I Will Never Be Fourteen Years Old
Study Guide:
ch. 3 Persecution
pp.61-101
p.61 Why did Francois’ father post the 2nd sign? ___________________________________
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p.62 What strikes you about François’ family history? ______________________________
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p.65 Why do you think the Nazi’s executed Jacques Bonsergent for such a minor offense?
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p.65 Food Supplies - Put this in context with how much you eat in a day/week/month.
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p66 the first paragraph – the Marie Clare article – your thoughts? _____________________
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pp.67-68 Give examples of “passive resistance”.___________________________________
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p.68 Read the passage Being Jewish, including the footnote – what strikes you about this
passage? ___________________________________________________________________
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pp.69-top of 70 Read the passage A Good Joke – What has now begun in Paris? _________
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pp.71-top of 72 Read the passage Frightening Stories – Would you have heeded the
warnings? Would you have registered? Why or why not? ___________________________
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p.72, last paragraph – This is another example of the Nazis doing what? _________________
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p.73, first paragraph – Here is another example of the Nazis continuing to do what? _______
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pp. 73-75 Read the passage How to Recognize Them – In terms of Human Nature, this is a
frightening passage. Why? ____________________________________________________
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p.75-top of 76 Read the passage Pétain in Little Pieces – What are the Nazis doing now?
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p.77, Read the 4th paragraph of the Manhunt passage – Explain François’ father’s naïveté.
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pp 78-79 Read the passage Mitou-Cat – Why is the cat so important? __________________
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pp. 80-81 Read the passage Heart Attack – This is another example of the Nazi’s doing
what? _____________________________________________________________________
This is also an important passage about François. Why? _____________________________
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p. 81 The Branding – What is happening now in France? What is the French word for Jew?
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p. 81 The Survey – What happens in this passage? _________________________________
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pp 82-83 The Star and the Procession. This is a very important passage. Why?
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pp.83-85 Subtefuge – another very important passage. What’s the trick to Francois’ star?
Can you find examples of passive resistance? What is the significance of the metro
employee’s whispered words to François? ________________________________________
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pp.85-86 Posters – Yet another example of the Nazis doing what? _____________________
Explain why you think the poster is torn off the wall at François’ school. ________________
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Example of passive resistance is … ______________________________________________
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pp. 87-88 Le Petit Robinson – What do we learn in this passage? _____________________
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p.89 Identity – François starts in yet another school! How does he feel about changing his
name? _____________________________________________________________________
p. 90 Too Many Compliments – How are things going for François? __________________
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p.90-top of 91 Budding Macho-Men. Find an example of humor and peer pressure. ______
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p.91 Confidences – What happens, and the result? __________________________________
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pp.92-93 Bullying – what do they call him? _____ What is it short for? _______ His father’s
reaction shows what about the relationship between father and son? ____________________
p. 93 The Hinges of Destiny, the 1st and 2nd paragraphs. Another new school!!! How does it
go this time? Why do you think? _______________________________________________
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p. 94 François’ report card. He’s in cinquième. What grade would that be here? __________
p. 95-very top of 96 The Dentist, the 2nd paragraph – This shows that even in difficult times,
there is humor. What happens? _________________________________________________
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pp. 97-98 The Collapse of a World – One of the most important passages in the book.
Why? _____________________________________________________________________
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pp. 98-99 Calm, Reasonable, and Kind – Explain the 180º transformation of François, and
where is his new boarding school located? ________________________________________
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pp. 99-101 The Arrest – This is a devastating passage, for several reasons. Why?
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