I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944

“The Nazis came with their tanks, their machine guns—and their hatred of Jewish people like Max and Zena.

Hitler told hideous lies, blaming Jews for every problem in the world. In Esties, Nazi soldiers destroyed Jewish-owned businesses, including Papa’s electrical repair shop. They set fire to the synagogue and ripped apart sacred Torah scrolls. They attacked Jewish people on the streets, including Dr. Latham, who had taken such good care of Mama before she died. What had Dr. Latham done to deserve a beating? He had dared to look at the soldiers as he walked by them.”

This passage provides a historical backdrop, explaining the brutality of Nazi occupation and its impact on the Jewish community in Esties. The author uses simple language to explain how Hitler’s regime dehumanized Jewish people and how widespread the violence against Jews was, ensuring the reader understands what Max, Zena, and their community are up against.

“Her blue eyes seemed to grab hold of him. With her blonde curls and round cheeks, people always said Zena looked like a doll. Sure—a doll made of steel. She was almost two years younger than Max, but he trusted her more than anyone else in the world.”

Zena’s physical description, with blue eyes, blonde curls, and round cheeks, suggests an innocent and childlike appearance, reinforced by the comparison to a doll. However, this image is contrasted by the phrase, “Sure—a doll made of steel.” This contrast between outward appearance and inner strength speaks to Zena’s resilience. Max’s comment that “he trusted her more than anyone else in the world” underscores the sibling bond that is central to the story.

“And Max would picture himself with Zena and Papa and Hannah, standing at the railing of a grand ship, looking out over the bright blue ocean. But like everything else in Max’s world, the Nazis had shattered that dream.”

This passage conveys the theme of The Impact of War on Individuals and Communities. Max’s dream of traveling to America and being with his family is shattered by the harsh reality of the Nazi occupation. This demonstrates the impact of war not just on physical safety, but on the emotional and psychological aspirations of individuals.

“‘I don’t understand, Papa. What did we do to them?’

‘We did nothing,’ Papa said. ‘It’s always been this way. Jews are different. And some people are suspicious of what they don’t understand.’

It made no sense. Why be cruel to someone just because they were different?”

Max asks an innocent question, as he cannot comprehend why people would be treated with such cruelty when they have done nothing wrong. This marks the beginning of Max’s grappling with the concept of injustice. Papa’s response offers a sobering explanation of deep-rooted antisemitism.

“No, not everyone had been infected by the Nazis’ hate. He also realized how brave this man was, what a risk he was taking to help Max and Zena—two strangers. People caught hiding Jews were shot.”

This passage introduces the theme of Courage and Humanity in Times of War in contrast to the widespread cruelty of the Nazis. It suggests that hate is like a disease spreading among people, and that some remain immune to this “infection.” This moment marks a turning point for Max, as he realizes that even in a world consumed by hatred, there are still people like Mr. Jablonski, who act out of compassion and bravery.

“As Max and Zena stared in shock, three people stepped out of the small, dark opening.

Max made out the shadowy shapes of three men, each with a rifle slung over his shoulder.

One by one, they embraced the farmer.

‘Jablonski,’ one said. ‘You are our angel.’

‘You are heroes,’ the farmer—Jablonski—said. ‘That train was carrying even more weapons than we had thought. It’s all destroyed. The mission was a complete success.’

It took a moment for Max to understand: These were the men who had blown up the train!”

The plot twist, that Mr. Jablonski, has been secretly helping partisans, adds a new layer to his character, showing him as not only a protector of Max and Zena but also a fighter against the Nazis. This moment exemplifies the theme of Courage and Humanity in Times of War, illustrating how ordinary people, like Jablonski, can become heroes.

“But Aunt Hannah had changed, and it wasn’t just her chopped hair and her man’s shirt and trousers. Her dreamy expression had hardened into one of toughness and determination.

Aunt Hannah was no longer a carefree teenager from Esties.

She was fighting the Nazis!”

