An Analysis of the Plot in The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
Hannah, the main character in the novel The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, wants nothing to do with her heritage, until a sudden transformation shows her the importance of history, and the importance of family. In the novel, Hannah is transported back in time to the Holocaust in an unknown concentration camp, where she forgets her modern knowledge and lives the life of a girl from that time named Chaya, which is her Hebrew name because of her Aunt Eva’s friend who died in the concentration camps. In the novel The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, the setting changes many times, beginning at the Passover celebration with the main character’s family, then being transported back in time to a small town just before the town’s Jews are ‘relocated’ to a concentration camp. Later in the novel, Hannah is transported back to modern times with her family. …show more content…
She doesn’t want to take part in the traditions of her family. She complains about going to Passover dinner with her family, but she really enjoys spending time with her Aunt Eva, a recurring character throughout the novel. Passover is significant to this part of the novel, because it is a holiday that focuses on remembering those who have come before, and it is not until Hannah is ripped from her modern life and thrown into Holocaust-era Europe that she appreciates her heritage. ‘“It’s about remembering” “All Jewish holidays are about remembering, Mama. I’m tired of remembering.”’-The Devil’s Arithmetic, page 4. This excerpt, beginning with Hannah’s mother speaking, shows the reader that Hannah is kind of fed up with the amount of time the family spends on remembering when there are important things to imagine for the future. Hannah feels as if there is too much focus on the past, too many times a year that they gather to
Hannah, the main character in the novel The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, wants nothing to do with her heritage, until a sudden transformation shows her the importance of history, and the importance of family. In the novel, Hannah is transported back in time to the Holocaust in an unknown concentration camp, where she forgets her modern knowledge and lives the life of a girl from that time named Chaya, which is her Hebrew name because of her Aunt Eva’s friend who died in the concentration camps. In the novel The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, the setting changes many times, beginning at the Passover celebration with the main character’s family, then being transported back in time to a small town just before the town’s Jews are ‘relocated’ to a concentration camp. Later in the novel, Hannah is transported back to modern times with her family. …show more content…
She doesn’t want to take part in the traditions of her family. She complains about going to Passover dinner with her family, but she really enjoys spending time with her Aunt Eva, a recurring character throughout the novel. Passover is significant to this part of the novel, because it is a holiday that focuses on remembering those who have come before, and it is not until Hannah is ripped from her modern life and thrown into Holocaust-era Europe that she appreciates her heritage. ‘“It’s about remembering” “All Jewish holidays are about remembering, Mama. I’m tired of remembering.”’-The Devil’s Arithmetic, page 4. This excerpt, beginning with Hannah’s mother speaking, shows the reader that Hannah is kind of fed up with the amount of time the family spends on remembering when there are important things to imagine for the future. Hannah feels as if there is too much focus on the past, too many times a year that they gather to