Touch Wood :: English Literature Essays

Touch Wood Touch Wood is based on the author ¹s own life when she was growing as a Jewish girl during the German invasion of France. In 1940, Renà ©e and her family were living in Alsace, France, where nothing ever changed. No one expected anything unusual to happen. Then one day, a war with Germany is announced on the radio. The Germans wanted to annex Alsace and forced the Jews to leave. France was split into two zones- the Free Zone and the German occupied zone. Renà ©e ¹s father chose for them to move to Paris, because it is a big city where he can find work, and also because Renà ©e ¹s mother has childhood friends there. So, Renà ©e, her parents, her two younger sisters, and their blind grandmother move into a crowded apartment in the German-occupied zone. Renà ©e was disappointed in Paris when she arrived. She finds that everything seems to be smaller in Paris. Eventually, her new neighborhood becomes more of a home and helps Renà ©e to miss Alsace a little less. Renà ©e ¹s parents had left Poland and then Hungary to find a freer, better life. They settled in France and thought they ¹d be safe. Then Adolf Hitler, a German man who hated Jewish people, started trouble all over again. First, seven synagogues were blown up. Then, the Germans created a curfew prohibiting Jews to go during certain hours. Any Jew caught in the street 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 family ¹s Jewish neighbors are being taken away one by one. Renà ©e ¹s family becomes fearful. At one point, they have to hide from the police. Renà ©e ¹s parents decide to take action. They have friends who know Mother Superior. They send Renà ©e and her sisters to a Catholic residence in Normandy until the war is over. Their father emphasizes for them not to tell anyone that they are Jewish. When they arrive in Normandy, they find a cozy bedroom, appetizing meals, and friendly people. Renà ©e has to deal with a nosy housekeeper, who could possibly uncover their secret. Renà ©e and her sisters love their new school, which is much more spacious and modern than the one in Paris.