Fransen's Diary From 'An Excerpt From The Patriot'

Anna Campbell

10/6/15

6C Dar

Prewrite

Setting: The Fransen family home: a small yellow cottage in Boston, Massachusetts. When you walk in the small but cozy living room greets you. There is a long ladder in the corner which leads up into several attic-bedrooms for Elizabeth, John, and William. Behind a large curtain in the other corner is Mother and Father’s room. The kitchen is beside the dining room, which follows the living room.

Characters: Mother, kind and generous, a patriot; Father, works hard to support the family, fierce patriot; Grandmother, stays home, hates war, cares little, but is more patriot than loyalist; John, 12 years old, fiery patriot, hates all loyalists; William, 14 years of age, strong, wants to be in colonial army,

She thought. How can he fight with them? They’re about as well trained as children. Uncivilized too. Well, I’m sick and tired of living with all these patriots. I’ll catch a ship to England. There are civilized people there. That’s what I really want. She walked down to the dock and tried to board a ship. Before she had left the house, she had slipped a few pence into her pocket. She now used it to pay her fare and walked towards the gangplank. But as she approached the ship, a cold hand was clapped over her mouth, and another around her body. She struggled wildly, but she was overpowered. She tumbled back into the arms of her captor.

Well, you’re never going to get there. You will stay here with all the “uncivilized” colonists”, he growled. He took her home. “Mother!” he cried. “I found Elizabeth trying to board a ship to England, with stolen money, too!” Mother and Father rushed over.

“What! Elizabeth, what were you thinking? You cannot go to England alone! And where is William?” said Mother.

“William?” said John. “I don’t know. He isn’t here?” The empty bed answered his question. William had gone. “Where can he be? There’s no trace of him. Elizabeth! Do you know?”

Elizabeth hesitated, then replied, “Yes. Yes, I followed him. He went to-” she winced, as if the very name hurt her. “-George Washington’s house.”

There was a shocked silence in the house. Mother seemed to be in a trance.

“No, he is so young. I’ll never see him again. William, William, how could you sneak away!”

“I am sad too, Dorothy, but maybe it’s all for the best. It was time. God willed it, so we must follow His will. We must fight for our country.” Mother sighed. “You’re right, Joseph, we will follow Him. I guess it is all for the