APRIL MORNING by Howard Fast
Part 1 – Afternoon, Evening, Night, & Morning (p. 3-108)
1. Why is Adam’s father so stern with Adam? Why might Moses seem to be more hard and
skeptical than Levi?
2. What is the importance of the committee meetings?
3. Why is Moses against war and fighting?
4. Why do you think Adam talks to Granny about things?
5. Why did Moses hesitate to let his son sign the muster book? Also, what is a Muster Book?
6. What was the dispute between Moses and Jonas about?
7. Why are the women and children “invisible” to the British soldiers?
8. Who fired the first shot?
9. Why did the British shoot Moses Cooper first?
10. Why didn’t anyone shoot at the British when the British fired at them?
11. Why didn’t anyone try to talk to the British and reason with them?
12. How does Adam accept his father’s death?
13. How does Levi respond to his father’s death?
14. How does Adam’s grandmother react to her son’s death?
15. What did they do with Moses’ body after they brought it back to the house?
16. When does Adam officially become a man?
17. What is the specific way Adam does not want to be killed?
18. Why would Granny and Sarah tell Levi to go find Adam in the middle of a battle?
19. Why did Granny tell Adam not to come back home?
20. Who all died as a result of the British arriving at the town?
21. What does the death of Moses now mean for Adam? How was Adam’s upbringing prepared
him for this?
22. How do you think Adam will respond to the war and the death of his father?
Part 2 – Forenoon, Midday, & Afternoon (p. 111-202)
1. Why does Adam get closer to Cousin Simmons?
2. Why does Adam think he is not going to come back alive?
3. Why is Adam hiding in the smokehouse?
4. Why does Solomon love to kill Redcoats?
5. Why did they help the young British officer that they shot?
6. What city were the British heading for and why?
7. Why do Adam, Cousin Simmons, and 4 of 5 others do after they crawl into the windfall?
8. What buildings were burnt down in Lexington, Adam’s hometown?
9. Who was involved in a dialogue about the possible death of Adam? Why did they assume
Adam was killed?
10. What did Cousin Simmons say about his relationship with Moses Cooper? What was revealed
about what he thought about Moses?
11. What were the characteristics of the dead British soldier?
12. What is it about the young dead redcoat that so affects Adam?
13. What were three kindnesses that Adam saw in the midst of horror?
14. If you were Adam, would you have signed the Muster Book in the first place? Why or why
not?
15. What are Solomon Chandler’s plans for battle? Do you agree with these alleged plans?
16. What would your tactics be if you were leading the army?
17. Do you think that Moses Cooper would be supportive of Adam’s actions during battle?
18. Who didn’t want to sign the Muster Book in Boston? Why?
19. How do you think Adam’s family would react if he signed the Muster Book again? Why do
you think they would act this way?
20. How has Adam mentally and physically changed throughout the book?