Which Side Will You Choose?

I heard the thundering sounds of gun fire from every direction. The marching, drums and the commander giving the order of fire. I could see the blood from the men pouring out from the attack of the rifle. Then it is dead silent. The feel of silence burns me, not knowing what’s going on or what’s about to happen. Then, I hear the screeching of metal against metal and the noise of bayonets and swords piercing through the skin of men. I saw one person, a Patriot, waving the American Flag and slaying every redcoat in his path. After that, I looked out my window, at a site that no one wants to see. On April 19^th, 1775, this event was then called The Revolutionary War. I was reminded of the day called the Boston Massacre which occurred on March 5^th, 1770. From those days forward, war was not about fighting. It was about “We the People”. I, Rachel Marsh, witnessed the Boston Massacre and now going to fight alongside the Patriot, Benjamin Martin.

What would life be like if you lived in Boston, with the Adams family, working as a maid when chaos occurs that can depend on your life and career? Or what about fighting in constant battles, serving in the Continental Army with a family member dying every day from the command of Colonel William Tavington? Horrible. Treacherous. Brutal. In the movie The Patriot, a man named Benjamin Martin is a widowed father of seven children when his second oldest son, Thomas, is shot by Colonel Tavington who works for the British King, King George. Since then, Benjamin Martin joins the Continental Army, in hope that he will gain vengeance for his family until tragedy strikes. In the book that I read, The Fifth of March, Rachel Marsh lives a perfect life, as a maid for John Adams and his family. When the British arrive in Boston, love and hatred enters into the citizens of Boston. With the love of the British soldier, Matthew Kilroy, Rachel must fight to save her job and her love. Twists and turns occur that keep you guessing what will happen next.

Rachel Marsh, a young, teenage girl, lives in Boston with John Adams and his family, while she works everyday as a maid. She is known in Ann Rinaldi’s The Fifth of March. Rachel Marsh has lived her life with her Uncle Eb who is selfish, mean and greedy. After she’s gotten the job for John Adams, a day comes when the British redcoats march into Boston and take over. While the redcoats are there, Rachel finds a man named Matthew Kilroy who is a new trained soldier. Rachel soon discovers that her and Matthew are developing a chemistry between each other that grows but hits bumps along the way that affect her career, life and even Matthew’s life. A group of people then start a riot protesting against John Adams, shouting that he wasn’t helping the citizens of Boston in a time of need. Matthew’s life is becomes at stake when the British get involved in the fighting and kill 3 citizens, including a friend of Rachel’s named Chris Snider. The British officers, including Matthew were sentenced to their backs being burned. It was a brutal day. Rachel has always wanted to be an independent women and make her own decisions. Matthew, before leaving and going back to England, asks Rachel to marry him and go back to England. As much as Rachel wanted to, she refused and from then on, wrote to Matthew. Rachel later discovered herself as an independent person who could make her own decisions and live a life she has wanted to live without a man in her life. Speaking of the British, fighting and making decisions, that brings me to a man named Benjamin Martin in the movie, The Patriot.

The Patriot is about a man named Benjamin Martin who is a widowed father of 7 children. When Gabriel, Ben’s oldest son, is taken to be hung for being accused of being a spy. As this is happening, Thomas, Ben’s second oldest son runs to save Gabriel but Colonel William Tavington, pulled out his gun and shot him. Ever since then, Ben and his 2 younger sons, what I like to call, “hide and seek shooting” try desperately to save Gabriel. Eventually, Gabriel is free and gather people to join what they called themselves, “The Militia of the Continental Army.” Gabriel and Ben stand side by side, fighting the British. Throughout the movie, Gabriel and a women named Ann got married. Colonel Tavington marched into a small town and every citizen was in a church. He gave the order and burned the church to the ground, trapping everyone inside, being burned alive, including Ann. As most people would do, Gabriel seeks to find Tavington and kill him for burning his wife. As he is on the mission, Gabriel slays Tavington to the ground. He doesn’t move and just he is about to stab him, Tavington turns on his back and jabs his sword through Gabriel. Tavington escaped and found Gabriel lying on the ground, apologizing for what happened to Thomas. Then Gabriel closes his eyes and stops breathing. Ever since the death of Gabriel, Ben was not able to join the militia and fight. Later on, he finds an American Flag Gabriel had been sewing. While the Patriots are going to war, Ben gallops through the wind, waving the flag proudly in honor of his sons and the freedom they deserve. Benjamin fights until the death, planning to murder the man who assassinated his 2 sons. During this bloody, brutal and cruel time, Benjamin stays strong and leads his men into the fight of a lifetime. Then it becomes one on one. Benjamin vs. Tavington. As Tavington slays, slits and punches Benjamin, Benjamin takes a bayonet and forces it in Tavington’s throat, killing the murderer of his family. Benjamin lead the Americans into great victory. Benjamin Martin is a man of great strength, will, power and peace. He fights for freedom and vengeance for his family. Benjamin Martin and Rachel Marsh are very much similar to each other but also have some differences, which leads me to comparing and contrasting Benjamin Martin to Rachel Marsh.

