My Brother Sam Is Dead

How do the characters of Mother and Betsy Read change from the beginning of the story until the end? How do they each represent different facets of the way war impacts women and families?

Analyze the scenes of violence in the novel. What kind of language do the authors use and to what effect?

How do the characters of Father and Sam compare and contrast? What is the effect of their similarities and differences on the message of the novel?

The novel is a bildungsroman, but in what ways does Tim’s coming-of-age subvert the conventions of a bildungsroman?

Compare this novel to a historical book or article about the American Revolutionary War. How does this novel compare and contrast to this historical account?

Research the experience of Indigenous people during the Revolutionary War. How does this novel represent this experience through the character Tom Warrups?

How is the Meeker Tavern used as a plot device in the story?

The novel includes a scene in which enslaved people are killed. How does the novel explore Loyalty to a Cause in this case?