Theres no food to feed the baby here anyway, Isabel said. Josef wished they could stay on board the St. Louis forever. Aaron Landau, one of the Brownshirts said to Josefs father, you have continued to practice law despite the fact that Jews are forbidden to do so under the Civil Service Restoration Act of 1933. He hated that man. Well, if it isnt Hurricane Isabel, Seor Castillo said. Dad, our house is gone! Mahmoud told him. Must be doing sixteen knots, easy, said one of the stewards. The car skids to a stop, and Youssef, Fatima (with, Mahmoud: Izmir, Turkey 2015, 11 days from home (1), Mahmoud tells the man that the family has nowhere to go, and that his sister, Mahmoud: Somewhere on the Mediterranean Sea 2015, 11 days from home (1), He then hears Fatima scream out, and watches as she struggles to lift a crying, for help, but the dinghy isnt slowing down. But maybe this is what becoming a man is, Josef thought. Wheres Papi? she asked him. As it passed, Mahmoud saw a young couple sitting in the back. People also ask, Where does Mahmouds family plan go? No police cars or emergency crews hurried to the scene. Even Castro stopped talking, and the TV went back to showing the baseball game. A shabby-looking man stumbled out from behind the crates and luggage piled up on the dock, and Ruthie screamed. Hurry! Papa said. With his fathers mental health deteriorating quicker, Josef threatens him to ensure that he can pass the medical inspection to get into Cuba, reversing their roles as father and son. Josef listened, straining his ears in the dark. Hes going to have his bar mitzvah next Shabbos. A bar mitzvah was the ceremony at which a boy officially became a man under Jewish law. But for Mahmoud, the scene brought back memories of another time, just after the war had begun. Assuming we stop to sleep every night, thats a nineteen-day walk. Mama pulled Ruth into her lap. A man in Damascus, the capital of Syria, was imprisoned for speaking out against Assad. Lito was her mothers father, and he and Papi had never gotten along. Josef Landau, Isabel Fernandez, and Mahmoud Bisharaare the primary protagonists of Refugee. Our home is destroyed! Mahmoud Bishara is leaving Syria during the volatile regime of Bashar al-Assad in 2015. . The floor lurched up under Mahmoud and threw him and the table and chairs back against the wall of the kitchen. Soon all of them were laughing with her. Mahmoud, wheres your mother? The soldier laughed, and the other soldiers laughed with him. Im a man now. And when those soldiers said one of us could go free and the other would be taken to a concentration camp, Josef said, Take me.. CRACK! My brother, just a boy, becoming a man at last. The shadows grabbed them again and dragged them into the living room. The boat was heavy in Isabels arms, and she was afraid of dropping it, even though there were five other people carrying it with her. Pleasedont. Ruth wrapped herself around Josefs leg and wailed. Lights came on in houses nearby, and curtains ruffled as people looked out at the noise. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Despite her grief, Isabel is able to persevere and guide her family to reach the shores of Miami. A man in the group we walked with gave me the name of a smuggler who can get us from Turkey to Greece. A smuggler? Mom said. As he watched them sleep, Josef wondered if anyone would really be able to tell they were Jews if they werent in a Jewish compartment, wearing armbands with the Star of David on them. to accommodate the crowd. Isabel tossed an old ball cap on the ground, on the off chance that one of the tourists actually had a peso to spare. Finally, Shabbos arrived. Mahmoud Bishara (12) In what year did the Arab Spring come to Syria? If his parents had died in the airstrike, would he want revenge on their killers? In the gallery above, Josef saw one of the crew slam a fist down on the railing and storm off. Mahmoud felt like he was in trouble. Josef! Teachers and parents! Ill be a man soon enough, Josef told them. