Matas uses a number of devices to tell Daniel's story, beginning with the division of the novel into four chronologically organized sections. Secondly, she titles each section "Pictures of . . ." and then completes the section title with the specific place where the family has just been located, i.e.
Frankfurt, Lodz, Auschwitz, or Buchenwald.
Thirdly, each section opens with Daniel on a train that is going towards the family's next destination.
The story is actually told in a series of flashbacks for Daniel uses his time on each train as an opportunity to reflect upon the events that have occurred in the location he has just left. The vehicle Daniel uses to take him into the past are photographs, real and imaginary. As Daniel states on the train taking the family from.....
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 529 words. This
study guide contains 23,600 words (approx. 79 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our Daniel's Story Access Pass.
