Analysis Essay: Salt To The Sea By Ruta Sepetys

When reading this novel flashbacks, symbolism, and historical accuracy, are important to recognize. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, is a historical fiction novel that shows the importance of friendship between strangers and the journey to escape from East Prussia. Joana, Florian, and Emilia are on a journey to escape from the country. Each leaving their home and family to make it to safety. The long journey starts from East Prussia and ends on the Gustloff, where the ship was headed. Emilia is a pregnant 15-year-old, along with Florian, a Prussian thief and artist, the Lithuanian nurse, Joana, the shoe poet, the wandering boy, Ingrid, and Eva and her husband. The group fights to survive, and almost does, although they lose people on the way. But then, tragedy strikes, after the ship had taken off the Gustloff was hit by a torpedo and sunk. Everyone except Eva was  the Gustloff The novel’s greatest strengths are the flashbacks, the symbolism, and historical accuracy.

There are many symbols used in the novel that are referenced many times, symbolism is seen as a strength. It is January and Joana is walking with her group when they find a dead woman on the side of the road. The shoe poet says, “‘The shoes always tell the story’” (Sepetys 14). This quote means that what shoes people wear can tell what you have been through. The shoe poet looks down at Joanas boots and correctly guesses that she got them from her mom and that her family is wealthy. Footwear is an important part of the novel because they indicate freedom, walking to freedom. They are referenced a lot throughout the novel. As seen in the novel, shoes are indicators of true thoughts, motivations, and feelings. The footwear that people have during the Holocaust also represent the secrets that are wanted to be hidden. The shoes that people wear during the Holocaust have different meanings for people. There are many memorials that include the footwear of Holocaust victims. Those shoes of Holocaust survivors now mean the lives that were lost. Some people walk away free and some don’t. Ruta wanted us to see the shoes as a symbol, hence the fact that they are on the cover of the book and referenced countless times through the novel. A reader should be mindful about the deeper message than just the footwear that people have.

The flashbacks in the book are seen as a strength, and they help us get to know the characters and what they went through. It is May and Emilia is picking mushrooms for the family that she works for when a Russian soldier walks up to Mr. Kleist. Emilia is thinking, “It was a windless day in May when the Russians arrived at the farm… A soldier took a step toward Else… ‘No! This one krank, krank.’ … ‘We have one who is much prettier’... ‘Emilia!’ … ‘You see? So pretty. Very, very pretty. Take her instead’ … A trail of mushrooms spilled behind me as they dragged me to the cold cellar” (Sepetys 239). Emilia was victimized of sexual assault the hands of the Russians, and she became pregnant. This scene is important because it shows what Emilia went through and how it changed her. This moment changes her life forever, physically and mentally. What Emilia went through really determines her strength and how she got to where she is now. This flashback shows us how she was living before she began to flee and how she was staying. The flashbacks also show how the Kleist’s treated her. Emilia does all the dirty work and stays in a cold cellar. Emilia will never be the same, and she completely blocked out the trauma to the point where she was believing her own story. She may never know it, but she is so strong. Even though she went through so many hardships she still fought. Emilia fled all by herself while she was pregnant, and she was almost killed by a Russian soldier. She survived and she still pushed herself to get to the boat. When the boat was sinking she died so that her daughter would be protected. That wasn’t even half of it.

Historical accuracy is seen as one of the biggest strengths in the novel. It is January 30th, 1945, the ship has been hit by a torpedo and is beginning to go under. Alfred is thinking: “Torpedo strike: Approximately 9:15 p.m.

Ship’s capacity: 1,463

Passengers on board: 10,573

Lifeboats: 22

But then I remembered.

Ten of the lifeboats were missing” (Sepetys 328).

This scene demonstrates what happened that day, Alfred’s thoughts give us the exact information. At 9:16 three Soviet torpedoes hit the Gustloff with about 10,000 people on board to escape to Kiel. The ship's capacity was only 1,900 including 400 crew members. There were not nearly enough lifeboats to carry all the passengers to safety. There were only 22 lifeboats that could carry about 5,000 passengers and ten of the lifeboats were missing. The information was almost the exact same as the book. Ruta did a phenomenal job on creating a novel with complete historical accuracy.

Throughout the novel flashbacks, symbolism, and historical accuracy can be seen as the strengths. The historical fiction novel shows young adults fleeing to Keil during the Holocaust. It is a graphic yet incredible book written by Ruta Sepetys. The novel includes the Wilhelm Gustloff sinking, known as the worst maritime disaster, where the characters were riding on and the loss of friends and family. Ruta perfectly shows the thought process of different characters all working together. The novel is perfectly written with historical accuracy, symbolism, and flashbacks and all fits together to create a perfect historical novel.