Number the Stars - Study Guide

Year 6 2013 Number the Stars

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About the Author

Lois Lowry was born on 20 March 1937 in Hawaii. Her father was a career army officer, and her family moved many, many times as she was growing up. At seventeen years of age she decided to begin her writing career as she went to school at Brown University.

Separating Fact from Fiction in Historical Fiction Historical fiction is usually a story that combines real events and characters with fictional events and characters. “Number the Stars� is a work of historical fiction. Author Lois Lowry did a lot of research before she wrote the novel and in the end created a story that combined both fact and fiction.

Fairy Tales Lois Lowry includes two fairy tales in her novel; one about a king and queen and one about Little Red Riding Hood. Each fairy tale serves a different purpose for the story.

Questions to revise the plot Chapter by Chapter Chapter One: Why Are You Running?

Literal Questions 1. Why were Annemarie, Ellen and Kirsti stopped by the soldiers?

2. What advice did Mrs. Rosen give the girls about behaving outside?

3. How did Annemarie show her dislike of the German soldiers occupying her country?

4. Compare and contrast the reaction of the three girls to the German soldiers.

Inferential Questions 1. Why isn't Kirsti afraid of the soldiers?

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Chapter two: Who Is The Man Who Rides Past?

Literal Questions 1. How did Mrs. Johansen react to the death of Lise, her oldest daughter?

2. Why does Peter not visit the Johansen’s?

3. What are some hardships faced by the Danish people because of the war?

Inferential Questions 1. How was King Christian different from other kings?

2. What does Annemarie do to show kindness to her younger sister?

3. Why didn’t the Danish army fight the Germans when they invaded Denmark?

4. How do the people of Denmark feel about King Christian? Chapter Three: Where is Mrs Hirsch?

Chapter Three: Where is Mrs. Hirsch?

Literal Questions 1. What did Annemarie realize about her friend Ellen after Peter’s visit?

2. How did Annemarie know the Hirsch’s were not on a holiday?

3. What items were being rationed? Why? Inferential Questions 1. What happened to Mrs. Hirsch?

2. Why did the girls always take a different route to school?

3. Explain the following sentence from page 23 of the novel.

“My work takes me all over the place,” Peter explained.

“All of Denmark must be bodyguards for the Jews...,” Annemarie said slowly Chapter Four: It Will Be a Long Night Literal Questions 1. How did the Germans find out the names of the Danish Jews?

2. How did Annemarie and Ellen pass the time when Mrs. Johansen went shopping?

3. Why was Kirsti upset when she and her mother returned from shopping? What was Ellen’s solution to the problem?

Inferential Questions 1. Why was the Tivoli Gardens important to the Danes of Copenhagen?

2. Why did the Danes not have leather to make their shoes?

Chapter Five: Who Is the Dark-Haired One? Literal Questions 1. How did the Johansens plan to hide Ellen from the Germans?

2. What was Annemarie told about the death of her older sister Lise?

3. Why did the German soldiers come to the Johansen apartment looking for the Rosens?

4. How did the German soldiers show a lack of respect for the Johansens?

5. What features of Ellen made the German soldiers suspicious?

6. How did Mr. Johansen convince the German soldiers that Ellen was not a Jewish girl in hiding?

Inferential Questions 1. Why was it important that Ellen remove her Star of David necklace?

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Chapter Six: Is the Weather Good For Fishing?

Literal Questions 1. Why were Ellen and Annemarie kept home from school after the visit by the Germans soldiers?

2. What code words did Mr. Johansen use to refer to the Danish Jews and how they were to be smuggled?

3. Describe the scenery along the way to Gilleleje.

4. What memories of childhood did Mrs. Johansen have when she arrived at Gilleleje.

5. Compare the area around uncle Henrik’s farm during the war to Mrs. Johansen’s memories of the farm from childhood.

Inferential Questions 1. Why did Mrs. Johansen make the trip to Uncle Henrik’s without her husband?

2. What did Annemarie think Kirsti was going to say when the soldiers on the train questioned them?

Chapter Seven: The House By the Sea Literal Questions 1. What was the name of Uncle Henrik’s boat and where did he get it?

