The Librarian of Auschwitz

Throughout the novel, some characters find small moments of hope, and others find ways to survive for long periods under torturous conditions. What messages about humanity are conveyed by these situations? Consider these points as you formulate and support your response.

• Is hope required for survival?
• In what moments does Dita specifically find hope or happiness despite her situation?
• Which characters were able to find hope more often than others? How does their outcome compare?

Teaching Suggestion: After a dark and sad book, it may be beneficial to guide students to reflect on the brief, positive moments from the novel. This prompt focuses on the resiliency of humanity and the novel’s moments of hope and strength.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who benefit from strategies with close reading and recall, it may be helpful to divide the class into small groups and have each address a section of chapters to locate evidence of hopeful moments. After groups share their results, individuals might address the larger question about the meaning of hope and its impact on humanity in a private journal response.

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.