Across Five Aprils
“Across Five Aprils”
In “Across Five Aprils” by Irene Hunt, Jethro Creighton, is a boy that is happy when the War is about to begin. His sister was killed running away from attackers in a party. He thinks the war is something interesting, he likes the marching soldiers and feeling patriotic. He realizes that war isn’t a game when three of his brothers, his cousin, and his teacher leave to fight in the war. His brother, Bill, chose to fight for the south this decision wasn’t a good one. Jethro and his family get their news about the war trough the newspaper, but they can’t tell what really is going on. Every day the newspaper comments on a union general, and Jethro can’t figure out what is really going on.
Jethros parents send him fifteen miles into town to get supplies. Jethro is excited that he will be able to prove to his parents that he is responsible, he goes to town, buys all the supplies that he needed, and has a conversation with some men from the store. They ask Jethro about Bill, and his decision to join the south, one of them gets mad on Bills Betrayal. Jethro then sticks up for Bill, then the editor of the local newspaper, Milton, takes Jethro for lunch. Milton and Jethro now become friends.
On his way home, Jethro gets stopped by Mr. Burdow, this is the dad of the boy that caused his sisters death. They ride down the street for a while, and Jethro is scared to death the whole way of their ride, but calms down when Mr. Burdow tells him that one of the men from the store will be waiting for Jethro down the street. They see the man, and Mr. Burdow helped Jethro out from getting hurt. Jethro now goes home and tells his family of his day.
The men that were at the store started to mess with Jethros family, they burned down their farm and put oil in their well. Scared to death, his family can’t sleep thinking of what those men would do next. The Creighton’s received bad news from a boy who was back from the war, because he was hurt, that...
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