Title: Milkweed
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Genre: Historical Fiction
This week I read one book, Cookie by Jacqueline Wilson, and started another one called Milkweed. It is a historical fiction book, and it takes place in Warsaw, Poland, during World War II. It is about a boy who is very poor, and survives by stealing from welathier people. The book starts off with the boy stealing from a lady, when he gets found by what seems to be a gang leader, called Uri. Uri then takes the boy (the protagonist's name is not revealed, because, he himself doesn't know what it is) to a stablewhere he introduces him to other boys in the group. They are all Jewish, and all live from stealing. What I found really interesting, and quite sad in some ways was that they think of themselves as animals, and as trash becuase they are Jewish. They do not have any respect for themselves, and laugh whenever someone in their group talks bad about their religion. However, Uri seems quite nice to Stopthief, which is what the protagonist calls himself, since he has heard so many people doing so. Uri gives Stopthief a haircut, and welcomes him to their home, which is an abandoned barbershop. I feel quite bad for Stopthief, as he doesn't know anything about himself, and is living quite a rough life. He doesn't know whether he is Jewih or not, he doesn't know his name, his age, etc. He is very naive and very vulnerable.
Once summer passes, and Stopthief gets adjusted to living with Uri, autumn comes, and Nazi start throwing bombs on Warsaw. Stopthief and Uri are stuck in the little cellar of the barbershop, and can barely go outside and steal in order to survive, except at night. All the lights in the city are out, and even the horses at the stable where the whole group hangs out are gone. The stableman doesn't show up chasing them at all. I really like the mood that the author creates by describing the scenery of Warsaw during the bombing. As a reader, it gives me a feeling of loneliness and sadness. All the descriptions are quite gloomy.
Since Stopthief is quite clueless, and doesn't know a lot about his past, or the war, he almost gets into a lot of trouble. When him and Uri were out trying to steal one night, Stopthief sees a lot of people running and screaming, and concludes that it is a race. He starts running, towards the Nazis. However, they let him go, because he told them that he was a gypsy, and not a Jew. Stopthief also starts cheering once the tanks start coming, and believes that all of that is a parade. He calls the Nazis "Jackboots", because of their shiny, big shoes, and wants to become one of them one day. He doesn't know that the Nazis are killing Jews, so he goes up to them and randomly asks them whether they are Jews or not, whether the like him or not, etc. I find this quite amusing, but frightening at the same time. It is funny the way he asks them questions, but at the same time is is kind of scary that he doesn't know what they could do to him.
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Genre: Historical Fiction
This week I read one book, Cookie by Jacqueline Wilson, and started another one called Milkweed. It is a historical fiction book, and it takes place in Warsaw, Poland, during World War II. It is about a boy who is very poor, and survives by stealing from welathier people. The book starts off with the boy stealing from a lady, when he gets found by what seems to be a gang leader, called Uri. Uri then takes the boy (the protagonist's name is not revealed, because, he himself doesn't know what it is) to a stablewhere he introduces him to other boys in the group. They are all Jewish, and all live from stealing. What I found really interesting, and quite sad in some ways was that they think of themselves as animals, and as trash becuase they are Jewish. They do not have any respect for themselves, and laugh whenever someone in their group talks bad about their religion. However, Uri seems quite nice to Stopthief, which is what the protagonist calls himself, since he has heard so many people doing so. Uri gives Stopthief a haircut, and welcomes him to their home, which is an abandoned barbershop. I feel quite bad for Stopthief, as he doesn't know anything about himself, and is living quite a rough life. He doesn't know whether he is Jewih or not, he doesn't know his name, his age, etc. He is very naive and very vulnerable.
Once summer passes, and Stopthief gets adjusted to living with Uri, autumn comes, and Nazi start throwing bombs on Warsaw. Stopthief and Uri are stuck in the little cellar of the barbershop, and can barely go outside and steal in order to survive, except at night. All the lights in the city are out, and even the horses at the stable where the whole group hangs out are gone. The stableman doesn't show up chasing them at all. I really like the mood that the author creates by describing the scenery of Warsaw during the bombing. As a reader, it gives me a feeling of loneliness and sadness. All the descriptions are quite gloomy.
Since Stopthief is quite clueless, and doesn't know a lot about his past, or the war, he almost gets into a lot of trouble. When him and Uri were out trying to steal one night, Stopthief sees a lot of people running and screaming, and concludes that it is a race. He starts running, towards the Nazis. However, they let him go, because he told them that he was a gypsy, and not a Jew. Stopthief also starts cheering once the tanks start coming, and believes that all of that is a parade. He calls the Nazis "Jackboots", because of their shiny, big shoes, and wants to become one of them one day. He doesn't know that the Nazis are killing Jews, so he goes up to them and randomly asks them whether they are Jews or not, whether the like him or not, etc. I find this quite amusing, but frightening at the same time. It is funny the way he asks them questions, but at the same time is is kind of scary that he doesn't know what they could do to him.
No comments:
Post a Comment