Anna

Anna is one of the two main characters in the novel. Throughout the novel, focus shifts continually between the life of Anna in Germany and the life of her daughter, Trudy, as an adult. Anna’s story gives the reader insight into the lives of women in Nazi Germany. The narration of the novel allows the reader to understand the desperation and resilience of women at this time in history.

When Anna’s story begins, she is a young adult in Germany, living with her father, a Nazi sympathizer. Though her father aims to marry her off to a Nazi officer, Anna falls in love with a Jewish doctor. When the doctor, Max, is found out by the Nazis, Anna hides him in her closet until he is eventually turned over to the SS by Anna’s father. Throughout this experience, Anna is characterized as brave and moral...