Briar Rose Essay

1531 Words7 Pages
'Briar Rose' by Jane Yolen explores war and persecution, story telling and memories and the past as the main concern of the text. Yolen seeks to educate readers about War and persecution in the novel 'Briar Rose' and the terrible events that occurred in Europe during the war and about the persecution and mass murder that was instigated by the Nazi rule that came with it. Storytelling is explored through the several genres of stories and forces the reader to examine the line between real and fictional stories as Briar Rose is based on the power of stories. Yolen stressed the importance of memories and the past as Yolen indicates the importance of memories. Jane Yolen's novel, 'Briar Rose' explores war and persecution as one of the main ideas of the text. The Holocaust and the events of World War II are major themes in this novel. The text seeks to educate readers about the terrible events that occurred in Europe during the war and about the persecution and mass murder that was instigated (bring about) by the Nazi rule. As Gemma was Jewish, the treatment of the Jewish people is highlighted. The Jewish religion is celebrated and explored in the first few chapters as the rituals surrounding Gemma's death are woven (knitted - put together) into Becca's story. This helps the reader to understand, identity with and grieve for the fate of the Jewish people like Aron and Harvey. The references to the ghettoes and camps the Jewish people are later transported to, are brief at the beginning of the novel as Becca only has a fair knowledge of the War. As she journeys to Poland, the fate of the persecuted people becomes tangible for her and the reader. Through Magda's moving story about visiting Majdanek. a camp that destroyed 360 000 lives, the immense pain and suffering of the persecuted is displayed. Yolen builds on this knowledge and emotion with Josef's firsthand
Open Document