Across Five Aprils

Chapter 1

Vocabulary

Constrained- adj. compelled; restrained
Imminence- n. the quality or condition of something about to occur
Melancholy- n. sadness
Radiance- n. the quality or state of being bright
Reverberations- n. repeated echoes or sounds
Seceding- v. to withdraw formally from an organization
Spare- adj. thin or lean

Guide Questions

1. Why do you think that in the 1800s a woman’s beauty was short-lived?

2. Describe what Ellen’s life had been like for the past 30 years.

3. How had Destiny marked Jethro? What made him so special?

4. What did Irene Hunt mean when she wrote, "Adults were usually troubled"?

5. Who was Shadrach Yale?

6. What forms of communication did they have in those days?

7. What was Jethro and Mother most afraid of?

8. What does this idiom mean: "…the pot can’t call the kettle black"?

1. What were the circumstances of Jethro’s sister Mary’s death?