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. I cant fall out of the boat, because I have already fallen for this princess of the sea! he said. Do you have any relatives back in Miami that you want to send a message to? the reporter asked. Falling Action 1: Mahmoud and his family are imprisoned, along with hundreds of other Syrian refugees, for trying to cross the Hungarian border, which does not accept migrants. No one who has lived in Germany for the past six years would be so foolish as to go to a Jewish service aboard a Nazi ship. Papa ran a hand over his shaved head. Josef had never seen anything so big. Shed quit the hospital when Hana was born, but not before the war had begun. Why not? Isabel said. He was covered with a fine gray powder from head to foot, like hed taken a bath in dry concrete mix. Yet at the same time, even though these different societies have all sunken into despair as a whole, the people within those societies still try to find a sense of hope in order to make a better future for themselves. Aaron Landau is a well-known actor. Isabel covered her ears and stepped away. Josef took a hard candy from a jar and fished in his pocket for another pfennig. She stood on the wide promenade, where it seemed all of Havana was on display. It barely qualified as a boat, but it was big enough for the four Castillosand maybe four more guests. We have to go. His brother. The family leaves, again wandering around to find shelter. Theres something theyre not telling us, the shipping company. Josef: On the Atlantic Ocean 1939, 6 days, Josef: On the Atlantic Ocean 1939, 8 days, Isabel: Straits of Florida 1994, 1 day (1), Josef: On the Atlantic Ocean 1939, 10 days, Isabel: Straits of Florida 1994, 1 day (2), Josef: On the Atlantic Ocean 1939, 11 days, Isabel: The Straits of Florida 1994, 1 day (3), Mahmoud: Izmir, Turkey 2015, 11 days (1), Josef: On the Atlantic Ocean 1939, 14 days, Isabel: The Straits of Florida 1994, 1 day (4), Mahmoud: Izmir, Turkey 2015, 11 days (2), Josef: On the Atlantic Ocean 1939, 17 days, Isabel: Straits of Florida 1994, 2 days, Mahmoud: The Mediterranean 2015, 11 days (1), Mahmoud: The Mediterranean 2015, 11 days (2), Isabel: Between Bahamas and Florida 1994, 4 days, Mahmoud: The Mediterranean 2015, 11 days (3), Isabel: Between Bahamas and Florida 1994, 5 days (1), Mahmoud: Lesbos to Athens 2015, 12 days (3), Isabel: Between Bahamas and Florida 1994, 5 days (2), Mahmoud: Macedonia to Serbia 2015, 14-15 days, Isabel: Coast of Florida 1994, 5 days (1), Mahmoud: Serbia to Hungary 2015, 15-16 days, Isabel: Coast of Florida 1994, 5 days (2), Isabel: Coast of Florida 1994, 5 days (3), Josef: Vornay, France 1940, 1 year, 1 month, 10 days, Isabel: Coast of Florida 1994, 5 days (4), Mahmoud: Hungary to Germany 2015, 17 days. People were as thick on the ground as sugarcane. excluding an estimated 2.5 million nomads; 24,532,000 (2006E, including nomads). Still cant hear it, Chabela? Lito asked. But it didn't work out. A son on the way! Isabels father and grandfather yelled at each other about dictators and freedom and families and responsibility. Mahmoud: Aleppo, Syria - 2015 (2) .that matters to him in this moment is finding Fatima, Waleed, and his infant sister, Hana . Do you know what the greatest achievements of the Cuban Revolution are? Isabels father After the week, they return to the mall but two men threaten them and demand an exorbitant amount of money in order to stay. Years. We sent them back to Europe and Hitler and the Holocaust. Eventually, Mahmoud and his family make it safely to Germany and are taken in by a host family, the elderly Saul Rosenberg and his wife, RuthieJosefs little sister, who survived the Holocaust decades prior thanks to Josefs self-sacrifice. When she got to her papi, he was balled up on the ground and the policeman was beating him with his nightstick. Maybe when yours is too, youll take up arms. Mahmoud and his family were waiting in line at Kilis, Turkey, at the border to enter the country. He had to get up. She was born the year Adolf Hitler was elected chancellor of Germanu in 1933. I saw on the TV theyre accepting refugees. One group is handing out diapers. I know, dear. Mom! Isabel opened her eyes and lowered the trumpet from her lips. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, They only see us when we do something they dont want us to do. He bopped his nose hard enough to jerk awake, and Ruthie laughed hysterically. Gratz shows how hard it can sometimes be to stand up and support others, but that it is necessary to empathize with those who are being oppressed and to give aid. I want to be a journalist one day. Good! the news agent said. Perhaps youre close enough that we should take you to a concentration camp too, like your father. No! Mama cried. She dropped to her knees and pulled them both into a hug. Home. She and Ivn held the middle of the boat on either side, while Ivns parents and Isabels father and grandfather carried the front and back. