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The Devil's Arithmetic is a novel written by Jane Yolen in 1988. It tells the story of a Jewish girl, Hannah.

Plot introduction

Hannah is tired of remembering the horrors of the Holocaust and the story of Passover. She is living in modern day America, yet at her family's Passover Seder, she is transferred to Poland during the height of the Nazi occupation in 1942, where she becomes Chaya.

Plot summary

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Young Hannah Stern, 13, was tired of remembering. Especially of her grandfather's constant bursts of rage at any comment about the Holocaust because he was a survivor himself with his sister. When Hannah is celebrating the Jewish Passover at her grandparents house, she was chosen to do the symbolic welcoming of Prophet Elijah and opened the apartment door. In an instant she was transferred back to Poland 1942 as Chaya Abramowicz, a 13-year-old teenager living in a small village with her "aunt" Gitl and Gitl's brother, Shmuel. At Shmuel's wedding, Nazis came and arrested the Jews, but having learned about the Holocaust, Hannah tried to warn everyone to flee. No one listened, and they all followed the Nazis to "resettlement". They were sent to the concentration camp, and there they were bared of their clothes, shaven, given rags, and new "names". Their new names consisted of either a J, for Jew, or G, for Greek, followed by many numbers. At their first meal, Chaya met Rivka, a 10 year old girl who knew how to live day by day. Everyone were given jobs, and they had a choice to either do the jobs well, or become "Chosen". The Choosing came once in a while, where the commandant came and sent everyone who was ill, elderly, or lazy into Lilith's Cave to be burnt. She followed Rivka, who lived everyday as it was, and she remained alive for a period of time. One day though, Hannah's friends, Shifre, Esther, and Rivka was chosen to make up a full load. Hannah didn't want Rivka to die just like that, so she told her to run while she took the place of Rivka and died a hero. As she walked through the gates of Lilith's Cave, Hannah realised that she was staring at the door back in New York, at her grandparents' house. Now Hannah will never forget because she understood, at last she understood.

Characters in "The Devil's Arithmetic"

Present

• Hannah Stern – the main protagonist
• Aaron Stern – (Hannah's brother) (Ron-Ron)
• Aunt Eva – (Hannah's great-aunt, known as Rivka when she was a child in Poland)
• Grandpa Will – (Hannah's Grandfather was know as Wolfe when he was a child in Poland), he is Aunt Eva's Brother.

1942, Poland

• Chaya Abramowicz – (the girl whom Hannah becomes)
• Gitl Abramowicz – (Chaya's aunt)
• Shmuel Abramowicz – (Chaya's Uncle, Gitl's brother)
• Fayge – (Shmuel's fiancee)
• Rivka – (Chaya's friend from the concentration camp, changes name to Eva when she comes to the United States after the war)

• This novel begins with Hannah, the main character, in modern times. • She is at a Passover Seder with her family. • She is apathetic toward her grandfather's stories. • His stories reflect time spent in a concentration camp. • Hannah also is “tired of remembering” • Hannah does not like Passover, nor the Seder, so she is very bitter. • Hannah is picked to open the door to symbolically welcome in Elijah • When she does this, she is whisked away to a rural village in Poland during WWII. • The little village is called a shtetl. • A shtetl is a small Jewish town in Eastern Europe. • She tries desperately to explain that she is not Chaya, but Hannah, from modern day times. • Chaya is now living with a new aunt and new uncle • Their names are Aunt Gitl and Uncle Shmuel • After unsuccessfully trying to convince her new “family”, she gives up and accepts that she is now Chaya. • Chaya is a Jewish peasant girl. • Chaya has recently been extremely ill, near death. • She used to live in another city, with her parents. • The disease that had Chaya so sick, took her parents life, ending her up in the new family. • Chaya’s new Uncle is getting married to a girl named Fayge. • On their way to the shtetl where the marriage will be, Chaya realizes what year it is. • She realizes she is in the year 1942 and about to be taken to a concentration camp. • Chaya and her new family are dragged off to Auschwitz. • They endure a 4-day trip on trains to the concentration camp. • They are given no food, water, or bathroom breaks. • Many people died, and many got extremely sick. • Above the gate to Auschwitz, it reads, “Arbeit Mach Freit.” • This means, “Work makes you free.” • As if that were true in the time of the holocaust for German Jews • While at the camp, Chaya makes a good friend named Rivka. • Rivka helps her survive by giving her tips. • Chaya and her family attempt to escape, but are caught. • Chaya and her aunt are safe, but the others are shot. • After many hardships, Rivka is “Chosen” • Being “Chosen” means that you are getting sent to the gas chambers. • Chaya takes Rivka's bandana, and tells her to run. • Chaya has just exchanged Rivka's life, for her own. • Chaya is now sent to the gas chambers, where she is murdered. • In the next millisecond, Chaya/Hannah finds herself back at home. • She is standing right where she was when she was put into her terror. • Hannah is relieved to be back with her family. • She is, however, very curious about her rendevous. • Hannah discovers that she is related to her friend from Auschwitz (Rivka). • Hanna finds out that she ended up giving her life for her Aunt. • Hannah is now willing to remember. • She now knows the pain that her grandfather feels. • It is a happy ending, describing an unhappy event.

Main themes

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Awards and nominations

The Devil's Arithmetic received the National Jewish Book Award.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

It was made into a TV movie starring Kirsten Dunst and Brittany Murphy in 1999.

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