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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the narrator watch as sundown approaches?

2. What does Friedrich tie around his neck?

3. Who demands the case be dismissed?

4. What does Mr. Schneider offer the shop keeper?

5. Why does the Nazi demand that Friedrich and the narrator leave?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Dr. Jakob Askenase and what is significant about the boys' visit there in this chapter?

2. Why do you think Friedrich says "Heil, Hitler" outside the department store?

3. How does Friedrich's relationship with his mother contrast to that of the narrator's relationship with his mother?

4. Describe the conversation between Herr Schneider and the narrator's father about the Nazi party. Do you think the narrator's father is justified in joining the party?

5. How does the teacher demonstrate his sympathy for the Jews and for Friedrich in particular?

6. What is ominous about the image of Herr Schneider coming down the street and the news he brings?

7. What first appears in this chapter and what is the context?

8. What does the narrator say when Herr Schneider asks him about the Jungvolk and how does Herr Schneider respond to the narrator's reply?

9. Explain the situation with Frau Penk and why she gives up her position with Mrs. Schneider.

10. Summarize what the teacher says about Jewish history.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the chapter titled "The Swimming Pool," Friedrich returns to the pool, offering to tell the police about the thief, but is rebuffed. Answer the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. What happens to Friedrich while he is checking out from a day at the pool? What do you think is the reason for the attendant's vitriolic response to learning Friedrich is a Jew?

2. Why do you think Friedrich would be so careless about his claim check given the things that are going on around him and the fact that his id clearly shows he is Jewish?

3. Why do you think Friedrich returns to try to help the boy whose bike is stolen?

4. Would you have returned to try to help the police and boy recover the bike? If it were your bike, would you want useful information even if it were from someone you disliked?

Essay Topic 2

1. The book Friedrich does not go into the horror of concentration camps or the wholesale murder of millions of Jews (and other unacceptable people), yet there are plenty of tragic events that point the way to the larger event that is the Holocaust. Why do you think the author chose to address the issue of the Holocaust in this way? (Keep in mind of the intended audience). Is the author's approach effective? Does it reveal enough of the tragedy of the events of Nazi Germany to convince a reader of the extent of Germany's genocide of a group of people?

2. Research pre-WWII Germany and write an essay about the reasons that Germany is vulnerable to the extent that it is willing to go down the path of mass murder. Does anything justify the German people's actions?

3. Research the aftermath of Germany's actions in pre-WWII and WWII in its concentration camps. Do you think Germany received just retribution? Why or why not? What do you think should have happened to Germany?

Essay Topic 3

In the chapter, "The Way to School," we see not the first evidence of the growing violence towards Jews, but the most overt one in the book so far. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Hitler calls for a one-day boycott of Jewish businesses on Saturday, April 1, 1933; this chapter is probably based upon that proclamation. Learn what you can about this boycott and write an essay telling about how widespread it was, the consequences of it, and if it was considered successful.

2. Friedrich and the narrator are only about eight years old and do not understand the hatred and fears of adults. They greet Mr. Rosenthal, a shop owner whose shop is being blocked by a man with a swastika armband. What can we learn from children about accepting differences? What if very young children of the Arab and Western and Israeli worlds got together (before they are too strongly influenced by adults)? What do you think would happen? Would they share their toys? Would they be hateful because someone is of a different race or religion, etc.? Write a speculative essay about what children can teach adults about accepting others.

3. How effective in general are boycotts? Research the history of boycotts and choose several to study and compare and contrast.

(see the answer keys)

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