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. They pluck Mahmoud and, Mahmoud: Lesbos, Greece, to Athens, Greece 2015, 12 days from home (3). This is Syria, not Iran! Josef and his sister followed their mother through the crowd at the Lehrter Bahnhof, Berlins main railway station. She ran home again. Waleed went back to watching cartoons. Grade: A. Entertainment Weekly Harrowing, timely. People Magazine Nothing short of brilliant. Kirkus Reviews, starred review Memorable and tightly plotted. Publishers Weekly, starred review They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. There was an old Arabic proverb that said, Close the door that brings the wind and relax, and thats exactly what they did; while the rest of the Middle East was rioting, Syrians stayed inside and locked their doors and waited to see what would happen. Mahmoud: Aleppo, Syria 2015 (1). Through the huge hole that used to be the wall of his apartment, Mahmoud saw gray-white clouds from missile strikes blooming all around. The rabbi stood in front of the crowd and read from Hosea. Of course, Captain Schroeder said. Papi scoffed. A building shuddered and collapsed, smoke and debris avalanching out into the street. Visas. Papa shook his head too quickly. He realizes that even being observed is an invitation to danger, and therefore. Struggling with distance learning? Every sailor they met doffed his cap at them, and the steward who showed them to their cabin assured them that they could call upon him for anything they needed while on board. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." The kitten gobbled up the last of the beans and mewed pitifully. In the year 1938, Josef Landau is a twelve-year-old Jewish child living in Berlin, Germany. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. She tells Mahmoud that they will find, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Too thin. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. And just in time. Mahmoud looked up at where his apartment had been. After halting the vehicle on the highway, what did the Serbian taxi driver do? Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. The Jewish people on the ship were seeking asylum, just like us. Papi had already tried to flee Cuba twice. Not any longer. A rickety-looking raft made out of wooden shipping pallets and inner tubes raised a bedsheet sail, and as it caught the wind, the villagers on the beach cheered. A table at the front held a Torah scroll. Where would they go? Last updated by Cat 2 years ago 4/4/2021 7:38 PM. Missiles and bombs thudded nearby, close enough to shake loose parts of walls. Refugee is a historical fiction novel written in 2017 that weaves together three compelling stories of families seeking sanctuary in other countries. Please! she cried. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Chabela, play us a song on your trumpet. Isabels chest tightened. No more getting thrown in jail for disagreeing with the government. But what do you want to do when you get there? Seor Castillo asked. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Chabela, get down from there! Isabel ignored them both and turned this way and that, calling out for her father. The trick was to be invisible. Isabel closed her eyes and focused. A social worker approaches Mahmouds family and asks if they are seeking asylum in Germany (Germany accepted 124,845 Syrian refugees in 2017 and the EU as a whole accepted 538,000 total refugees). The spell of happiness and safety was momentarily broken by the unforgettable memories of the chaos they had just escaped. It hadnt always been this way. It was big and heavy to begin with, and they had packed it with the gas cans, plastic soda bottles filled with fresh water, condensed milk, cheese and bread, and medicine. A week into their stay on the St. Louis, Josef has his bar mitzvah. He was about average height for his age, and he wore a gray double-breasted pin-stripe jacket, brown trousers, and a white shirt and blue tie. It was a policewoman. Its a trap. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Together the shambling throng of refugees was ignored by the American drones and the rebel rocket launchers and the Syrian army tanks and the Russian jets. To be an adult. When the Jewish refugees are rejected from entering Cuba and it seems likely that the ship is going to take them back to Germany, Josef works with other passengers to try to take the ship hostage so that they can avoid this fate. Isabel cried out and let go of the boat. The soldier had a hole in his head. His shoulder ached and his chest still seared with every hard, desperate breath, but the only thing that mattered now was getting to his mother. Josef took a seat in the section with the men. Mahmoud and Waleed went tumbling, and the soldier in the back rolled on top of them. But what if his father had been hit by one of the bombs? My husband is just eager to leave, she told the sailor. For me, Josef said instead. Klaus had winced to show Josef how sorry he was that Herr Meier had done that to him. Another policeman had caught his arm! Dozens of them. Tell me something I dont know, Seor Castillo said. A fist closed around Josefs heart, and he dove for the armband. Isabels father pitched across the roiling boat and grabbed Seor Castillo by the shirt. Mahmoud felt as stunned as his mother sounded. Mahmoud didnt like the sound of that, eitherto him, smuggler meant illegal, and illegal meant dangerous. Didnt Castro say it was all right to leave? The right answer and they lived; the wrong answer and they all died. This gains a large amount of media attention, and Austrians greet them at the border with food, water, and medicine. Dont take him! The Brownshirt scowled at the noise and gave the men carrying Aaron Landau a dismissive wave. My dearest Rachel! he said. Being responsible did. Not soldiersregular people. Who are the characters in the book refugee? Waleed? their mother cried. My darlings! He kissed the tops of their heads again and again, then jumped back. Mahmoud clutched Hana with one arm and took his brothers hand. Hush now. They cowered together on the floor as the shadows picked up Ruths bed and threw it against But Josef and his mother and sister werent going anywhere. Mahmoud and his familyWaleed, his mother Fatima, and baby sister Hanaescape the building just in time and it collapses behind them. Mahmouds father gives the man what he asked for and hurries the family away. They watched as Aaron Landau ran for the ramp, where other passengers had already queued up to hand their tickets to a smiling man in a sailors uniform. Again. Thinking about Klaus made Josef think about other things, but he blinked away the bad memories. Her heart ached with gratitude toward these people. Complete your free account to request a guide. He wasn't literally invisible. Which is usually that dog Assad. Mahmoud breathed again with relief. Refugee (Alan Gratz) Read the first paragraph of Ch.22 . Oh, and you have to take the kitten too. She held the wiggling creature out to him, but the old fisherman just stared at it. Ruthie had been born the year Adolf Hitler was elected chancellor of Germany. For the gasoline. Her grandfather was shocked. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Josef raised himself up. Rafts made of inner tubes tied together. A skeleton in a threadbare suit three sizes too big for him. Isabel Fernandez is 11 years old in 1994, growing up in Havana, Cuba, under Fidel Castros communist regime. Head down, hoodie up, eyes on the ground. Mahmouds mother broke down in tears, and his father let the life jackets he carried drop to the ground. Josef stood and stared. A wife! Ivn was lighter skinned than Isabel, with curly dark hair. He screamed even louder than his little sister, drowning her out. Six months and eleven days! the Brownshirt said. Refugee Character Analysis Josef Landau Josef is a 13-year-old Jewish boy living in Germany in the 1930s. Disappear. Mahmouds father kept their papers tucked into his pants under his shirt, along with all of their moneythe only other things they owned now besides two phones and two chargers. He felt like he was walking in a dream. If your eyes were the sea, I would drown in them. Lito was giving her piropos, the flirtatious compliments Cuban men said to women on the street. On one side of the road were blocks of green and yellow and pink and baby blue homes and shops. Change). And he had been beaten up as badly as Khalid. The Gestapo man looked up at them through the window in his door. After Aleppothe near-constant gunfire and explosions, punctuated by the oppressive quiet of an entire city trying their hardest not to draw attention to themselvesthis place felt alive, even if it was dusty and cramped. You werent allowed to say things like that in Cuba. Mahmoud didnt have any friends. Mahmoud jumped when it fell, but Waleed stood still, like this kind of thing happened every day. North, Dad said. Within a month, Assad had turned his tanks and soldiers and bombers on the protestorson his own peopleand ever since then, all Mahmoud and Waleed and anyone else in Syria had known was war.