Resistance

During the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Chaya listens to a BBC broadcast in which the Allies call the fighters in the ghetto “heroes”; however, Chaya disagrees with their assessment, as she does not see anything heroic about a fight to secure one’s life and dignity. What is your understanding of heroism? How do you view the resistance and the different forms it takes throughout the book? Which instances do you believe to be examples of heroism, and why? Do you think there is a place for heroism in the world we live in today?

Teaching Suggestion: One of the major ideas the book explores is The Interplay of Community and Heroism During Wartime—i.e., that a sense of community can embolden people to act heroically. Depending on students’ own understandings of heroism, it might be helpful to examine conventional definitions of heroism and the association with bravery, nobility, and selflessness. Discussing these aspects of heroism may help students understand the nuance between fighting for one’s own survival versus (or in addition to) fighting for someone else’s right to life. Considering how responsibility towards a larger population can motivate heroic acts may also help students find ways to make heroism “relevant” to the present day.