An Analysis: Number the Stars

“You shall not lie” (Exodus 20:16). This is an explicit biblical command ordering us to tell the truth always, even under difficult circumstances. It is the Ninth Commandment, and, therefore, we should always obey it. However, Annemarie Johansen and her family go directly against this command and endanger their own lives in order to save their Jewish friends. The setting of the book, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, is in Copenhagen, Denmark, during the second world war. Annemarie, her sister Kirsti, her mother, and her father are confronted with a decision that could change the lives of their best friends, the Rosens. Soldiers are on the prowl, seeking, capturing, and killing Jews. Those that are not killed are exported to Germany. The Rosens are Jews, and they must flee Denmark to escape to Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Rosen are hidden, but they send their daughter Ellen, Annemarie’s best friend, to the Johansens until they can find a way to get Ellen out of Copenhagen. A group of soldiers burst into the Johansens apartment one night, demanding to know where the Johansens are. The children are brought before the soldiers, and Mr. and Mrs. Johansen lie in order to save Ellen and her family. This clearly goes against the Ninth Commandment, along with other explicit biblical commands to tell the truth.

 
Should the Johansens have lied to the soldiers? I believe that they were right for two reasons. The first reason is that they were protecting the innocent. The second reason is that they were also saving several lives.

The first reason the Johansens were right in lying is that they were protecting the innocent. The Rosens had not disobeyed the government, and they had done nothing to anger or provoke the soldiers. The Nazis would have arrested the Rosens simply for adhering to their personal beliefs. Also, God tells us to save the innocent believers who are being martyred. “Rescue those who are being taken to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter” (Proverbs 24:11). The Jews were those who were being captured and killed, and the Johansens, by their actions, were protecting the innocent people who could not defend themselves. The Rosens had no connections with the Resistance, a group of people who smuggled Jews to safer places, so there was no way that the Rosens could have escaped without help. The Johansens’ uncle was in the Resistance, as well as a young man named Peter, whom the Johansens knew. By sending the Rosens to the uncle, the Johansens were protecting and saving their friends who were being persecuted.

The second reason the Johansens were right in lying is that they were saving several lives. Mrs. Johansen, Annemarie, Kirsti, and Ellen went to Annemarie’s uncle to help the Rosens escape Denmark. The Johansens saved Ellen’s life as well as her parents’ lives. By remaining silent and acting a lie, the Johansens saved the lives of the other Jews who were leaving Denmark with the Rosens. Mrs. Johansen had to lie to the soldier who came to the uncle’s house when all the Jews were gathered there to leave. She had to lie to that soldier, she and Mr. Johansen had to lie to the soldiers in the apartment, and the entire family was acting a lie by not saying anything to the soldiers. In lying to the soldiers, the Johansens saved the lives of the present Jews, of the uncle, of Peter, and also the lives of their own family, for helping the Jews was punishable with death or deportation.

In conclusion, I think that the Johansens were right in lying to the soldiers for two reasons: they were protecting the innocent and they were saving several lives.

– By Samantha Jennings 

A Review: Number the Stars

I enjoyed reading the historical fiction book Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. This book revolves around Jewish people in Denmark, during World War II, trying to escape the Nazis. There was one particular part in the book that really stood out to me. In this part, the Johansen family and Uncle Henrick risk their lives to smuggle Jews out of Denmark. 

 
The Jews of Denmark were suffering from German persecution and were trying to escape to Sweden. Many people, including the Johansens, were helping the Jews depart. One night, many Jews secretly arrived at Uncle Henrick’s home to mourn for the loss of Great Aunt Birte. Everything is quiet when there is a sudden knock at the door. It is the Nazis demanding to know why all these people are gathered in the middle of the night. They reach to open the casket when Mrs. Johansen boldly steps forward. She tells them the doctor suggests it would not be a good idea to open the casket because Great Aunt Birte died of typhus and it may still be contagious. After much argument, the Nazis end up leaving, and then the casket is opened. There is no Great Aunt Birte, but instead there are coats and blankets for the Jews in the room. They all bundle up and head out to Uncle Henrick’s boat to make their escape.

