Lois Lowry’s Number The Stars: A WWII Story

Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars offers a compelling, albeit simplified, window into Denmark’s experience during World War II and the remarkable efforts to protect its Jewish population. This analysis focuses on understanding the novel’s narrative strengths, thematic depth, and suitability for its intended audience, while also addressing common points of misunderstanding and offering a nuanced perspective on its historical representation.

Who This Is For

• Middle-Grade Readers (Ages 10-14): This book is ideal for young readers encountering WWII and Holocaust themes for the first time, offering a relatable entry point through a child’s perspective.
• Educators and Parents: Those looking for a discussion-starter on themes of courage, friendship, and resistance in a historical context, suitable for classroom or home use.

What to Check First

Before delving into the narrative, consider these foundational aspects:

• Historical Setting: The novel is set in Copenhagen, Denmark, during the Nazi occupation (1940-1945). Key events revolve around the German decree to register all Jewish citizens and the subsequent Danish resistance efforts.
• Narrative Perspective: The story is told through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen. This limited, child-centric viewpoint shapes the reader’s perception of events, often filtering out the full scope of danger and complexity.
• Author’s Intent: Lois Lowry has stated her aim was to portray the quiet heroism of ordinary people and the strength of human connection during wartime, focusing on the resilience of the Danish spirit.
• Target Audience Adaptation: The language, pacing, and character development are tailored for middle-grade readers, meaning some historical nuances and the full horrors of the era are necessarily understated.

Step-by-Step Plan: Analyzing Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

A methodical approach enhances comprehension and critical evaluation of the novel.

1. Initial Reading and Emotional Response: Read the novel in its entirety to grasp the overall narrative arc and emotional impact.

• Action: Read the book from start to finish without significant interruption.
• What to Look For: Moments of suspense, emotional resonance, and character interactions that evoke empathy.
• Mistake: Reading passively without considering how Annemarie’s limited understanding influences the reader’s perception of danger.

Number the Stars

• Audible Audiobook
• Lois Lowry (Author) - Blair Brown (Narrator)
• English (Publication Language)
• 04/16/2004 (Publication Date) - Listening Library (Publisher)

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2. Character Motivation and Development: Analyze the driving forces behind the actions of key characters, particularly Annemarie, Ellen, and Annemarie’s parents.

• Action: Create brief profiles for major characters, noting their fears, loyalties, and decisions.
• What to Look For: How characters demonstrate courage, make sacrifices, and navigate moral dilemmas under duress.
• Mistake: Overlooking the quiet strength and difficult choices made by the adult characters, focusing solely on Annemarie’s experiences.

3. Thematic Exploration: Identify and track the central themes as they emerge and develop throughout the story.

• Action: List recurring themes such as courage, friendship, sacrifice, identity, and fear.
• What to Look For: How these themes are illustrated through plot events, dialogue, and character actions.
• Mistake: Treating themes in isolation rather than understanding how they interrelate to form the novel’s core message.

4. Historical Contextualization: Supplement the novel’s depiction with factual historical information.

• Action: Consult reputable historical sources (e.g., the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum website) regarding the occupation of Denmark and the rescue of Danish Jews.
• What to Look For: Parallels and divergences between the novel’s events and historical accounts; the broader societal context of Danish resistance.
• Mistake: Accepting the novel’s narrative as a complete historical record without seeking external verification of key events and their scale.

5. Narrative Voice and its Impact: Analyze how Annemarie’s perspective shapes the reader’s experience.

• Action: Note instances where Annemarie misunderstands or is unaware of the full implications of adult conversations or actions.
• What to Look For: How the child’s point of view creates suspense, emphasizes innocence, and highlights the bravery of those acting in secret.
• Mistake: Failing to recognize that the limited perspective is a deliberate authorial choice that affects the perceived level of danger and the explicitness of the historical atrocities.

6. Evaluating the “Luck” Factor: Consider the role of chance and fortunate circumstances in the narrative.

• Action: Identify plot points where the success of the escape relies on unexpected events or fortunate timing.
• What to Look For: How the author uses elements of chance (e.g., the German patrol’s distraction, the availability of boats) to underscore the precariousness of the rescue.
• Mistake: Attributing the entire success of the rescue solely to deliberate planning, neglecting the narrative’s acknowledgment of fortunate circumstances.

