Pride In Johnny Tremain By Esther Forbes

In the novel, Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, Johnny has an issue with his arrogance. Johnny Tremain lived in the 1700s in America, he was a silversmith until he burnt his hand on hot silver. Johnny’s hand is now disabled so he cannot be a silversmith anymore. His pride caused him his downfall now he lives with the aftermath. His pride has also made him confident and successful at things. He is sometimes treated poorly by people in his life because he gets overconfident. In Johnny’s case, his fatal flaw also happens to be his best quality. Johnny Tremain was creating a silver sugar basin when he slipped on melted wax and his hand went straight into a pool of scorching silver. He was working on the Sabbath because he wanted the basin done then and there, he did not want to make Mr. Handcock wait for even one

One way it has harmed him was his confidence that Mr. Lyte would trust him and help him out. The author wrote, “‘I declare this to be the very cup which was stolen from me by thieves.” (86). It takes a whole lot of confidence to go to Mr. Lyte and declare that you are family members, and a bit of foolishness too. This incident ended up sending him to court and having him almost arrested. In a different way, his pride has helped him with his silver work. Johnny is very proud of himself and his work as a silversmith. The author wrote, “‘I couldn’t leave the Laphams sir,’ he said as he thanked Mr. Revere. ‘If it wasn’t for me nothing would ever get done. They’d just about starve.’” (31). He is arrogant to think that he is the only reason the Laphams stay in business, however being so confident in his work helps him with not quitting. He even admitted it himself later in the story. The author wrote, “The arrogance had always been there, but formerly it had come out in pride in his work” (59). That is a way that pride can definitely be a benefit. However, on the other side there are some more negatives to