Quotes from Johnny Tremain

Esther Forbes ·  322 pages

Rating: (34.6K votes)


“We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skill...we fight, we die, for a simple thing. Only that a man can stand up.”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain


“How old are you Johnny" she asked.
Sixteen."
And what's that-a boy or a man?"
He laughed. "A boy in time of peace and a man in time of war.”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain


“If you can't do, you'd best shut up about it.”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain


“If you can't do, you had best shut up. He started to slam the door, thought better of it. If you can't do, you'd best not slam doors.”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain


“Just like the sun coming up yonder out of the sea, pushing rays of light ahead of it.”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain



“After that Johnny began to watch himself. For the first time he learned to think before he spoke.”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain


“saying. ‘I want it as a birthday present to my venerable”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain


“It was sink or swim for him—and happens he’s swimming.”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain


“down Cambridge road through the bushes on Charlestown Common a scurry of red ants. Had he really seen them or imagined them? But all about him people were exclaiming, ‘Look, there they are!’ Those red ants were British soldiers. To his left the last moment of sunset light was dying. The day had been amazingly warm, but with night a fresh breeze came up off the ocean. Lights began to glimmer in Charlestown and on warships. Seemingly there was nothing more to be seen from Beacon Hill. Silently people turned to go to their houses. ‘Look!’ Johnny cried. You could see the flash of musket fire, too far away to be heard. Fireflies swarming, hardly more than that. –4– Getting”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain


“The first of the tea ships, the Dartmouth,”
― Esther Forbes, quote from Johnny Tremain



About the author

Esther Forbes
Born place: in Westborough, Massachusetts , The United States
Born date June 28, 1891
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