Isannah Lapham Character Analysis in Johnny Tremain

Isannah is the youngest Lapham sister. According to her mother Mrs. Lapham, due to her being so sickly, Isannah is barely worth the bother to raise. However, Isannah is beautiful, with blond hair and pink cheeks. Cilla , Isannah’s older sister, adores Isannah and takes on most of Isannah’s care. From a young age, Isannah learns to perform for people on the streets, often religious figures, who are happy to give such an angelic-looking child sweets or her favorite limes in exchange for her reciting Bible verses. Johnny sees that this unattractive habit balloons once Miss Lavinia Lyte takes an interest in Isannah and takes the eight-year-old to live with her. The Lytes treat Isannah like a doll. Isannah goes everywhere with Miss Lavinia and learns quickly to look down on people of lower classes—including Johnny, whom she once adored. Ultimately, Isannah decides to go to London with Miss Lavinia, where she’ll train as an actress. The novel frames Isannah’s decision as the final step of Isannah’s moral downfall: where Johnny learned to control his prideful impulses, Isannah learns to give in to hers.

Isannah Lapham Character Timeline in Johnny Tremain

The timeline below shows where the character Isannah Lapham appears in Johnny Tremain. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...reading the Bible, and in the other bedroom, Mrs. Lapham’s daughter Cilla is brushing little Isannah’s hair. As they do every morning, Cilla and Isannah insult Johnny as he heads to... (full context)

...he made incorrectly yesterday. Just as Dove gets down a crucible to melt the spoon, Isannah floats in to announce that breakfast is ready. (full context)

...mattress in the kitchen, but in the middle of the night, Cilla wakes Johnny up. Isannah is threatening to vomit if she doesn’t get some air, so Cilla asks Johnny to... (full context)

...Merchant Lyte (they also share the same first name), but he’s not sure. To entertain Isannah, Johnny tells her about how wildly rich the Lytes are: they drink pearls and servants... (full context)

6. After putting Isannah to bed, Johnny grabs his cup out of his chest in the attic. The silver... (full context)

...silver on time. Shaking, Johnny goes into the kitchen where Mrs. Lapham, Dorcas, Cilla, and Isannah are cooking. Johnny shares what happened. In a whisper, Mrs. Lapham says that Johnny will... (full context)

...hand into his pocket and announces that he’s going out. He snarls at Cilla and Isannah on his way out. (full context)

...Johnny marches onto Fish Street and walks all over Boston. When he returns, Cilla and Isannah try to apologize and offer their condolences, but Johnny angrily says he’ll leave for good... (full context)

Patriotism and the Revolutionary War Theme Icon

Johnny purchases himself shoes to replace his broken ones, and then buys limes for Isannah. At a stationer’s, he buys Cilla a book about martyrs and pastel crayons. He happily... (full context)

5. Johnny is heartbroken. Certainly everyone agrees with Isannah. He wanders Boston, shuddering as he passes the gallows and the unmarked graves. For a... (full context)

...up in the Lytes’ coach. Johnny will take Cilla for a ride, but he’ll ignore Isannah. Lost in his daydreams, Johnny bathes in the river and then, passing the Boston Observer... (full context)

...his cup and passes Cilla peeling apples on his way back out. Sweetly, she and Isannah say that Johnny is angry—the best thing Johnny has heard all day. They’re not pitying... (full context)

...cup last July. Cilla steps forward and recounts seeing Johnny’s cup. Just as she finishes, Isannah bursts into the courtroom, flings herself at Mr. Justice Dana, and repeats Cilla’s story. The... (full context)

1. Mr. Quincy takes Johnny, Rab, Cilla, and Isannah to the Afric Queen. Several Whigs stop to laugh about how Quincy embarrassed Merchant Lyte... (full context)

...but he misses the Laphams. He’s thrilled when one Thursday, he runs into Cilla and Isannah at the town pump. However, seeing Cilla carrying the heavy yoke, something that always humiliated... (full context)

2. Johnny visits Paul Revere last, looking around for Cilla and Isannah at the pump. Since Johnny hasn’t made their last three meetings, he’s relieved that they’re... (full context)

...marrying Mr. Tweedie, so when Miss Lavinia Lyte stopped by for some silver work, saw Isannah, and insisted on taking her, the women decided that Cilla would go work for the... (full context)

...her every Thursday (and he sometimes sees Lavinia Lyte too). He doesn’t think highly of Isannah, though: she’s becoming snobbish and cold. (full context)

...is explaining that everyone in the parlor is going to a costume party tonight and Isannah—Izzy—is going too, Cilla rushes in. She says they need someone to make a tin scepter,... (full context)

Isannah, however, says she’s “too young to be lascivious,” clearly parroting what she’s heard others say.... (full context)

...kitchen, Mrs. Bessie gives Johnny brandy and says that Cilla is mostly happy. She knows Isannah is a lost cause, but it doesn’t bother her much anymore. Then, Mrs. Bessie says... (full context)

...visits Mrs. Bessie for the fruit. She happily fills his bag. They discuss disapprovingly how Izzy pretty much does tricks for limes, and she shares that Cousin Sewall went and joined... (full context)

...and Mrs. Bessie are the only two Whig servants and so are refusing to go. Izzy will go with the Lytes, though Cilla argues about this—she insists that Mrs. Lapham won’t... (full context)

...the doorway in a black cloak. She reveals that Mrs. Lapham is letting her take Isannah, who appears from behind Miss Lavinia’s skirts. Cilla gently tells her sister not to go,... (full context)