The Devils Arithmetic is about a Jewish girl named Hannah. It starts off at the Passover dinner. Hannah doesn’t understand why she has to go to this, and why she can’t just eat Easter candy like her friend. Hannah is also confused at why her Grandpop Will is yelling at the T.V because of a program about the Holocaust. She remembers that when she was little she wrote a long number on her arm to match the one her Grandpop had. Her Grandpop picked her up and started yelling at her and shaking her. Hannah never fully forgave him for that. During that Passover Dinner she is asked to open the door to let the Prophet Elijah in. When she does this she is transported back in time, to Poland 1942. There she is known as Chaya Abramowitz. (Chaya is Hannah’s Jewish name. She was named after her Aunt Eva’s friend who died in the Holocaust. Chaya also means life.) She is living with her aunt Gilt and uncle Shmuel, because her parents died from a disease back in her home town. Chaya was also affected by this disease but survived. Hannah thinks this is a dream so when she says anything about where and when she’s from and how she got there it is blamed on the fever. …show more content…
On the day of the wedding a bunch of girls gather around Hannah amazed by her. She tells them stories like Hansel and Gretel, and the Wizard of Oz. When they get to Wedding there are Nazi surrounding the church, claiming that they are just transporting them to a new village, and that their stuff is already there. Everyone is hesitant but believes them, except for Hannah who knows better. Hannah tries telling everyone but it is either blamed on the fever, or one of her stories. They are taken to a concentration camp by a small cattle car where they all are barely able to move, with barley enough oxygen. Many people die from the lack of oxygen including one of the girls Hannah was talking