No one responds to my questions.
-- Syvia as Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: The quote demonstrates Syvia’s awareness of her place in the family. The family does not want to worry Syvia more than she needs to be, but the family also does not know how to answer her questions. They are unsure as well.

Bright colors don’t exist in the ghetto, except for the yellow stars and puddles of red blood that we carefully step around.
-- Syvia as narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: The quote indicates the two most important parts of the ghetto: that Jews have been relocated there and that their lives are perpetually threatened.

The ghetto holds its secrets tightly and shrugs its shoulders when asked questions.
-- Syvia as narrator (chapter 2)

Importance: The quote shows how Syvia comes to understand Hava’s disappearance. There is no way for Syvia to know for certain what happened to Hava, but knows that Hava is dead.

All that time they were hiding, too. All that time...
-- Syvia as narrator (chapter 3)