Choose a short passage from your novel that made an impact on you as you read it, that made you stop and think maybe even say "Oh wow" to yourself. It may have made you stop and think because you made a personal connection. It may have made you wonder and ask a question. It may have made you react in some emotional way to the words on the paper. In your response, quote the passage and list the page number that it can be found on. Explain, in detail, why you chose this passage, what reason did you have that made you stop and think or had you reacting in some way. Include your feelings and emotions as well as state any connections you made (text to self, text to text, text to world). An example from another novel of how to start is this:
"Big signs were posted at the pool saying"No Jews or Dogs Allowed". pg 14
As I read this passage I couldn't believe that this could happen. How could the Jewish even be compared to dogs?"
Welcome to our blogging website for Number the Stars. Over the next 6 weeks be prepared to share your thoughts, your questions, your feelings and your reactions to what you read. Also, be prepared to respond to your peers blog posts with thoughtful connections and reflections.
Pg.87: 'She tried to listen, tried to understand, tried to forget the war and the Nazis, tried not to cry, tried to be brave.' I chose this quote because these words really struck me because it is just horrible what was happening to her. Her world was crumbling and she was about to lose her best friend, because of her religion. It makes me feel horrible reading about this because it makes me think about how this was an actual problem and not just fiction. This slightly reminds me of this one time when I was in the hospital with tonsillitis, and I was so scared. I could hardly breathe, but I was trying to be brave because I knew if I was then they would be able to fix it faster and I wouldn't have to be in pain anymore. I was also trying hard not to cry because I wanted to seem strong, and if I cried my throat would close up and I wouldn't be able to breathe at all.
ReplyDeleteI also felt horrible reading that. It makes us feel so thankful that we live in this country and in this time. It is scary to think that she was pretty close to our age and that we could have gone through that too.
DeleteI agree, sometimes it is truly frightening when you think about how this war happened, and even worse things happened than in Number the Stars.
Delete@Landon McQuarrie and @Izzy Heaton I also agree. Reading about the topic of persecution makes me super thankful of the world we live in today. Sure it might not be perfect but at least we aren't having to starve because we are only allowed a certain amount of food each day. When I don't want to wake up to go to school I just think of all of the children that would have died to go to school and get an education. If you were ever in a situation where you could only eat a certain amount everyday and you were put to labour everyday how would you feel? What would you do?
Delete@Courtney S I think that we should feel thankful for what we have in Canada, but there are still so many people in the world that are starving, don't have en education, and suffer from war. Do you think that the people that are suffering should be thankful for what they have? Or is it just as bad?
Delete@Courtney S I think that we should feel thankful for what we have in Canada, but there are still so many people in the world that are starving, don't have en education, and suffer from war. Do you think that the people that are suffering should be thankful for what they have? Or is it just as bad?
DeletePg#55-"Anne-Marie knew what she was about to say: This is our friend Ellen and it's her new year." That would be the most terrifying moment. Their lives were in the hands of a five year old that blurts everything to the Nazi soldiers. They would take all of them since they were helping Ellen escape. Luckily, Kirsti knew better and their mom was able to stop her from saying anything
ReplyDeleteelse. I don't get why Kirsti didn't say anything though. The last time they were confronted by soldiers she said exactly what was going on, so why not this this time.
I never thought of that. I do think that it was because Kirsti really likes Ellen too so she didn't tell the officer. It could have also been that she realized just how bad the situation was which could have made her realize that it would be horrible to tell the guard about Ellen. Although we can never know for sure what Kirsti was thinking, we do know that she was never there when Papa, Ellen, and Annemarie were talking about why they left so we know that she could never have known what the officer would do if he knew about Ellen.
DeletePage 48- "Lise Margerete," he read finally, and stared at Ellen for a long, unwavering moment. In her mind, Annemarie pictured the photograph that he held: the baby, wide-eyed, propped against a pillow, her tiny hand holding a silver teething ring, her bare feet visible below the hem of an embroidered dress. The wispy curls, dark. The officer tore the photograph in half and dropped the pieces on the floor."
ReplyDeleteI chose this passage because it really triggered a reaction for me because the officer tore the photograph of Lise in half as if it was nothing. It may have been the only baby picture they had of Lise. This made me angry because I had thought that the Nazis only did this to the Jewish because they hated them (it made me angry that they would do this to the Jewish too), this goes to show how far their hatred goes. It goes towards anyone. If they are acting this way towards anyone how do they treat the people in Germany? Did Hitler not only hate the Jews but everyone? Is that why the Nazis are this way towards other people? What did the people of Denmark do to earn such hatred from the Nazis? Of course this isn't the only terrible thing that they have done but did they tear up that photograph because they thought Ellen was actually Lise?
This really upset me to. It makes no sense that they would tear it in half as if it was nothing and not anything important at all. And also, I thought they were awful to the Jews because they hated them, and not the other people to. What would they have done if they found put that that picture of Lise was actually not Ellen and a sweet innocent baby that did absolutely nothing to them? Would they still tear it in half?
DeleteIt is quite upsetting, but do you think maybe they treat them that way because they didn't get what they wanted? Or maybe because they look stupid? Could there be other reasons?
DeleteIt is quite upsetting, but do you think maybe they treat them that way because they didn't get what they wanted? Or maybe because they look stupid? Could there be other reasons?
