Characters
How does the character of Pieter affect Rifka and her outlook on life and herself?
Pieter treats Rifka in a kind way that she never expected to be treated, which gives her her first glimpse of love and a new outlook on what love can be.
Pieter tells Rifka kind things about herself, which causes her to reflect on if these things are true about her.
When Pieter dies, she feels sorrow for him but also sorry for herself. His death is the first time she really acknowledges how unfair her life is and how much she is suffering.
Where is the place that Rifka was stuck waiting to be cleared to enter America?
Ellis Island
Fill in the quote: "If I wish to marry, I will do so with ___ or without ___."
"hair"
What is the disease that Rifka and her parents got while in Poland?
Typhus
Who is a poor farmer of low social status who owns or rents a small piece of land for cultivation? (This term was used to describe Ilya.)
Peasant
How do Rifka's physical traits affect her journey to America?
- Rifka's blonde hair allows her to pass for Russian instead of Jewish. This makes it so she has to communicate with the guards on behalf of her family.
- When Rifka loses her hair to ringworm, this means she has to stay in Belgium to get cured while her family gets to continue on to America. The ringworm is what causes their separation.
- When Rifka reaches Ellis Island, she is detained because the government is worried she will not be able to get married since she is bald and will become a ward of the state.
Where is Tovah and her family living when Rifka writes her letters?
Russia
Who said: "...The sister of misfortune, Hope, In the under-darkness dumb [.] Speaks joyful courage to your heart: The day desired will come. . . . "?
Alexander Pushkin
Name at least two events in the story where kindness shown by Rifka resulted in hardship. What theme can we take away from these events?
- when Rifka helped the pregnant woman on the train with her hair, she contracted ringworm as a result, which led to a string of other hardships.
- Rifka saves food for her brother Saul even though she is hungry, but the innkeeper's daughter steals the food she set aside
-When Rifka helps Ilya by convincing him to eat, this initially causes her internal hardship because she feels like he is the cause of all of her problems.
What is intelligent and quick to learn, often used to describe Rifka?
Clever
What do we learn about Tovah and how do we connect with her as a character through the letters Rifka writes to her?
We learn that Tovah has scoliosis, and that this makes her mother believe she is undesirable for marriage.
We learn that Tovah is kind and compassionate because Rifka believes Tovah would be nice to Ilya even though he is a Russian peasant.
Through Rifka's letters to Tovah, we learn about her as a person and how much she means to Rifka. We get to experience Tovah through Rifka's eyes and connect to Tovah without ever meeting her in the story.
Where is the place where Rifka tries icecream and bananas for the first time?
Antwerp, Belgium
Fill in the quote: "A girl cannot depend on her looks. It is better to be ____. I learned to speak English in three weeks, you know."
"clever"
Name at least three experiences Rifka had where she was treated unfairly or unkindly. What effect must Rifka's continuous negative experiences with other people have on her outlook on those around her?
The innkeeper's daughter stole her food when Rifka was hungry.
A shopkeeper overcharged Rifka for an orange and then accused her of stealing it.
Hospital workers chased Rifka away from looking at her sick mother (until eventually a kind one let her stay).
A doctor in Poland forces them to strip down and treats them unkindly.
Guards sexualize Rifka and act in an inappropriate way towards her.
Rifka's continual encounters with bad people must affect her trust of those around her. She is likely not very trusting. Additionally, this probably makes her more independent because she does not want to rely on people who could be bad and not have her best interests at heart.
What is having or showing the symptoms associated with a dangerously high temperature?
Fevered
What finally convinced Ilya to read Pushkin and try to stay in America? What does this say about him as a character?
1. Ilya was finally convinced to read Pushkin to try and stay in America because his uncle expressed that he wanted Ilya and that he had been saving up money so Ilya could live with him.
2. This tells us that Ilya just wanted to feel wanted and loved. He hasn't got this from his other family members and he didn't believe his uncle actually wanted him so he didn't see a point to try.
Where did Rifka find out she has ringworm?
Warsaw, Poland
Who said: "There is plenty of toilet paper. [...] Don't worry. We're not going to send you back to Russia over a roll of toilet paper."?
Nurse Bowen
How did the storm at sea affect the plot of the book and affect Rifka as a character?
The storm is almost a breaking point for the plot and for Rifka. It is just another thing in the long list of trials Rifka has experienced, but in this specific trial, she almost lost her own life and lost her first love. It acts as a contrast to the peace and joy she was feeling on the ship and the hope she had for America. After the storm, we wonder if Rifka will even be able to go on. She is so depressed and filled with sorrow for herself and all that she has gone through. It seems that she will either have to compose herself and continue forward or will be lost dwelling in her pain forever.
What is the part of a ship providing accommodations for passengers with the cheapest tickets?
Steerage
How did Rifka and Saul's time in Poland affect their relationship and change her perspective of him?
-Saul gives her half of the food even though he is larger, which shows that he cares about her
- Rifka begins to save food even though she is hungry to give Saul when he returns from work
-they were all alone and had to rely on one another.
-after Poland she begins to miss him
-Saul gets a job and works hard for the two of them
Where did Rifka's family settle while she was in Belgium?
New York City
Who does Rifka say the following quote to? "No, I am not so brave, [...] If I were brave, I would have stayed in Russia."
Pieter
Name at least two experiences Rifka had that affected her self-esteem or view of herself. How did these experiences affect her self-esteem?
Rifka is scared during the storm, which makes her think about how she is not brave even though Pieter said she was.
When Mr. Fargate compliments Rifka's poetry, she is overjoyed and wants to read more. She feels proud of herself and thinks she is clever because of the external validation she received.
The sexualizing guards and doctor make her feel dirty and gross in her own skin.
What is to crouch down in fear?
Cowered