When I was in 5th grade many, many years ago; our teacher started reading a book to the class. This was the same year that my mother died so I don't remember a whole lot about the book, except that it was really good. It was about a boy or young man that worked as some type of apprentice. I believe that his hand, arm or both were seriously injured/deformed in an accident that I think involved a fire. Anyway it was about his struggle to overcome this disability and what he made of his life afterwards. I am sorry that I don't remember more about it but I think that our teacher was maybe, halfway through it when my mother was injured in a car wreck; which she shortly later died from. It seems like it may have had copperfield in the title or that may have been the author's name. Does any of this sound familliar to anyone?
2007-03-09 10:27:35 · 4 answers · asked by Donna J 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Try Johnny Tremain. It's by Esther Forbes. It takes place before and during the Revolutionary War.
2007-03-09 13:08:36 · answer #1 · answered by dragonmomof3 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The book you are looking for may be "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. Here's a summary that connects the apprentice and arm-burning sections you remembered. BTW, Dickens also wrote "David Copperfield" but that's another story.
The protagonist in "Great Expectations" is Pip who starts out as an apprentice to Joe, the kind blacksmith. One night, Pip helps an escaped convict by stealing food for him. The convict is then re-captured. Pip subsequently meets the rich Ms. Havisham and her ward Estella, who give him ideas above his station. Pip now wants to be a gentleman, instead of a lowly blacksmith because he is in love with Estella. A few years later, a lawyer comes in search of Pip and informs him that someone has endowed him with enough money to enable him to leave his apprenticeship with Joe and become a gentleman. Pip thinks it's Ms. Havisham who's behind this.
In case you are planning to re-read the book, I won't give the ending away so, all I'll say is that Pip at one point saves Ms. Havisham from being burned to death and in the process, badly burns his arms. Voila!
2007-03-09 10:47:43 · answer #2 · answered by englishteacher 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like Star Wars.
2007-03-09 11:27:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree, it is Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes.
2007-03-09 14:03:46 · answer #4 · answered by Heather S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