Summary of Saving my friend Ellen
The story Saving my friend Ellen is about Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen in Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II. The Nazis occupied their city, and when they decided to arrest all Danish Jews, Ellen’s parents left her in the care of the Johansens.
One night, the Nazis came to search the Johansen’s home. Annemarie and Ellen hid in a bedroom as the Nazis questioned her parents. Annemarie had to break Ellen’s Star of David necklace, a symbol of her Jewish faith, to hide her identity. The Nazis searched the house but found nothing. They suspected Ellen might not be the Johansens’ daughter because of her dark hair. Annemarie’s father quickly found and showed the Nazis pictures of both sisters as infants, revealing that Ellen was indeed their daughter. The Nazis left, leaving the girls unharmed.
In the end, the quick thinking of Annemarie’s father and the family photograph album saved Ellen from being discovered as a Jewish girl. The story highlights the courage and resourcefulness of ordinary people during a difficult time in history, protecting their friends from the dangers of the Nazi occupation.
Theme of Saving my friend Ellen
The theme of the story “Saving my friend Ellen” is about bravery and friendship during a scary time. It shows how Annemarie and her family protect their Jewish friend Ellen from the Nazis during World War II. The story teaches us that even in hard times, friends and family can be very important. It also shows how quick thinking and clever actions can help keep loved ones safe. It’s a story of hope and how people can come together to help each other when things are tough, even when there’s a lot of danger around.
Message of Saving my friend Ellen
The story’s message is about the power of friendship and courage in difficult times. It shows how people can protect and help their friends, even when faced with danger. It teaches us to stand by our friends and act cleverly to keep them safe. The story also reminds us that even in the toughest situations, there’s hope, and people can come together to face challenges.
A. Tick the most appropriate options.
1. When Annemarie opened the door of her bedroom she saw
a. her sister. b. her parents.
c. a light. d. the soldiers.
2. Mother made certain the curtains were drawn tightly because she didn’t want
a. Annemarie to look out. b. the children to be disturbed.
c. the soldiers to look in. d. the light to be seen from outside.
3. The soldiers would have realized that Mr Johansen was lying if they had
a. seen Kirsti. b. seen Ellen.
c. read the dates on the album. d. come an hour earlier.
4. The soldiers’ faces were set in anger because they
a. could not find the Rosens. b. were sure Mr Johansen was lying.
c. wanted to sleep. d. were feeling cold.
5. The officer asked Ellen to speak for herself because he
a. knew her name was Ellen, and wanted to see if she told the truth.
b. was hoping that the Johansens would be afraid.
c. thought she was one of the Rosens and that she might tell her real name.
d. liked bullying children.
6. When the officer saw the picture he had to
a. lose his temper. b. accept Mr Johansen’s explanation.
c. believe Mr Johansen. d. look for Kirsti.
Answer
1. c. a light.
2. c. the soldiers to look in.
3. c. read the dates on the album.
4. b. were sure Mr Johansen was lying.
5. c. thought she was one of the Rosens and that she might tell her real name.
6. b. accept Mr Johansen’s explanation.
B. Answer these questions of Saving my friend Ellen
1. Why did Mama try to keep the soldiers out of Annemarie’s and Ellen’s room?
2. “Take your necklace off!”
a. Who said these words?
b. Who was the speaker speaking to?
c. Why did the speaker ask her friend to take off her necklace?
d. Why was the necklace significant?
3. “This will hurt.”
a. Who said these words and to whom?
b. What would the speaker do which would ‘hurt’?
4. How were the officers different from the soldiers on the street?
Answer
1. Mama tried to keep the soldiers out of Annemarie’s and Ellen’s room because she didn’t want the soldiers to find Ellen, who was a Jewish girl hiding in their home.
2. a. Annemarie said these words.
b. The speaker was speaking to her friend, Ellen.
c. The speaker asked her friend to take off her necklace to hide the fact that she was Jewish and thus protect her from the Nazis.
d. The necklace was significant because it had a Star of David locket, which is a symbol of the Jewish faith. Removing it would help conceal Ellen’s identity.
3. a. Annemarie said these words to Ellen.
b. The speaker would yank and break Ellen’s necklace, which would hurt because it involved forcibly removing the necklace.
4. The officers were different from the soldiers on the street because the officers were older, more serious, and had a harsh and determined demeanor. The street soldiers were often younger and sometimes appeared less at ease, while the officers were more focused on their mission to find the Rosens.
C. Think and write. Saving my friend Ellen
1. Why do you think Mr Johansen chose the baby photographs to show to the officer?
2. Why do you think the Nazi officer tore up the photographs of the children?
3. Was it only luck that saved Ellen, or was it something more? Give reasons for your answer.
4. What do you think about the Johansens? Were they good people? Why?
Answer
1. Mr. Johansen likely chose the baby photographs to show to the officer because those pictures clearly displayed the infants’ names and their ages at the time, which would have matched the story Mr. Johansen was telling. This helped provide strong evidence to support his claim that both girls were his daughters.
2. The Nazi officer tore up the photographs of the children because he realized that Mr. Johansen had provided evidence to support his claim that both Annemarie and Ellen were his daughters, and the officer had no further reason to doubt their identity. Tearing the photographs might have been an act of frustration or anger because his attempt to find the Rosens was unsuccessful.
3. It wasn’t just luck that saved Ellen; it was also the quick thinking and resourcefulness of the Johansen family. They had the presence of mind to keep a family photograph album with detailed labels and ages, and Mr. Johansen used this to convincingly prove their story. Their actions demonstrated their determination to protect their friend from the Nazis.
4. The Johansens are portrayed as good people in the story. They risked their own safety to protect Ellen, a Jewish friend, during a dangerous time. Their quick thinking and clever actions, such as having the photograph album ready, showcase their courage and love for others. They stood up against the Nazis and tried to do the right thing, which makes them admirable and compassionate individuals.