Common Mistakes in Analyzing Number the Stars

• Mistake: Treating the novel as a comprehensive historical account of the Holocaust.
• Why it Matters: Number the Stars is historical fiction for a young audience, necessarily simplifying complex events and omitting the full scope of Nazi atrocities.
• Fix: Acknowledge the novel as an introduction to a historical period, encouraging further research into the broader realities of the Holocaust and Danish resistance.

• Mistake: Underestimating the active role of the Danish population.
• Why it Matters: The novel highlights the collective effort of Danes in hiding and transporting Jews. This passive resistance, supported by widespread public cooperation, was crucial.
• Fix: Recognize that the success of the rescue was not solely due to a few brave individuals but a testament to a significant portion of the Danish population’s refusal to cooperate with Nazi directives.

• Mistake: Overlooking the subtle nuances of fear and courage.
• Why it Matters: The narrative emphasizes that courage is not the absence of fear, but acting despite it. Annemarie’s mother, for example, performs brave acts while clearly terrified.
• Fix: Analyze moments where characters exhibit fear alongside decisive action, understanding that true courage often involves managing and overcoming fear.

• Mistake: Assuming the German soldiers are monolithic in their behavior.
• Why it Matters: While the occupying force is presented as the antagonist, the narrative implies varying levels of enforcement and individual actions, particularly through the scene with the German patrol.
• Fix: Look for subtle indications that not all members of the occupying force behaved identically, and that the Danish resistance operated within a complex, not entirely uniform, environment.

Themes in Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars masterfully explores the theme of courage, distinguishing between overt acts of bravery and the quiet, persistent courage of everyday people. Annemarie’s journey illustrates that courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to act in spite of it, as seen when her mother faces the German soldiers. Friendship is another cornerstone, with the bond between Annemarie and Ellen serving as a powerful symbol of loyalty and humanity transcending religious and ethnic divides. The narrative also delves into the pervasive nature of fear under occupation, showing how individuals and communities learn to manage and resist it.

The novel subtly addresses identity, as Annemarie grapples with her Danish heritage and the need to protect her Jewish friend. The theme of sacrifice is evident in the risks taken by Annemarie’s family and other Danes to shelter and transport their Jewish neighbors. Lowry’s narrative, seen through a child’s eyes, emphasizes the importance of hope and the resilience of the human spirit even in the face of overwhelming adversity.

The Counter-Intuitive Strength of Ordinary Danes in Number the Stars

A less-discussed aspect of Number the Stars is its portrayal of how the collective inaction and quiet defiance of an ordinary populace can be a powerful form of resistance against an occupying force. While often focusing on direct action, the novel highlights that the widespread, unstated refusal of Danish citizens to fully comply with Nazi registration and identification laws, coupled with their active participation in hiding and transporting Jews, represented a significant moral and practical victory. This widespread complicity in protecting their Jewish countrymen undermined the occupiers’ agenda without widespread armed conflict.

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This sentiment, embedded within the narrative’s spirit, underscores that resistance can be woven into the fabric of daily life. The success of the Danish rescue operation was not solely dependent on a few heroic figures, but on the sustained, community-wide effort built on trust and shared humanity. This perspective offers a vital lesson: that the strength of a nation’s people, acting collectively, can be a formidable bulwark against tyranny, even when that strength is expressed through quiet acts of defiance and solidarity.

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths:

• Accessible Historical Entry Point: The novel provides a gentle, engaging introduction to WWII and the Holocaust for young readers, fostering empathy without overwhelming them with graphic detail. For example, the scene where Annemarie’s mother distracts the German soldiers showcases bravery through quick thinking, making the concept of resistance understandable.
• Focus on Human Connection: The emphasis on friendship and family bonds offers a hopeful perspective on human resilience during dark times. The unwavering loyalty between Annemarie and Ellen exemplifies this, serving as a concrete takeaway about the power of connection.
• Celebration of Danish Resistance: It highlights a crucial, often less-discussed, aspect of WWII history—the successful efforts of an entire nation to protect its Jewish citizens. The fact that over 90% of Denmark’s Jewish population was saved is a significant historical detail the book brings to light.
• Clear Thematic Presentation: Themes of courage, sacrifice, and the importance of standing up for others are clearly articulated and

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