As you know, The Fifth of March is about the Boston Massacre and The Patriot is about The Revolutionary War. Even though they are very different, there are still some similarities. As you read further, you will notice similarities and differences between 2 characters from the book and movie. First, let’s start with the similarities between Benjamin Martin in The Patriot to Rachel Marsh in The Fifth of March. What stands out the most about these two characters is they both fight for family, love and their freedom. There is one word for Rachel and Benjamin that describes them both; patriotic. They stand up for themselves and their people to take back what is rightfully theirs. No matter if it’s fighting or speaking to the public, they stand up for what’s right, no matter the outcome. Even though they may be similar, they also have differences about each other. Benjamin lives with and has a family, but Rachel doesn’t. Rachel grew up with an Uncle who doesn’t even like her. Benjamin is a man who goes to war and fights while Rachel fights, but fights verbally. She doesn’t use guns and cannons and go to war like all the other men do. Rachel is a girl that when it comes to “war,” and it affects her, she fights for herself and herself only. She doesn’t worry about anyone else unless she truly cares or loves them. Benjamin on the other hand, has a family to protect. When it comes to war in that situation, he has to fight to protect his family and himself, otherwise, who would? What makes Benjamin excellent at fighting in wars is he is great with battle strategies. Rachel doesn’t know anything about war, which would make her vulnerable. There are 2 other characters in The Patriot and The Fifth of March. In The Fifth of March, Matthew Kilroy, the British Soldier, compared to Gabriel in The Patriot.

Let’s start with the differences between Gabriel in The Patriot and Matthew in The Fifth of March. Starting with Matthew, he is a man that fights in wars, but he fights as a loyalist. Gabriel, he serves as a Patriot and fights with his dad. During the book, Matthew was never killed by a man who murdered his younger brother. Matthew never had a family either, like Rachel. Gabriel on the other hand, was murdered by Colonel Tavington, the man who killed Thomas, Gabriel’s younger brother. Another difference is Gabriel married a women when Matthew was about to, but didn’t. Another difference is that Gabriel was never sent to trial for killing citizens. Matthew did because he killed one person, even though that that was his job as a British soldier. Another difference is they fight on the opposite sides. Now for the similarities between Matthew and Gabriel. One obvious similarity is they both fight in some sort of war. Another similarity is they both stand up for what they think is right and what they believe in. No matter what happened to them, they wanted to stand up for their people and their rights, no matter the cost.

In the movie The Patriot, I noticed that no matter who got in their way or tried to stop them, they never gave up in fighting for what they think is right. In The Fifth of March, Rachel never stopped helping the citizens of Boston, Matthew and John Adams. One big comparison in the film and the book is the patriotism. Even though terrible things in both the movie and the book occurred, that didn’t stop anybody which is a symbol of patriotism. In my book compared to the movie, many things were not similar. My book and the movie were different is some ways, even though there were some similarities. I chose the characters to compare and contrast because the theme between the book and the movie were completely different. In the movie and the book, war affected all families, jobs and everyone’s lives. Even though the movie and my book were different in many ways, they both hand one specific thing in common that everyone should have when it comes to war; patriotism. No matter who gets in your way of what is different or similar to what you think is right, never let someone stop you, no matter how different 2 events may be. It was hard to compare and contrast two different events but the patriotism in The Fifth of March and The Patriot compares and contrasts the two events most difficult outcome. 

By: Allison Andes

Essay Bibliography

·  Rinaldi, Ann. The fifth of March: a story of the Boston Massacre. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1993. Print.

·  The Patriot. Dir. Roland Emmerich. Perf. Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger. Columbia ;, 2000. Film.