Number the Stars by Lois Lowry Literary Analysis Essay

Imagine living during the 1940s in Copenhagen trying to help your best friend escape a Nazi invasion to freedom. The story Number the Stars, written by Lois Lowry is a historical fiction novel that explores various themes such as bravery, and perseverance. Number the Stars is about a little girl named Annemarie and her best friend, Ellen Rosen who participates in Judaism. The two young girls and their families live in Copenhagen which experienced a recent Nazi invasion. Annemarie must help Ellen and her family escape Copenhagen to freedom, a place where believing in a specific religion won’t be looked down upon. Although they may be small, and they must persevere through rations of food and other human necessities, with the help of family, and their combined bravery, the Rosens will be free. Two connections that can be made to this novel are practicing Judaism and the article “Food Rationing in Wartime America” by Laura Schumm. 

In Number the Stars, it’s greatly emphasized that Ellen Rosen and her family are Jewish and celebrate its traditions which I connect to. Shortly after playing with paper dolls with Annemarie's sister, Kirsti, Ellen insists on leaving her house stating that she must “Help Mama with the housecleaning… It’s the Jewish New Year.” (Lowry 32). In the quote, Ellen explains how she has to help her mom clean their house in preparation for the Jewish New Year which I relate to. Similar to Ellen and her family cleaning up for the Jewish New Year, every time the New Year comes around my family and I always tidy up the house. Though cleaning the entire house may be exhausting at points, a clean and tidy home helps to start the new year with a fresh, clean slate. The morning of the Jewish New Year, while walking to school Annemarie and her sister saw the “Rosens walking to the synagogue early in the morning, dressed in their best clothes” (Lowry 33).In summary, the quote demonstrates that the Rosens attend synagogue, particularly on significant holidays such as the Jewish New Year, just as I do on Jewish holidays. In relation to Ellen and her family, I usually attend synagogue on Jewish holidays, regardless of how important or insignificant they are. In addition, my family and I attend synagogue on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, which I assume the Rosens do as well. In brief, I connect to the Rosens religiously, as I too celebrate the same Jewish holidays and traditions.  

The topics of rationing mentioned in Laura Schumm's article, "Food Rationing in Wartime America,", have a connection to the novel Number the Stars. Kirsti, tired of eating plain foods all the time, craved a “big yellow cupcake” but her mother opposed and claimed, “There hasn’t been any butter, or sugar for cupcakes” (Lowry 9). In short, her mother's statement that some ingredients are clearly unavailable due to the ongoing Nazi invasion in Copenhagen can be linked to the article "Food Rationing in Wartime America." In addition to Kirsti Johansen's dilemma of not being able to eat the cupcakes she craved due to ingredient rationing, the article also claimed that sugar rationing was a big issue during Wartime. During the wintertime, “The Johansens had opened the old chimney and installed a little stove to use...because electricity was rationed now.” (Lowry 18). The quote, in simple terms, indicates that electricity was also rationed, which is similar to the article and the points made. Similar to Johansen's rationing dilemma, the article emphasizes the extent of rationing in world conflicts, particularly World War Two, which is where the novel is set. The article expands that, like the sugar shortages, electricity was also rationed which links back to the Johansens' dependence on the stove. In sum, Number the Stars is similar to “Food Rationing in Wartime America” due to its various topics about rationing during the world wars. 

In the novel, Number the Stars, two connections made were relating to the religion the Rosens participate in and connecting topics of the article “Food Rationing in Wartime America”. Similar to Ellen Rosen and her family practicing Judaism, celebrating Jewish holidays, and going to synagogue, I too practice Judaism and participate in Jewish traditions. To add on, the topic of rationing depicted in Number the Stars is similar to the article “Food Rationing in Wartime America” due to its various highlighted points that there was an extreme amount of rationing of ingredients to make basic food and even electricity. Although it may not seem like it, any book, even if it includes topics as serious as wars or if it’s the most entertaining topics they can be related to. Connecting to a book or connecting it to the world or another text may seem useless or an obstacle in your very busy schedule. However, connecting to a book can help improve how much you enjoy it. Go pick a book that you love to read, make some connections and make it a book you love even more!