This quote highlights Aunt Hannah’s transformation from a carefree teenager into a hardened resistance fighter. Her evolution, both physical and psychological, conveys the theme of The Impact of War on Individuals and Communities, as war has stripped away Hannah’s innocence, forcing her to grow up.

“‘That robin did bring us luck,’ she said.

Max had almost forgotten all about that little bird, perched on the ghetto barbed wire. He’d never been the type to believe in lucky birds.

Maybe now he was.”

The robin is a symbol of hope and resilience in the novel. Max’s shift toward belief in the robin’s luck highlights his changing outlook. It is a sign that Max still holds onto the possibility of better days, giving him the courage to continue fighting for survival.

“Mr. Jablonski wasn’t Jewish or a partisan—he was a spy. He’d tricked the Nazis into thinking he loved Hitler. He’d even become close friends with the Nazi commander in the area. But secretly he was working with the partisans—helping plot their missions, hiding them in his barn, supplying them with food and news from the outside.”

Tarshis characterizes Mr. Jablonski as a complex figure who embodies the theme of Courage and Humanity in Times of War. By becoming a spy, Jablonski risks his life to save others, even though he is not Jewish himself. While Jablonski’s actions may be seen as betrayal to some, they ultimately serve a greater good.

“Max looked out the window into the black night.

It would be a long and dangerous journey back to the forest.

And suddenly he wondered what would be waiting for them there.”

Here, Tarshis employs foreshadowing to build anticipation and tension. Max’s contemplation of the “long and dangerous journey” suggests that the path ahead will be filled with challenges and unknown dangers. Max’s thoughts reveal his anxiety.

“Enormous trees towered all around them, their branches forming a roof that blocked out all but a few beams of sunlight. Moss hung from branches, and giant, twisted roots rose up from the muddy ground. Max had heard horror stories about Loda when he was a child—about packs of wolves and bloodthirsty bandits.”

The imagery of the forest creates a mysterious and eerie atmosphere. The details of “moss hung from branches” and “giant, twisted roots” depict the forest as an ancient, almost primordial space. Max’s recollection of “horror stories about Loda” adds to the ominous atmosphere. This setting serves as a metaphor for the dangerous world that Max and Zena are navigating.

“Diseases were everywhere in the ghetto—coughs that turned people to skeletons, burning fevers that wiped out whole families in days.”

This quote illustrates The Impact of War on Individuals and Communities, highlighting the dire conditions faced by the Jewish population in the ghettos. The imagery of “coughs that turned people to skeletons” and “burning fevers that wiped out whole families” illustrates the horrors of this time and evokes a sense of fear and despair.

“‘Look at this,’ she said, lifting her pant leg. ‘Barbed wire,’ she said, pointing at a purple, jagged scar.

‘We set fire to a bullet factory, and I got caught on our way out.’”

This passage shows how the war has transformed Hannah from a carefree young woman into a determined resistance fighter, underscoring the theme of The Impact of War on Individuals and Communities. The scar she shows Max is a physical reminder of the dangers she has faced in her fight against the Nazis. It is a testament to her active role in the fight for freedom.

“The worst was the noise, the roaring of the planes, the whistling of the falling bombs, and then the thundering, bone-rattling explosions.”

Tarshis uses violent imagery to convey the horrors of war. The description of the roaring planes, the whistling bombs, and the bone-rattling explosions creates a sensory overload, immersing the reader in the chaos of a bombing raid. This quote encapsulates the relentless, inescapable violence of war, and contributes to the novel’s broader theme of The Impact of War on Individuals and Communities.

“Kaboom!

An invisible hand seemed to grab Max and hurl him into the air. Suddenly he was flying backward, his body twisting and turning.

Until smack, he landed in a ditch.

He sat there, stunned and dazed.

Was he alive?

He moved his arms and legs, blinked his eyes, and cleared his mind.

Amazingly, he was not hurt.

But then he heard a cracking sound.

He looked up just in time to see a flaming tree crashing down on top of him.”

