View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What occurs overnight at the church Lore and the children sleep in?

2. What are Lore's nightmares about?

3. What do families feel towards Helmut before the bombing?

4. What does Lore hear at the hideout when she listens out the window?

5. What happens to Helmut's feelings about being a soldier in Section 4?

Short Essay Questions

1. Helmut catalogues Berlin through his snapshots. For months, Helmut sees the emptying of the city. When Gladigau interprets the pictures, he sees Berlin as the home it always is. What does Helmut learn about photography from this experience?

2. Tomas helps Lore and her family out of trouble and follows them. Why? What does he gain from the situation? Is he just being nice?

3. Mutti tries to burn the badges but they do not burn all the way. Lore tries to throw them deep into the river, but buries them in the bushes when this does not work. What do the badges and the efforts to rid them symbolize?

4. As part of Papi's pay, Gladigau takes family portraits while Helmut grows up. How do the family portraits play a role in this story and what progression is observed from when Helmut is a newborn to the last individual photo?

5. Germany attacks its neighbors and gains more lands that are prosperous. Neither Helmut nor anyone in his neighborhood seems to argue the Third Reich's actions. In fact, many boys are signing up to fight the war. Why would some Germans welcome the war and the push into other countries?

6. As Lore and her siblings walk on, some seem suspicious of their backgrounds but people usually help them anyway. Why do some people look at Lore's family with disdain but eventually help?

7. At night, when the bombs are close, Helmut shouts at the noise. Why does he feel this need? What does it do for him?

8. When Juri is injured, Lore is the first to carry him on her back. What does this indicate about Lore and her responsibilities?

9. When the farmer's son taunts Lore and pushes her down, the twins throw rocks at him. What does this show about the children?

10. When the Americans question Lore, Tomas shows up with papers and tells them they are a family. What do the papers show and why does Seiffert mention a tattoo on Tomas' arm?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lore and her siblings are children during WWII but are affected by its aftermath. Discuss where the children are coming from as Nazi children. What tribulations do they go through as Nazi children? How responsible are they for their affiliation? How are they punished even if they do not live in camps?

Essay Topic 2

The truth can be an ugly thing. Whether the truth is fresh or many years past, some will deny it and some will accept it. Write about how the characters either search for the truth or deny it. What are the consequences of each?

Essay Topic 3

The novel touches upon lots of judgments and racism. Compare and contrast generational differences to these issues. How do the Omas feel? How do children of the veterans feel? Grandchildren?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,406 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample