Milkweed

In Milkweed, the internal conflict is Misha vs. identity, as he struggles to understand who he is, being an orphan with no clear sense of self. The external conflict is Misha vs. the Nazis, as he...

Five important events in Milkweed include: Stopthief being befriended by Uri, who helps him clean up and gives him a new identity; the city's takeover by the "Jackboots" and Misha's initial...

Nazi soldiers cut the beards of Jewish men in "Milkweed" to humiliate and degrade them, as part of the broader repression and eventual mass murder of Europe's Jewish population during the Holocaust....

Misha's beloved merry-go-round is significant for two main events. First, it becomes the scene of a tragedy when a Jewish man is falsely accused of stealing a horse from it, stripped, and doused with...

Soldiers and their girlfriends photographed Misha and his friends out of curiosity and a sense of superiority. The Nazi soldier, referred to as a "Jackboot," and his girlfriend were on a casual...

In Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed, Uri does not become a true Nazi; instead, he infiltrates the Nazi ranks to gather information for the Jewish resistance. Although he appears to be a Nazi soldier, his...

The ragged man with the silver pipe invites children to the "candy mountain" as a metaphorical escape from their harsh reality during the Holocaust. While Janina is tempted by this fantasy, her...

Misha is a good friend to the orphans because he was once an orphan himself, lacking even a real name until Uri befriends him and gives him the name "Misha." This relationship provides Misha with a...

Some interesting words from Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli include "Jackboot," "Stawki Station," "Stopthief," "runt," "strawberry babka," and "milkweed." "Milkweed" is notable for being a host plant for...

The setting of Milkweed is Poland during World War II. Poland was invaded and occupied by the Germans during the war, and the Nazis brought great suffering and misery to the native population,...

Shepsel's strategy in "Milkweed" was flawed because he believed that renouncing Judaism and declaring himself Lutheran would save him from the Nazis. However, the Nazis viewed Jews as a race rather...

The narrator calls himself "Stopthief" because, as an orphan with no memory of his past, he grew up on the streets stealing to survive. The only identity he knows comes from the frequent cries of...

Uri shoots Misha to save him from being sent to a concentration camp. Although Uri is Misha's friend and a participant in the Warsaw ghetto uprising, he assumes the identity of a Nazi soldier. By...

The overall theme of Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed revolves around identity and belonging, as the protagonist, Misha, a young Polish boy during World War II, searches for his true self amid the chaos of...

The boys are told to get off the streetcar because they are illegally hanging onto its sides while it is moving. This event occurs during a significant scene when the town is bombed, leading to...

Uri's quote "If they shoot you, you're a Jew" in Milkweed underscores his wisdom and leadership among the group of boys, contrasting with Misha's innocence. Uri, who assumes leadership without...

Misha feels a sense of awe and admiration when witnessing the parades, particularly captivated by the "magnificent" Jackboots in their shiny black boots and synchronized marching. However, his...

In Milkweed, Misha doesn't vocalize obvious feelings for Uncle Shepsel. However, it's clear that he views Uncle Shepsel as an oddity. In the story, he says that the latter looks like Himmler. In the...

Misha Pilsudski is distinguished by his lack of a stable identity, which is shaped by others throughout Milkweed. Initially called "Stopthief," he later assumes various roles, including a gypsy and a...