Sarah's Key Character Analysis

The Impact of Secrets on Families: Consequences and Redemption Many times in life, one keeps something from their loved ones in hopes of protecting them from the harshness of the truth, but this can end up contributing to an even more jarring impact once the truth is revealed. In the novel Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay, Sarah is a young Jewish girl caught in a time period where the government of her own country is aiding the Nazis looking for Jewish families. The story follows Sarah’s journey through the anguishing experience of having everything she has ever known and loved wrenched away from her. Parallel to Sarah’s story, is the story of journalist Julia Jarmond, and her path towards discovering the truth about what happened to children like Sarah, and also realizing she must free herself from the negativity in her own familial relationships, and gain redemption for Sarah. The impacts of secrets on each of the …show more content…
She is constantly reminded of her brother being locked in a cupboard in their home, while the rest of the family is taken to the concentration camps. Throughout the story, it is shown that Sarah is constantly thinking of her brother, even when she recognizes the loss of hope her parents reveal as they realize their son will likely die. In this case, Sarah thinks she is protecting her brother, and even says “I’ll come back for you later. I promise” (De Rosnay 9), but she has unknowingly played a role in her brother’s death, separating herself from her last possible hope for a family member in the end. Sarah’s love for her brother, and guilt over her actions is so great, that she ends up committing suicide to be with him again, just as she promised. This example reveals that, the secret kept by Sarah produces consequences not only for herself and her family during that time, but broke her new family later on, when she took her own life due to the pain it