Character Clues
Character Analysis
Speech and Dialogue
If you haven't noticed, some characters speak a bit better than others—and they're the same ones who write well, too. No one in particular coming to mind for you? We'll lay it on the table: Ross Milton, Shad, and eventually Jethro are the cream of the crop when it comes to having book smarts.
Shad is quite eloquent when speaking and even quotes a lil' bit of Shakespeare when chatting with Jethro (4.75). And his letters are pretty fancy, too. Feeling the unbearable sorrow of war, Shad writes to Jenny, "your love for me is no more sacred than the loves for which thousands upon thousands of women are weeping today" (10.6). Utterly depressing? Absolutely. But the man is definitely a poet.
Now compare this to Eb's speech and John's writing. After he outs himself to Jethro as a deserter, Eb explains, "All at oncet I knowed I couldn't stand it no longer, and I jest up and left" (9.65). Oh Eb, even Shmoop en Español can pick up on those grammatical errors. And check out this letter of John's that includes, "[…] We et things that wood make you sick to think about and the pore horses and mules was as despert hongry as we was" (11.10). Let's just say that if John ever wants to write a love letter to Nancy, we think he should hire Shad to do it for him.
While it might be tempting to equate proper speech and good grammar with intelligence, that just wouldn't be fair. This is the 1800s, after all, when school played a much different role in society, and the school year was structured around agricultural schedules in rural communities (like the one our book is set in). In these schools, the end-game was good manners, basic math, and a functional ability to read and write. In other words, not college.
So what speech and writing really show us in Across Five Aprils, is how a character relates to farm life and, by extension, education. Those who are born into a farming family and hope to follow that path don't receive the same education as those who either are born into different settings or hope for a different life in the future (we're looking at you, Jethro). In other words, education isn't so much about intelligence as it is about relevance—and one of the ways we see this most clearly in this book is through speech and writing.
Names
Names are like identities in that they tell us who we are, so, more often than not, characters' names can give us a little bit of insight into them.
Take Shadrach Yale for example. The first thing anyone is going to think when they see that name is Yale University, which, if you don't know, is a super elite institution of higher education. And that's exactly what Shad is: he's not only the schoolteacher but has "book learning" (4.66) and imparts his own wisdom onto Jethro. Plus when he decides to go back to school and start teaching again, he decides to take Jethro along for the ride. He's got education written all over him.
But what about Shad's first name, you ask? Shadrach is definitely unique, and you're hard pressed to find a Shadrach walking around nowadays. But if you look in the Book of Daniel in the Bible, it is the name of a man who is saved by God. Kind of like how Shad is gravely injured after Gettysburg and then, almost miraculously, he gets the green light to life once Jenny arrives. Coincidence? We think not.
Actions
It's true that actions speak louder than words, and Across Five Aprils is jam-packed with action.
First up is chief elder Matt Creighton. This man doesn't just deserve kudos, he deserves all the kudos. Just consider how he responds to the angry townspeople who want to kill Travis Burdow after he initiates the accident that kills Matt's daughter, Mary. Does he lead the mob? Absolutely not. Instead is it Matthew Creighton who calms the mob down, and as a result saves Travis Burdow from certain attack and possible death. In short, Matt takes the high road in a moment when the low road looks about as good as it ever does.
As remarkable as Matt's actions are, Guy Wortman's are inversely proportional—which is a kind and fancy way of saying they're the worst. Not only is Guy drunk in the middle of the day (while all sorts of other folks are soberly working away), but then he starts tormenting poor little Jethro in public, and even attempts to attack him on his ride home. There is literally nothing redeeming about Guy Wortman in this book, and his actions prove it time and again.