What Is the Books Theme?
There are actually a few themes. One theme encompasses growing up. Another is the power of friendship. Still another is bravery. All are interlinked. Annemarie grows through the bravery she has to call upon to save her friend’s life. Throughout the story, she’s worried about whether she will be brave enough to do what needs to be done if she has to interact with the Nazis and when the time comes, she acts as if by instinct and appears innocent to them. She listens as the adults she has looked up to lie to the Nazis to shield the Jews from danger, and then she listens to them brag about just how well they lied. This is new to a child, who is generally taught that lying is wrong. She learns about the gray areas of what is right and what is wrong, something that happens with mental and emotional maturity, usually achieved over the course of years. With her bravery and these gray areas of maturity, she transforms into a stronger, more adult version of herself over the course of the story.