DeleteI really don't get why they tore it. They thought that Ellen was actually Lise so why did they tear it, and like what Sheriff Yogurt said, that could have been the only baby picture of Lise that they had left. That is like tearing up a memory.
DeleteLemon Pie, I think they would still tear it in half. If you all remember Mama got slapped by an officer for talking too much so I think that they would because they probably think that if it's not important to them why should they care about it? Of course it would be really hard for them figure out it wasn't Ellen unless they really looked closely. I don't even want to imagine what would happen to Ellen if they figured it out. One question I have is, would they do this to the people in Germany? Would they just tear up something important to others?
DeletePage 137:
ReplyDelete"Surely that gift- the gift of a world of human decency- is the one that all countries hunger for still. I hope that the story of Denmark, and it's people, will remind us all that such a world is possible."
I think that this passage is meaningful because it's saying that despite all the trouble that happened in Denmark, human decency and peace, is still possible. It may not happen globally or even nationally, but it can happen locally and I think that's a pretty good start. So all of us of as individuals can still give the gift of human decency and create a calm and peaceful environment not only for us, but for our peers.
that was from me.
ReplyDelete-Sassmaster
I agree. That made me angry as well. Lise was gone and that could have been the only picture left of her. It really shows that the officers really don't care about anyone. Like when Annemarie had to bring the basket to her uncle, the officers just threw the food and gave it to the dogs like it was no big deal!!!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete'Ellen giggled. "A little girl wouldn't go to a ball. Let's make them go someplace else. Let's make them go to Tivoli!" "Tivoli!" Annemarie began to laugh. "That's in Copenhagen! Gone with the wind is in America!" "Tivoli, Tivoli, Tivoli," little Kirsti sang, twirling her doll in a circle. "It doesn't matter, because it's only a game anyway," Ellen pointed out. "Tivoli can be over by that chair. " 'Come Scarlett,' " She said using her doll voice, " 'we shall go to Tivoli to dance and watch the fireworks, and maybe there will be some handsome men there! Bring your silly daughter Bonnie, and she can ride on the carousel.'"
ReplyDeleteThis passage is kind of long, but it stuck out to me a lot. These three little girls, one of them Jewish, are playing with dolls and laughing in the early 1940s. At any moment, their world could be shattered, like so many others that they are oblivious to, but they are innocent and unaware of the terrifying world around them. They know there is a war, and they know they are short on electricity and power, but they think the true war horrors with never affect them.
They are just innocent children, and it is truly heartbreaking.
I agree, it really is heartbreaking to read about such young children going through this, and one worse than the others. I saw that they seemed to find many ways to try and distract themselves from the war and all the terrible things happening outside. Could you imagine going through what they're going through? Knowing that they are at such a young age makes me wonder, how does Kirsti see everything as not terrifying? She is the only one who is not afraid of it all.
DeleteI've wondered that too. Why does Kirsti not get scared or worried like everyone else? Is it because she is too young?
DeleteI've wondered that too. Why does Kirsti not get scared or worried like everyone else? Is it because she is too young?
Delete@Sassmaster I think that Kristi is to young to understand what is happening. She has a young, bubbly and playful mind and she hasn't discovered the dark and gloomy world they live in yet. I think that it is a good thing that Kristi doesn't know what is going on because of her age, do you?
Delete“She turned to her father. “Papa, do you remember what you heard the boy say to the soldier? That all of Denmark would be the king’s bodyguard?” Her father smiled. “I have never forgotten it,” he said. “Well,” Annemarie said slowly, “now I think all of Denmark must be the bodyguard for the Jews as well.” pg. 25.
ReplyDeleteAs I read this short passage I was shocked, I had to stop reading for a short period of time to really let it sink in. A little girl, younger than all of us, just shared an amazing thought. It just goes to show that there were tons and tons of innocent people who were killed during this dreadful time in history. It breaks my heart knowing that ordinary people , just like you and me, had their lives cut short because of a selfish person named Hitler and his party, the Nazis. I have always wondered what really went on in Hitler’s head when made the decision to start this war against the Jewish people and the world. Did he ever feel guilty for what he did? Is that why he committed suicide or was it because Germany lost the war? These will always be questions in my mind. The only way to answer them is to revive Hitler, lock him in a room and make him tell us the answers but the chances of that actually happening are 0 out of a million. What do you guys think?
@Courtney S, that passage is very shocking. That is a good point when you said did Hitler feel guilty. There could be millions of answers to that question, but I think that everyone has 2 sides; positive and/or negative feelings. Hitler could be more of negative feelings, but that doesn't mean that he has no feelings at all. If he's more negative, he still has feelings. Again, there could be a million questions to why he committed suicide, but I think that it was because they lost the war, so he didn't want to be held in prison for years, so he committed suicide. What do you think would have happened if he didn't commit suicide? Could the world be totally different, or do you think it would be the same?
ReplyDelete@Marbles Ruby, I think that if Hitler did not commit suicide the world be a very different place considering that we could have had answers as to why Hitler did such horrendous things. Also, the world would have a lot more information on WWII. Hitler most likely would have been arrested and held prisoner. He then would have been forced to give the world answers. This would provide more information and there would not be a million answers to one question. What do you think would have happened if he did not commit suicide? What would you have done if you were in Hitlers shoes?
DeleteI am almost finished 'Number the Stars'. Around page 113, the soldiers took Annemarie's bread, and in my head when I read it, they were teasing her. Annemarie did what her mother told her, to just pretend your Kirsti.
ReplyDelete