The Dark Room Papers & Assignment Topics

Essay Topics/Writing Assignments

These 20 essay questions can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment. Students should have a full understanding of the text in order to answer these questions. They ask for a thorough analysis of the text.

1. Helmut listens to the radio for Germany's progress. At the same time, he notices an emptying of Berlin. The two are correlated, but it is a mystery to Helmut. What is the correlation and what makes it difficult for Helmut to see how the victories abroad are tied to the city's emptiness?

2. Describe Mutti's observation in Helmut's individual photo. Why does she see pain in the individual photo but not the family photo? Is there really pain or something Mutti thinks up?

3. Seiffert gives a unique perspective of WWII. The thought that goes...
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