Life in Dresden
This German city is heavily bombed, forcing Lizzie and her family to flee.
What is Dresden?
Who is Marlene?
This is the name of the elephant the family decides to take with them.
The family decides to travel to this southern country to escape the war.
What is Switzerland?
The bombing leaves the city filled with this destructive force that spreads quickly.
What is fire?
This event forces the zoo animals, including Marlene, to be in danger.
What is the bombing of Dresden?
Marlene originally belongs to this place before being hidden.
What is the zoo?
Lizzie’s brother who travels with the family is named this.
Who is Karl?
Lizzie experiences this strong emotion as she watches her city being destroyed.
What is fear?
What is the zoo?
Lizzie’s mother works at this place before the bombing
The family decides to take Marlene with them mainly to protect her from this likely fate.
What is being shot/killed?
The family must avoid these groups of soldiers during their journey.
Who are the Allied or Russian soldiers?
The destruction of Dresden creates massive numbers of these people.
Who are refugees?
The bombing causes widespread destruction, including this type of buildings where many civilians lived.
What are homes/apartment buildings?
Marlene’s presence makes traveling difficult because of her large size and this need.
What is food?
Because of food shortages, the family struggles to find this essential resource for both themselves and Marlene.
What is food?
Food scarcity during the journey highlights this major wartime problem.
What is rationing (or starvation)?
The fear of these approaching soldiers increases the urgency for the family to leave.
Who are the Russian soldiers (the advancing Russian army)?
Marlene becomes a symbol of this theme during their escape.
What is hope (or survival/innocence in wartime)?
Traveling with an elephant forces the family to rely heavily on this quality.
What is courage (or determination/resourcefulness)?
Lizzie’s family must make difficult choices that show this central theme of the novel.
What is survival?