Their escape to safety made me feel like I was actually there with the characters. I was worried these Jews would not make it to safety. The details of their escape were suspenseful and adventuresome. Even though these were only fictional characters, events like this really happened. This helped me understand more about World War II and the how difficult the life was of the Jews going through it.

I recommend this book to people who like to learn more about the history of Danish Jews of World War II. The author of this book makes you feel like you are there with the characters experiencing the struggles of persecution by the Nazis of World War II. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed it.

– By Kate Wetherall 

A Book and Movie Comparison: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe movie captures the main themes of C.S. Lewis' first Narnia book extremely well. One of my favorite examples is when Peter saves Susan and Lucy from the wolf in Aslan’s camp. You can see the look of fear for his sisters and his own life when he fights the wolf. And also, after he kills the wolf and while he is hugging his sisters, you can see the relief and love in his eyes. The movie expresses the emotions of this scene extremely well, in my opinion. The main theme here is the importance of family, and this scene is a visual of what every family should be like.  

Another example is in the Beaver’s home. The Beavers risk being imprisoned and tortured by the White Witch to help their new friends, the Pevensies, find the Stone Table. The theme here is the importance of friends and standing against evil enemies.

My last example is when Aslan dies for Edmund. Edmund betrays his siblings and trusts the White Witch. He is rescued by Aslan’s army, but the White Witch, according to the Deep Magic of Narnia, still deserves Edmund’s blood. Aslan takes his place and dies instead. Susan and Lucy try to save Aslan, but can’t. They are crying when Aslan awakens, and Susan and Lucy run to him and hug him, overjoyed that he is alive. Aslan runs to the battlefield with new troops, and his army kills the White Witch. The theme is Jesus. Jesus did all of this: he died in our place and won the battle against the Devil. Jesus is the Ruler over all, the King of Kings, and he deserves our praise.

I give The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe movie five out of five stars for its extreme accuracy with the book. 

- By Colleen Cooper Cook

A Poem: The Boy On the Hill

Do you see that hill?
Do you see the boy?
Do you see the wretchedness in his eyes,
the blood and tears streaming from his face?

The bruise on his cheek,
the cut in his lip,
and the sword in his stomach
are nothing compared to
the pain in his heart.

He has been pierced with the realization
that he chose to follow his heart
in hopes of the greatest power and pleasure,
only to wind up serving a devil
from the deepest part of hell.

He betrayed his brothers for candy,
and turned away from his King
only to replace Him with
a liar and a murderer –
a devil dressed in white.

He deserves no friends,
no forgiveness or pity.
He is a traitor,
deserving of death –
a stone knife in the heart.

But look again.
Do you see the other figure?
The one beside the boy on the hill?
That is his Savior.
The King he betrayed,
the enemy of the devil in white.

His love is unending,
and His forgiveness pours out like water.
His power is beyond that of any devil.
This love He will show to the boy,
and this forgiveness He will grant him.
His power He will use to remove
the guilt and the sin
of the boy on the hill.

The task will be hard,
and pain will ensue.
But His love is greater
than any wound and every hurt.
His power is greater than death.

He was forsaken by friends.
He received neither forgiveness nor pity.
He was treated like a traitor.
Death was brought upon Him
in the form of a stone knife
in the hand of a devil
dressed in white.

He breathed His dying breath.
Darkness descended and storm clouds gathered.
The King was dead
and the devil had won.

But that is not the end,
for after the darkness comes the dawn,
and after the storm comes the sun…
with the sun, rising above the hills,
came the King in all His majesty.
Death He had defeated
and the boy’s sin He had removed
as far as the east is from the west.

He had taken the boy’s punishment
upon himself.
The stone knife meant for the boy
pierced Him instead.
The traitor had been rescued,
the price had been paid.

Do you see that boy?
The boy wearing the crown,
sitting on a throne
amongst the noblemen –
those warriors and ladies?
That was the boy on the hill.
He who deserved to be disowned
is now a part of the royal family
of the castle on the sea.
He who was once a traitor
is now a king.

Do you see that castle?
Do you see the boy?
Do you see the delight in his eyes,
the tears of joy streaming from his face?

The face you see
is the face of a sinner,
forgiven by the love and grace
of a King – not tame, but good…
good beyond imagination,
and loving beyond all knowledge.

- By Ashlyn Aura (Written June, 2011)