The Librarian of Auschwitz

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Consider the literary terms “flashback” and “en media res.” Why might an author choose to start a story in the middle and add flashbacks? How should readers prepare for that kind of storytelling?

Teaching Suggestion: Some readers find narratives with flashbacks challenging. Consider creating a list of reading strategies together; this might include noting each flashback with time, place, and topic; analyzing the character’s emotional impetus that triggers the flashback; documenting the start and stop of each flashback by page number; or categorizing each flashback by its primary purpose (e.g., characterization; plot development; foreshadowing). This list could serve as an anchor chart in the classroom. Readers might keep a dedicated section of notes on flashbacks using one of these strategies for reference throughout this novel Teaching Guide.

• This link provides a definition and examples for “in media res.”
• This brief article details the uses of flashback in literature and offers readership-appropriate examples.

2. What is the role of a doctor, and what common attributes might one associate with a doctor? Dr.