April Morning

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1961

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-2

Chapters 3-4

Chapters 5-6

Chapters 7-8

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

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Chapters 5-6Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 5 Summary: “The Forenoon”

Adam falls asleep briefly, and when he awakes, there are British soldiers talking nearby. Another officer arrives and conveys orders that the regiment is continuing its march. After they leave, Adam sprints for the woods. He is spotted by two soldiers, one of whom fires at him, but his gun misfires. Adam outpaces them and leaps over a wall, where he finds an armed man named Solomon Chandler, who assures Adam that he is a friend.

Adam tells Chandler what the soldiers did in his town, and he cries when he remembers how his father died. Chandler tells him it is good to express grief, saying, “you’ve lost your youth and come to manhood, all in a few hours” (115).

Chandler and Adam walk for a while before stopping to eat some food that Chandler has. During the meal, Chandler tells Adam that it was better for Moses to die than Adam, as children should bury their parents. While God is eternal, human life is short, and Adam will need to “let the old go…and taste life” (117).

They continue their journey, and they hear the pipes and drums of the British soldiers, who are still marching toward Concord. Adam feels panic, but Chandler steadies him and tells him to look closely at the soldiers. He relates to Adam their weaknesses as soldiers, and Adam begins to feel more confident. They arrive at a junction called Lincoln Lane, where they meet other local men. Adam again tells the story of what happened and how the villagers had not initiated the violence.

They proceed together to a prearranged assembly point, Ashley’s Pasture. Adam is delighted to see the reverend and Joseph Simmons there, as he was not sure they had survived the massacre. Men continue to gather at the assembly, and Adam, for the first time, smokes from a pipe offered by Chandler.

Chapter 6 Summary: “The Midday”

Adam muses upon his lack of fear of God. He finds people more frightening than God, and feels that the name of God, Jehovah, is not very awe inspiring. He recalls that his father once said that Presbyterians were not afraid of God but of women. Adam senses truth in this statement and notes that men are most relaxed when there are no women around.

The mustering ground is currently such a place, in Adam’s eyes. Men are cooking, smoking, and conversing, and there is a casual atmosphere that belies the conflict all around. Adam learns that there are six other gathering points along the road, and that these have long been planned in advance.

Joseph Simmons shares some food with Adam and gives him permission to come to him “just as [Adam] would to a father” (135). Joseph also asks Adam to tell Ruth if anything befalls him in battle, but to break it to her gently.

A young rider approaches to inform the militia that the British have occupied Concord. They have destroyed the food supplies there, and the militia ask the rider to report back if the British begin marching toward them. Gunshots are heard in the distance.

Solomon Chandler gives a speech to the men, now numbering over 100, telling them that they must repay the British for what they have done. He quotes Exodus 21, which says if a man plans to murder someone, then his life is forfeit, alluding to the actions of the British in Adam’s village.

Chandler then splits the men into two groups, as the men with rifles have longer range and can use different tactics than the men with less powerful guns. Chandler advises Adam to take no pleasure in killing but to “become hard in the sorrow” (139). The reverend protests this advice. Chandler avers that they are fighting for God, to which the reverend responds, “no one kills in God’s cause. He can only ask God’s forgiveness” (139). Chandler says there is no time for debate and goes with his men.

Joseph suggests that they fire once upon the British and then move on to a new ambush, as they are not equipped for a full battle. Then the young rider reappears, yelling that the British are coming.

The British ranks appear, four deep, and the battle begins in earnest. A rider is shot down, and his head is shattered near Adam. Joseph nearly beheads a soldier with birdshot from his musket. Adam fires, too, and when the British charge with bayonets, Joseph pulls him away and they run. They encounter one of their number dying from a stomach wound, but Adam feels exhilarated and lucky to be alive. He reloads.

The men split into groups of two or three. Joseph and Adam stay together, and they come across a dead British soldier being looted by colonials. Joseph warns them off, decrying their opportunism “with the fight going on” (149). Adam notes how young the soldier looks, how he resembles his brother Levi, and vomits. Then he and Joseph belly crawl toward the main road. They fire and wound British soldiers, then run away again.

