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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 Helmut enjoy most about the train station?

2. What opportunity is Helmut given in 1945?

3. How do Helmut's parents deny his birth defect?

4. What is Helmut's political stance in 1945 as described in Section 5?

5. Who helps Helmut when he is confronted at the train station?

Short Essay Questions

1. Helmut is cast to the side with the weak during physical education. Helmut tries to "prove himself" for whom and why?

2. When Germany takes Paris, there is a large celebration. Mutti and Papi attend but they do not ask him to go. When they return they meet him at the train station and leave looking like a happy family. Explain Mutti and Papi's actions.

3. Helmut has the opportunity to work as a soldier five years into the war. What are Helmut's thoughts and feelings towards being a soldier?

4. The Third Reich is at its height when Helmut is a teenager. How does this age and Helmut's life affect his acceptance and loyalty to the Third Reich?

5. 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?

6. Helmut loses his parents and Gladigau is away. Helmut is often cold, hungry, and completely alone. How does he feel about the war at this stage?

7. 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?

8. Gladigau is first Papi's, then Helmut's employer. Gladigau does more than just pay his workers. How is Gladigau an important figure, especially to Helmut?

9. Mutti and Papi love their son, but there is a stubborn denial that there is anything wrong with Helmut. What does it finally take them to accept the truth and how do they handle it?

10. When the family eats their soup, Juri shyly offers his bread to Tomas. What does this indicate about Juri and his family?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Helmut speaks of loyalty and pride in regards to the Third Reich. However, Helmut is human and more complex than having a simple faith. How does Helmut show indications that his loyalty are also feelings that are self-serving and not for the people of Germany?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Helmut is a photographer's assistant, Lore looks at her family photo, and Micha compares his Opa's pictures to Hitler and Jozef's. Explain the significance of pictures in Seiffert's novel. Without going into too much detail of each picture, write about how pictures in general tell a person's truth and lies.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,680 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample