Between Shades Of Gray By Ruta Sepetys: An Analysis

During June 1941 a group of people were deported and mistreated these people were thrown out of their homes given almost no time to pack up. Told from the perspective of a young 16 year old girl named Lina, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys tells the little known story of those deported in June 1941 In the book Between Shades Of Gray, Ruta Sepetys shows women through hardship being able to adapt and overcome in their environments, and being able to fight through deadly challenges.
For many a strong person is someone who can defend themselves and do the greater good for others. This perception of a strong person however does not only mean strength the ability to be almost superhuman. This vision of someone being strong is false in many …show more content…
Yet even though this was what many of the baltic people especially the women were always being called “pigs” which made the NKVD see them as farm animals that were useless overall. However, being looked down upon or even threatened by many of the officers wouldn't stop Lina from drawing a map for them. Her brother and mother did not want her to draw this map as no one knew what could happen to her in case something went wrong. Still even though she knew the decision would have been considered stupid by many even her family being baffled by her decision she still felt like it needed to be done even stating “Maybe it will bring us news of the war or the men”(171, Sepetys). Lina felt this as a responsibility that she had to do and a way to get extra food or information for her family by drawing. Through this Lina went through a dangerous decision that could have gotten her killed only for 2 cigarettes. Yet this sacrifice was not only for her but so that she could apologize to Andrius and to at the every least bring a little peace to her family about the map she drew and information she