When they stop, Adam asks if they haven’t done enough for the day. Killing British soldiers won’t restore his father to him, but Joseph says that they are not fighting for revenge, as opposed to Chandler’s Bible verses, but are rather fighting to defend their land and way of life. They head for a nearby farm called Atkin’s Place.

Once there, they find Chandler and some other men on the roof of the house, sniping British on the road nearby. The British are being ambushed and attacked all along the road. Later they would find that the officer in charge was willing to surrender but was unable to do so as there was no correlating officer to surrender to among the militia. Adam realizes that he and Chandler are not the same, as Chandler delights in killing the enemy.

A military leader from Sudbury, Alan Becket, argues that they need to take advantage of their tactical situation and make a stand along the road near Lexington and Menotomy, in hopes of stopping the British advance and destroying the bulk of their forces.

This is accepted by the majority, and they put the plan into action. Along the way they wound a British cavalry soldier. He expects to be killed by the militia, but a doctor named Cody binds his wound, and he is carried to shelter. Becket refuses to ride the soldier’s horse, saying it would not be dignified. When Chandler takes the horse, Joseph makes a disparaging comment regarding an individual who is willing to ride while everyone else walks.

Chapters 5-6 Analysis

These chapters deal largely with the skirmishes between the British and the Committeemen. Tactics, firearms, logistics, and troop movements are all recounted in some detail. The events depicted are largely accurately portrayed by Fast, who was a history buff with a particular interest in the Revolutionary Era.

Yet, while all the above is happening, Fast never lets his narrator fade into the background. Everything is seen and responded to emotionally and intellectually through Adam, and as such, the violence never becomes impersonal or distant. Solomon Chandler is the first to comfort Adam and give him permission to grieve his father. It seems likely that Chandler will become a father figure to Adam, but Chandler symbolizes a life of violence and revenge, and Adam ultimately rejects Chandler as a mentor to be followed. Still, Chandler is helpful, akin perhaps to characters who are initially helpful to the protagonist in The Pilgrim’s Progress but who in the end must be left behind when they become detrimental to the journey. Chandler teaches Adam to not be afraid of the British, telling Adam of their weaknesses and encouraging him to “realize their stupidity and ignorance” (120). This gives Adam the requisite bravery he needs to continue the fight, despite his recent trauma.

Adam continues to reflect on his father and his sudden absence in Adam’s life. One passage in particular reveals his own dramatic shift in perspective (and is a kind of self-identification as an unreliable narrator, arguably an important step into adulthood):

The day before this, I could remember nothing about Father but the birchings and his anger and sarcasm; it was curious that now I recalled so many good things, and discovered that the bad things were not so bad after all (123).

It is in the crucible of violence that Adam makes choices that will shape his character as he enters adulthood. Adam’s rejection of Chandler as a mentor is quickly followed by his acceptance of Joseph Simmons in this role. Simmons feels that it is their duty to fight the British, not for emotional (revenge) or spiritual (biblical warrant) reasons, but for pragmatic ones. The mere fact that the British are invading land that belongs to them is sufficient for Simmons. He does not hate the British as Chandler does, but he is also not indifferent to their presence. He recognizes that a war has begun, so he encourages Adam to press the fight even when Adam is weary, but he does not try to rouse Adam’s sense of vengeance.

Somewhat paradoxically, while endeavoring to kill British soldiers over the course of battle, Adam becomes increasingly sympathetic to the enemy. There are two instances that reveal Adam’s softening heart: the encounter with the dead British soldier who resembles his brother Levi, and the incident involving the wounded cavalry soldier who is treated kindly by Adam and the other militia members. In both events Adam shows a predilection for compassion toward the enemy.

Given that it was only a few hours ago that Adam’s father was gunned down by these same soldiers, it is clear that Adam is not going to become a man eaten up by anger or hatred. He recognizes that the British are possessed of the same humanity as his own family, however terrible their actions might be. Like Simmons, Adam will do battle when he has no other choice, but he will not be consumed by violence or bitterness.