Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer – Discussion Questions
English
394 – Literature for Young Adult
Grant
T. Smith, Ph. D.
Come prepared to “talk” about some of
these issues and questions.
·
Irene violated
one of God’s laws in order to save several Jews. What is your response to this?
·
Irene also
violated civil laws in order to save several Jews. She became a “freedom fighter.” When is it appropriate to obey a moral law
and defy a civil law? What is the
difference between a “freedom fighter” and a terrorist?
·
What was there
about Irene’s character that enabled her to survive?
·
Choose one
passage in the book that you want to read aloud and discuss.
·
What images in
the book stayed with you after you finished the last page? Why?
·
What statements
does this book make about the power of the individual? The consequences of “choice”? The nature of good and evil?
·
Birds (or images
of birds) appear frequently in the book.
Find some passages where bird imagery is present and discuss how the
imagery is used in the narrative.
·
Opdyke said that she wrote
the book because she was fearful that people would forget the Holocaust or deny
that it happened. This year we are
honoring the survivors of