Dresden

Dresden is a major city in Germany and the family’s home before the bombing. Symbolically, Dresden represents the aspects of the family’s pre-war life—security, comfort, and lightheartedness—which they struggle to retain once the war begins. Dresden contains both the art gallery where Papi worked and the zoo where Mutti worked, demonstrating both its importance to the family’s wellbeing and its wealth of cultural opportunities for its citizens. In fact, Lizzie frequently refers to Dresden as a beautiful and proud city, clearly demonstrating the family’s pain over its destruction. Since Dresden is also an important economic and cultural center in Germany, its devastation is also representative of the complete ruin occurring throughout the country.

Aunt Lotti and Uncle Manfred's House

Aunt Lotti and Uncle Manfred’s house is a large country home with a fireplace, stables, and food stores. At the novel’s...