Touch Wood :: English Literature Essays

Touch WoodTouch Wood is based on the authors own life when she was growing as a Jewish girl during the German invasion of France. In 1940, Rene and her family were sustentation in Alsace, France, where nothing ever changed. No one expected anything unmatched to happen. Then one day, a war with Germany is announced on the radio. The Germans precious to annex Alsace and forced the Jews to leave. France was split into two zones- the Free Zone and the German occupied zone. Renes bring chose for them to prod to Paris, because it is a tolerant city where he can find work, and also because Renes mother has childhood friends there. So, Rene, her parents, her two younger sisters, and their blind grandmother move into a crowded apartment in the German-occupied zone. Rene was disappointed in Paris when she arrived. She finds that everything seems to be sm aloneer in Paris. Eventually, her new neighborhood becomes much of a home and helps Rene to miss Alsace a little less. Renes parents ha d left Poland and then Hungary to find a freer, better life. They settled in France and thought theyd be safe. Then Adolf Hitler, a German man who hated Jewish muckle, started trouble all over again. First, heptad synagogues were blown up. Then, the Germans created a curfew prohibiting Jews to go during certain hours. Any Jew caught in the road after curfew would be taken as hostage. Also, all Jewish people must wear a Star of David on their shirts. An ordinance is created requiring all Jewish firms to be registered. Then the Jewish are forbidden to go to most public places, and they are only allowed an hour to grocery shop. Suddenly, their familys Jewish neighbors are being taken away one by one. Renes family becomes fearful. At one point, they have to hide from the police. Renes parents decide to take action. They have friends who know Mother Superior. They carry Rene and her sisters to a Catholic residence in Normandy until the war is over. Their father emphasizes for them n ot to tell anyone that they are Jewish. When they arrive in Normandy, they find a cozy bedroom, appetizing meals, and friendly people. Rene has to deal with a nosy housekeeper, who could possibly uncover their secret. Rene and her sisters love their new school, which is much much spacious and modern than the one in Paris.