2. What did Annemarie do with Ellen’s necklace?

3. Why did Mrs. Johansen tease her brother Henrik?

4. Describe Uncle Henrik’s farm.

Inferential Questions 1. What does the sea represent for Ellen and her family?

2. Why did Mrs. Johansen ask the girls if they saw anyone while playing near the shore?

Chapter Eight: There Has Been a Death Literal Questions 1. Why did Mrs. Johansen say that Uncle Henrik needed a wife?

2. What did Annemarie learn about the death of Great Aunt Birte?

3. How did the girls spend their first full day at the farm?

4. Why was Annemarie surprised by Uncle Henrik’s announcement that there was to be a funeral?

Inferential Questions 1. Why is Annemarie so delighted to have oatmeal, milk, cream and butter at breakfast? How and why was this different from Copenhagen?

2. What did Uncle Henrik mean when he said, “Tomorrow will be a good day for fishing.”?

Chapter Nine: Why Are You Lying?

Literal Questions 1. What does Annemarie learn about bravery in her talk with Uncle Henrik?

2. What did Annemarie learn about Aunt Birte?

Inferential Questions 1. Why did Ellen make a sharp, low cry when she went outside with Peter?

2. Why didn’t Annemarie tell Ellen the truth about Aunt Birte?

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Chapter Ten: Let Us Open the Casket Literal Questions 1. Why did the German soldiers come to Uncle Henrik’s house?

2. How did the people react to the arrival of the German soldiers?

3. What was the first test of Annemarie’s bravery?

4. How did Mrs. Johansen stop the German soldiers from looking in the casket?

Inferential Questions 1. Why was Peter’s reading from the Bible so important?

2. What might Peter have been thinking about as he sat at the funeral?

Chapter Eleven: Will We See You Again Soon, Peter?

Literal Questions 1. What was in the casket and why was it there?

2. What clothes were used to protect the baby?

Inferential Questions 1. What did Peter give the baby and why?

2. What was the purpose of Aunt Birte’s funeral?

Chapter Twelve: Where Was Mama?

Literal Questions 1. Describe the trail from Uncle Henrik’s house to the boat.

2. What advice on walking the trail did Mrs. Johansen give the Rosens?

3. What promise did Ellen make to Annemarie?

4. How did Annemarie pass the time while waiting for her mother to return?

Inferential Questions 1. Explain the following thoughts of Annemarie: “It was harder for the ones who were waiting, Annemarie knew. Less dangerous, perhaps, but more fear.”

Chapter Thirteen: Run! As Fast As You Can! Literal Questions 1. What happened to Mrs. Johansen on her way back from Uncle Henrik’s boat?

2. What had Mr. Rosen dropped at Uncle Henrik’s house?

Inferential Questions 1. Why did Mrs. Johansen tell Annemarie to act as a silly little girl is she were stopped?

Chapter Fourteen: On the Dark Path Literal Questions 1. What fairy tale did Annemarie remember on the trail to Uncle Henrik’s boat?

2. Describe what happened to Annemarie on the way to the boat?

Inferential Questions 1. Why did Annemarie choose this particular fairy tale?

2. Why did Annemarie have to be brave when she met the soldiers?

Chapter Fifteen: My Dog Smells Meat 5|Page

Literal Question 1. What was in the basket that helped fool the German into thinking it was Uncle Henrik’s lunch?

Inferential Question 1. Why did Annemarie behave like Kirsti when she was stopped by the German soldiers?

Chapter Sixteen: I Will Tell You Just a Little Literal Questions 1. What was Uncle Henrik’s explanation for each of the following: a. Annemarie not seeing the Rosens on the boat. b. The use of a drug on the baby c. The handkerchief Inferential Questions 1. What would have happened if Annemarie had not got the handkerchief to Uncle Henrik?

Characters Annemarie, the main character in Number the Stars, risks her life and those of her family in an effort to safely smuggle her friend out of German occupied Denmark.

Throughout the novel, Annemarie’s actions provide clues to the kind of person she is. Six of AnneMarie’s personal traits are listed on the web below. Indicate what she did that is an example of each of these traits.

Use the empty ovals at the bottom to add two character traits and an example of your choice. Chapter numbers have been included to help you narrow the search.

