s the only way to counter superstition properly, such as dreams. Recalls Jonas Parker s dream and how he was wrong. Levi has a dream that the sky was red and that he died. Adam calms him down. They look out the windows and hear a rider shouting. Adam and Moses go out to the common in the middle of the night. The rider brought warning of the British Army crossing the Charles River from Charleston to Cambridge and then on to Menotomy. Someone informed the British that the Committee was stashing its supplies in Concord, which s where they re headed. Jonas Parker ordered a militia meeting in their powder/lead area, which was in Buckman s Tavern. Moses said to have a Committee meeting in the church rather than arming everyone. The Reverend said to first check the facts. He wanted a practical approach to the problem. Sam Hodely said to do nothing, he thought the British weren t coming. Only 79 men in the Committee. Reverend said that they weren t soldiers. Ishmael Smith only man that shot somebody, Joash Smith. Committee is a tribunal dedicated to unity, justice, and the rights of man. Moses, Samuel, and Jonas in charge. Simmon s remarks on the Reverends lack of faith, refers to Gideon. They equal King George to the Antichrist. Moses sets the Reverend straight, they ring the bells and Parker readies the militia. Adam helps them ring the bells. Then Jonathon Crisp and Abel Loring came and told Adam that they had signed the muster book. Adam sees what his father really looked like, a strong handsome man. Adam signs the book. Adam meets with Ruth and agues a bit with her and kisses her. He overhears his father saying that he wa