The Book of Aron (24 page)

10.  Aron describes the food—and what his gang goes through to procure it—in matter-of-fact terms. Why is he so casual about what they’re reduced to eating?

11.  Boris’s father thinks Janusz Korczak is “probably the safest Jew in the ghetto” (
this page
). Why does he think so? Is he right?

12.  Why does Korczak insist on producing performances by the children? What does his choice of subject matter tell the reader?

13.  How does the experience of seeing adults—including their own parents—abused by the Nazis change the children of Warsaw?

14.  Discuss Aron’s relationship with Lejkin. Why does Aron keep insisting, “He’s not my friend”? Does having an in with Lejkin prove to be a good thing for Aron?

15.  When Aron tells Lejkin where he and Lutek will be, do you think he understood the ramifications? Does it prove that “Sh’maya only looks out for himself”?

16.  When Aron’s mother gets ill, she tells him she wanted to benusik, “something good. Someone useful and smart. She said that if she’d been nusik, then people who couldn’t get along, people with problems, would have come to her. She would have listened. She would have contributed more than she had” (
this page
). Who in the ghetto is nusik?

17.  Compare Lejkin and Korczak. Both men chose Aron for special treatment—why him? What do the adults hope to get out of the relationship?

18.  Why doesn’t Korczak leave when he has the opportunity? Aron spies on him during his refusal—why does he then negotiate with Boris to help Korczak escape?

19.  On
this page
, Korczak argues with Boris and the boy:

“Tell them the truth,” the boy said. “Tell them we can’t save them.”

“Tell them they’re all just on their own?” Korczak asked, and his anger surprised even them.

“They
are
all on their own,” the boy said.

“They’re
not
all on their own,” Korczak said.

What is going on in this passage?

20.  Why does Aron refuse to help Boris and the boy?

21.  After the orphanage is emptied, Witossek apologizes to Korczak. “He said he wanted the good doctor to know that what was going to happen was going to happen and that how everyone chose to face it would be the point” (
this page
). Korczak agrees. Do you agree? Why?

22.  Why do you think Shepard chose to end the novel with Korczak’s Declaration of Children’s Rights?

23.  What is the overall theme of the novel? If there is one thing the author wants us to consider after reading it, what would that be?

Suggested Reading

Ishmael Beah,
A Long Way Gone

John Boyne,
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Anne Frank,
The Diary of a Young Girl

Khaled Hosseini,
The Kite Runner

Imre Kertész,
Fatelessness

Jona Oberski,
Childhood

Elie Wiesel,
Night

Markus Zusak,
The Book Thief