Genre
Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Setting and Context
Warsaw, during WWII, where it was occupied by the Nazis
Narrator and Point of View
The narrator is first person (Misha)
Tone and Mood
Amused, childish, assertive
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Misha, while the antagonists are the Nazis and the war that he's trying to survive,
Major Conflict
Misha is in the worst time of WWII: the Holocaust. The Jews and Gypsies are getting deported and isolated by ghettos. They are deprived of food and proper shelter. Misha tries to survive all of this and help his alleged family and friends. He sneaks out and smuggles food, and if he is found he gets hanged. Another conflict is an internal conflict where Misha tries to find his identity.
Climax
The climax occurs when the Jews get isolated from the rest of Warsaw by ghettos, because the events of the story get worse very quickly and a resolution is achieved.
Foreshadowing
When little Janina innocently assures Misha and tells him "We're in the ghetto. We're safe.", it foreshadowed that something dangerous and bad will happen in the ghetto.
Understatement
"Be glad we're not unlucky orphans."
Misha said this to Janina. It's an understatement because Misha is an unlucky orphan but he doesn't know that.
Allusions
There were several allusions to the Milkweed plant. It symbolized the endurance and ability to survive through all seasons, remaining beautiful. This happened to Misha, where he survived during the deportations and the ghettos and even before that, when he was a street boy living on bread.
Imagery
"They came from many places, many streets, but they were all going in the same direction. Little children pulled wagons heaped high with toys and pots and books. Grown-ups pulled wobbling carts of furniture and clothes and pictures and rugs. It seemed they had emptied their entire houses into wagons and carts and the bulging sacks over their shoulders. Larger wagons were pulled by horses, smaller carts by people. The horses and the people looked alike, plodding, eyes to the ground, leaning forward against the weight of their loads. The horses did not wear armbands, yet they too were clearly Jewish."
Paradox
Uri keeps telling Misha "You are stupid", then Uri says: "Who says you're stupid?"
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
"My own mouth was never shy about adding details..."
