Book Club
by Elena Black
Hello dear Slytherins. Can you believe it's already June? You know what that means. Summer break will be upon us. We'll finally be allowed an array of options to choose from. Some of us may spend time with family, others prefer to lounge around, some even enjoy taking long naps. As for myself? The one hobby I always loved to do was read.
Well ... you probably knew that, huh? I am writing an article on books after all.
At any rate, this month's book is one that I read when I was in 8th or 9th grade. Quite a while ago, yes. But it holds many fond memories for me. This month, I present to you the book Summer of My German Soldier.
With the season of summer including a time that many romances or even just friendships tend to bloom, I figured it would be appropriate to choose this book as one of the reasons to elaborate on it. Without further, let's dive into a debriefing of Summer of My German Soldier.
Published in 1973 by Bette Greene, the novel Summer of My German Soldier is written in the first person point of view via our main character, a twelve year old Jewish girl named Patty Bergen. The story is set in Jenkinsville, Arkansas, during the Second World War.
As the title hints, Patty eventually meets up with an escaped German POW named Frederick Anton Reiker. She agrees to help him hide in exchange for being taught that she truly is a person of value.
You see, Patty's parents are less than supportive of her. Her father is physically abusive to her and her mother verbally wounds her. To make matters worse, both parents favor her younger sister. So her confidence is almost nonexistent.
That is, until Anton arrives and teaches her in secret that she is a person, one who means something and deserves better treatment.
As the story progresses, Patty finds her voice as it were and eventually does manage to stand up for herself. Her bond with Anton continues to strengthen. To what extent, you may be wondering? Read and see for yourself.
Like The Scarlet Letter, Summer of My German Soldier had several themes included in it. The first is a combination of prejudice and irony. Due to its setting, during World War II, Anton is believed to be loyal to the Nazi regime. In actuality, he is the very opposite. Over 90% of people - including Anton - were actually forced to join the Nazis. Few voluntarily entered the group on their own will power. Most did so out of fear for their lives along with that of their family's lives and safety.
Yet it is shown throughout the novel that people never take this into consideration.
Simultaneously, Anton is a German patriot who does wish to go back to Germany.
Another theme seen through the novel is self-esteem, especially in the face of abuse or personal difficulty. At the beginning of the book, Patty is abused by her father and is insulted by her mother. As she gets to know Anton and forms an attachment to him, her self-esteem grows and she learns that she has value as a person.
Family is another reoccurring theme in this novel, more prominently in negative ways towards the main character, Patty.
And there you have it, a summary for Summer of My German Soldier! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Until next time,
Elena Black