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Paul Revere
James Otis was one of the original Boston Observers and was one of the group’s leaders. However, sometime before the novel begins, he was hit in the head and now suffers intense and unpredictable mood swings. His friends thus see him as unreliable and often exclude him from meetings and planning, something Mr. Otis seems only barely aware of. Mr. Otis invites himself to the final Observers meeting, and he gives a rousing speech about what, exactly, the rebels are fighting for: the rights and the freedoms of all Englishmen. He defines “Englishmen” as anyone worldwide who believes in freedom from tyranny, and he hopes that the colonists’ fight will inspire other poor people in France and Russia to overthrow their tyrannical governments. He’s responsible for coining the phrase “Taxation without Representation is tyranny,” which ultimately became the standard Patriot position.
James Otis Quotes in Johnny Tremain
The Johnny Tremain quotes below are all either spoken by James Otis or refer to James Otis. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 8
Quotes
‘…For men and women and children all over the world,’ he said. ‘You were right, you tall, dark boy, for even as we shoot down the British soldiers we are fighting for rights such as they will be enjoying a hundred years from now.
‘…There shall be no more tyranny. A handful of men cannot seize power over thousands. A man shall choose who it is shall rule over him.
‘…The peasants of France, the serfs of Russia. Hardly more than animals now. But because we fight, they shall see freedom like a new sun rising in the west. Those natural rights God has given to every man, no matter how humble…’
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‘Each shall give according to his own abilities, and some’—he turned directly to Rab—‘some will give their lives. All the years of their maturity. All the children they never live to have. The serenity of old age. To die so young is more than merely dying; it is to lose so large a part of life.’
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Chapter 12
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The first two boats were filled with privates. They had been packed in, and now were being tossed ashore, like so much cordwood. Most of them were pathetically good and patient, but he saw an officer strike a man who was screaming.
Johnny’s hands clenched. ‘It is just as James Otis said,’ he thought. ‘We are fighting, partly, for just that. Because a man is a private is no reason he should be treated like cordwood.’
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‘I’ll never forget it. He said… so a man can stand up.’
‘Yes. And some of us would die—so other men can stand up on their feet like men. A great many are going to die for that. They have in the past. They will a hundred years from now—two hundred. God grant there will always be men good enough. Men like Rab.’
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‘Will it be good enough to hold this gun?’
‘I think I can promise you that.’
‘The silver can wait. When can you, Doctor Warren? I’ve got the courage.’
‘I’ll get some of those men in the taproom to hold your arm still while I operate.’
‘No need. I can hold it still myself.’
The Doctor looked at him with compassionate eyes.
‘Yes, I believe you can. You go walk about in the fresh air, while I get my instruments ready.’
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Get the entire Johnny Tremain LitChart as a printable PDF.
James Otis Character Timeline in Johnny Tremain
The timeline below shows where the character James Otis appears in Johnny Tremain. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 6
...to help her. Then, Johnny visits Mr. Molineaux and Josiah Quincy, John Adams, and James Otis. The latter three are vising at the Quincy house, and Mr. Quincy already knows of...
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Chapter 8
Just then, heavy footsteps sound below—it’s James Otis, though he was specifically not told about the meeting. Sam Adams grumbles that Otis has...
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After asking Johnny to refill his tankard, Otis continues. He says that supposedly, he lost his wits when the customs official hit him...
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Chapter 12
...firewood rather than people; one officer even hits a screaming man. Johnny thinks of James Otis. This is why they’re fighting: so all men, even lowly privates, receive fair treatment. The...
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...of food for Dr. Warren and sinking into a chair, Dr. Warren says that James Otis’s last speech gave him goosebumps. He’d said that “a man can stand up,” and they’ll...
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