Grandfather Lapham warns Johnny repeatedly against the sin of pride. Is pride necessarily bad? When is pride something to resist? How does Johnny's pride affect his life, both as a silversmith and afterward?

Cilla says Johnny is easier to draw than Rab because he is "a child yet - Rab's grown up." Besides being a year older, how is Rab more "grown up" than Johnny? Is Johnny grown up by the end of the book? What has changed?

How does Johnny's attitude toward Dove change as he grows older? Which of the two boys changes most?

Although the revolutionary organizations have names like The Sons of Liberty and The Minute Men, women also play a part. In what ways were women able to promote the cause of revolution?

Why does the British attitude toward the people of Boston change after the first rumors of the...