The Hiding Place

On several occasions, Corrie wrestles with whether it is morally permissible to lie in order to mislead someone who would use an honest answer to do evil. What form of reasoning is this? How does it differ from her sister Nollie’s? Using examples from the book, make an argument either for or against the practice of lying to preserve a greater good.

How does Father’s guidance inform Corrie’s faith? How do his beliefs mirror the moral heart of the book?

How does the meaning of the Beje change throughout the narrative? What different things does it represent, and how does it function as a character in its own right?

Corrie relates many stories from her childhood and young adulthood in the early chapters of the book. How do her experiences with the characters—her mother, her aunts, Karel—shape and prepare her for what is to come?

How is compassion defined and expressed in the story? How do the ten Booms define and exercise it? Cite examples from the text.

How does Corrie understand the atrocities of the Nazis in light of her belief in God’s existence? How does this dynamic compare to other portrayals of the Holocaust, such as Elie Wiesel’s Night, which often relate the strengthening or deterioration of faith in response to trauma?

How do visions function in the text? Though ominous, why does Corrie find hope in them?

Research the stances that Dutch Christians took toward the Nazi occupation. Are the ten Booms characteristic of most Christians’ responses, or do they stand apart from it? Support your answer with references from The Hiding Place that illustrate the positions taken by other Christians.