Terrible Things Answers
TERRIBLE THINGS*
1. Why do you think the author told the story of the Holocaust in this symbolic way?
Who is this story directed to?
Since this story is directed at young people, the author chose to present this story as a
picture book.
2. Why do you think the Terrible Things take away the animals one group at a time?
It is less obvious, not as noticeable, and more efficient. It doesn’t give the animals the
opportunity to unite and fight back (divide and conquer).
3. In an allegory, people, places, and events are used as symbols. What can the clearing
in the woods stand for? What about the different animals? The Terrible Things?
The clearing = Germany
The animals= various groups targeted by Hitler
The Terrible Things= Nazis
4. What kind of excuses do the other animals offer to explain the fate of each group
as it is taken away? How do these reactions help the Terrible Things?
They say the birds were too noisy, the squirrels were greedy, the frogs were slimy, the
fish were unfriendly, and the porcupines were prickly. This allows the Terrible Things to
continue to take the animals away.
5. How are the Terrible Things described? What verbs are used to describe their actions?
How do the descriptions affect your feelings about the Terrible Things?
They are described as terrible, with huge nets, not needing a reason. They smell, they
stomp, and they thunder. These things help us to dislike and even fear the Terrible
Things.
6. During the Holocaust, terrible things were done by real people, people with faces,
names and life histories. Why do you think the author shows the Terrible Things
as anonymous?
The author shows the Terrible Things as anonymous to teach the lesson in a less
threatening was, and because these kinds of actions continue to happen.
7. What choices do the animals in the clearing have when the Terrible Things come?
They can allow themselves to be take,, they can protect each other, or they can fight back.
8. What would you say to Big Rabbit's statement, "We are the White Rabbits. It
couldn't happen to us?
I would say to Big Rabbit’s statement, “Why not? It has happened to every other group.
What is so special about you?’
9. When the Terrible Things come for the rabbits, what do the rabbits do? What
choice does Little Rabbit make? Why? What does this tell you about Terrible Things?
They scamper in every direction. Little Rabbit hides in a pile of rocks because he is
afraid and doesn’t want to be taken. The Terrible Things didn’t know how many rabbits
there were.
10. Little Rabbit hopes someone will listen to him. Why might no one listen?
Why would anyone want to believe that something so evil would come to harm them?