Rejection In The Devil's Arithmetic By Jane Helen

Rejection is to refuse or disagree. In the Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen Hannah has many new emotions ever since she walked through the door from Grandpa Will’s to Gitl and Shmuel’s house. Although some people believe in Hannah is starting to accept her Jewish Heritage, I know that Hannah is still rejecting her heritage.

Hannah’s new name is just one reason why she is rejecting her heritage. Many people are saying that Hannah is starting to accept her new name. For example in the beginning of chapter four when Hannah arrives in the “new world” Gitl says “So Chaya is Shmuel coming or not?” without hesitating she went to check the door to see if Shmuel was there.They think that Hannah doesn’t mind being called Chaya. But I know that Hannah is actually still rejecting being called Chaya.

Some people that believe Hannah is starting to except where she is living. For example when Hannah talks to girls her age they say “So your Lublin Chaya.” Hannah doesn’t argue with anyone when they say she is from Lublin. I know this is not true because Hannah is still rejecting where she is living. While she was talking to Shmuel she said “I’m not from Lublin, I’m from New Rochelle.” Hannah would of never of said that if she actually believed in where she was and what was going on.

The last reason why Hannah is still rejecting her heritage is because she is not accepting the clothes that they wear. There are also many people that believe that Hannah is starting to like her new clothes. For example she never complains about what she is wearing. In all the chapters it doesn’t say one thing about what she is wearing. The truth is that she doesn’t like her knew clothes. While Hannah and Gitl were getting dressed for Shmuel’s wedding they were looking at what dresses to wear and Hannah muttered “It’s a rag, a shmatte.” Hannah obviously doesn’t like the clothes in her