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Vocabulary Word Part of speech occupation

resistance

Meaning [U] when an army or group of people moves into and takes control of a place

[U] when something or someone resists

Example Sentence

the Italian occupation of Ethiopia Government troops offered no resistance (to the rebels).

There's a lot of resistance (= opposition) to the idea of a united Europe.

unfair or cruel treatment over a long period of time because of race, religion, or political beliefs

They left the country out of fear of persecution. refugees escaping from political persecution

curfew

a rule that everyone must stay at home between particular times, usually at night, especially during a war or a period of political trouble

to impose/lift a curfew a midnight curfew He was shot for breaking (= not obeying) the curfew.

You'll be in trouble if you get home after curfew.

ration

a limited amount of something which one person is allowed to have, especially when there is not much of it available

During the war, no one was allowed more than their ration of food, clothing and fuel.

sabotage

to intentionally prevent the success of a plan or action

This was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the ceasefire.

condescending

treating someone as if you are better or more important than them

I hate the way he's so condescending to his staff!

exasperated

annoyed

He's becoming increasingly exasperated with the situation.

obstinate

unreasonably determined, especially to act in a particular way and not to change at all, despite what anyone else says

lanky

tall and thin and often moving awkwardly as a result

I was your typical lanky teenager.

surrender

to stop fighting and admit defeat

They would rather die than surrender (to the invaders).

persecution

He can be very obstinate at times. her obstinate refusal to compromise

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Themes, Motifs, and Symbols Themes The Difficulty of Growing Up The central theme of Number the Stars is the difficulty of growing up. The novel focuses on Annemarie Johansen's personal experiences with growing up, but her experiences are common to most young people. Does Annemarie belong to the world of adults or to the world of children? Lowry uses the war to demonstrate how confusing the separation between childhood and adulthood can be.

Because of the war, Annemarie needs greater protection, but at the same time has to learn things that one normally does not learn until later life.

Voyage and Transformation The novel centers on the trip that the Rosen's and the other Jews must make across the ocean to safety. That voyage takes place in three parts: the trip from Copenhagen to Gilleleje, the walk from the house to the boat, and the final crossing to Sweden. The passage into the woods marks a transformation. Annemarie is taking on a job that an adult would normally perform.

Fairy tales The reality of war is at times so terrible and strange that it feels unreal. Annemarie sometimes has difficulty accepting the events of the war as real. The fairy tales are also used as a means of showing that Annemarie is leaving her childhood behind.

Kirsti loves stories about kings and queens, but Annemarie does not care for them.

Fairy tales are often used as a way of explaining something that is hard to understand. As she goes to deliver the packet to Henrik, Annemarie makes the trip into the story of Little Red Riding-Hood. By turning her own life into fiction, Annemarie is able to deal with her fear and get the packet to her uncle.

Motifs Truth-Seeking versus Self Protection Within the theme of growing up, the truth becomes an important issue. A large part of being a child is discovery. The process of discovering the way the world works and understanding other people is central to maturation. In Number the Stars, the war makes it necessary for the truth to be hidden at times. As Henrik explains, knowing too much can make bravery harder and therefore put a person at risk. The less you know, the safer you are.

The Deceit of Appearances Annemarie learns that judgments based on appearances are not always correct.

The casket is an example. A casket normally contains a dead person, but in this case it holds items that will help the escaping Jews to survive.

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Symbols The seashell The seashell that Peter Neilsen gives Annemarie represents several different things. A shell is protection for a sea creature. The characters of Number the Stars must each find a way of protecting themselves. A shell hides something. A shell is often full of surprises, just as the characters and events of the novel are.

The Star of David The Star of David appears in several places during the course of Number the Stars. The Star of David is a central symbol in the Jewish tradition. In the novel, it represents the necessity for Ellen and all the Jews to hide their religion. Until the end of the war, Annemarie keeps the Star of David necklace that Ellen wears. The necklace symbolizes Annemarie's devotion to her friend. Stars also appear in the psalm that Peter reads before the voyage to Sweden. In this case, the stars represent Annemarie's view of the world.

The Woods The woods symbolize a right of passage for Annemarie. When Annemarie passes through the woods on her way to the boat, she is undergoing a transformation. She is discovering her own ability to do the job of an adult. For the Rosens, the woods are part of the passage from danger to safety.

Online questions

http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading23/number_the_stars.htm

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