This passage brings the reader back to the end of Chapter 1, with Max looking up to see a tree crashing down on top of him. The violent imagery portrays the impact of war, highlighting its destructive power. The use of onomatopoeia (“Kaboom!”) and words like “smack” and “cracking” create a sensory experience.

“The man who had been aiming the gun was enormous. He looked Max up and down and sneered at him, the way Goliath must have first looked at David.

That boiling rage Max had felt earlier came back to him, powering his muscles.”

Here, the David and Goliath symbolism emphasizes Max’s courage in the face of overwhelming odds. The Nazi soldier is compared to Goliath, a giant warrior who underestimated David, just as the soldier looks down on Max with arrogance. This symbolizes the Jewish resistance against the much stronger Nazi regime.

“Max and the young soldier stared at each other, their eyes locked together.

There was no hatred in the other boy’s eyes. He looked just as terrified and confused as Max was.

Were they really enemies?

Or were they just two boys caught in this net of evil?”

Max experiences a deep realization: Not everything in war is black and white. The young soldier, who should be his enemy, doesn’t look hateful but scared and confused, just like Max. This quote shows that there is humanity on both sides of the conflict, and both boys are victims of a much larger, evil force. Max’s compassion here demonstrates his growing understanding of the complexities of war.

“They had stopped in a cluster of dead trees that rose from the water like twisted skeletons. The forest glowed eerily around them, machine-gun fire pounded in the distance. And then came the most terrifying moment, when an enormous creature came floating through the water toward them.”

This description creates an eerie, haunting atmosphere. The dead trees, compared to “twisted skeletons,” add a sense of death and decay, while the eerie glow of the forest gives the scene an almost supernatural feeling. The “enormous creature” coming through the water adds to the fear and suspense.

“Through it all, Zena refused to leave her brother’s side. Over the next few days, whenever Max woke up, he saw different people staring down at him—men with tangled beards, women with short-cropped hair, all looking at him with caring, worried eyes. And always the face closest to his was Zena’s.”

This quote shows the close sibling bond between Max and Zena. Zena refuses to leave Max’s side, a testament to her love for her brother. Even though the world around them is in chaos, their connection is a source of strength and stability.

“Papa learned that they’d all been taken away. Just days after Max and Zena had escaped, everyone in the ghetto was put on a train.

Papa had searched everywhere for Max and Zena, refusing to believe they were lost.

And then, someone told him about an old farmer who’d rescued two children from his wheat field.

Mr. Jablonski.”

This passage touches on the horrors of concentration camps, with the reference to people being “put on a train,” a subtle nod to the fate of many Jews during the Holocaust. At the same time, it underscores Papa’s determination and love for his children, as he never gives up hope of finding them.

“Almost every Jewish person was gone forever, their lives stolen by the Nazis. There seemed to be ghosts everywhere, stains of the terrible things that had happened.”

This quote captures The Impact of War on Individuals and Communities. The Holocaust is depicted as not just a physical loss of life but also an emotional burden that lingers. The description of “ghosts everywhere” evokes a sense of haunting, and the word “stains” suggests that the atrocities committed can never be erased.

“‘We will all be waiting for your ship,’ Saul wrote in his last letter. ‘Your entire family is here for you. We will help you start your new life.’”

Saul’s letter represents hope for the future, offering the promise of a new beginning for Max and his family despite the horrors of the Holocaust. The idea of starting fresh with the support of family conveys the message that it is possible to rebuild and start fresh after trauma. The letter speaks to the strength of family ties and the collective hope for a better life after the devastation of war.

“He wanted to forget all of the bad things that had happened, the fear and the sadness that he’d worn like a second skin, the evil of the Nazis, the suffering of those all around him, people who had lived through far worse than what he had experienced.

But could he really forget?

Was it right to forget?

Could Max really start a new and happy life after all that had happened?”

Max struggles with the idea of forgetting, which reveals the complexity of dealing with trauma. He questions whether it’s right to forget the horrors he’s witnessed. The mention of fear and sadness as a “second skin” shows how deeply war has affected him. This moment raises a moral dilemma: Should survivors try to forget in order to move forward, or is it important to remember?