Sarah's Key Historical Events

Seth Panowitz In the novel Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, Sarah experiences events that no one should have to go through during their life. The novel takes place in 1942, when Sarah, a ten year old girl is taken from her home and placed in a concentration camp. We learn about the experiences that Sarah went through and how she escaped. 60 years later, Julia, a journalist learns about Sarah and tries to track her down after finding out that her family had a connection to her. Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key effectively reveals how historical events can impact society through families lives, the treatment of people, and long lasting issues. One way that Sarah’s Key effectively reveals how historical events and impact society is through

Sarah told the guard that her brother was still at home and that she needed to get back to her apartment to help him. The guard let Sarah and Rachel escape and he gave Sarah money to help her along the way. Sarah and Rachel ran away from the camp and stopped in a doghouse in a yard to rest. Jules and Genevieve Dufaure found Sarah and Rachel and brought them inside. “ ‘They must come in. They must be hidden at once.’ She waddled down to the dirt road peered both ways. ‘Quick, children, come now,’ she said, holding out her hands. ‘You are safe here. You are safe with us’ “ (Rosnay 110). The Dufaure family took care of Sarah and Rachel after escaping. After the doctor came to the Dufaure’s house to check on Rachel because she was sick, he went back and told others that a Jew was living in the house. Later, soldiers came and took Rachel, but luckily for Sarah, she was able to hide in the cellar to stay safe. The Dufaure family took care of Sarah as she was growing up because there was no one else to take care of her. Sarah joined in all the family activities that the Dufaure family did, making her feel part of a new family. The Dufaure family raised Sarah and let her live with them until 1952. “Sarah had left France in late 1952. She had gone to America. ‘Why the States?’ I asked. ‘She told us she had to get away, to a place that had not been touched directly by the

They were put in living situations where there was not much room to move as well as not getting the nutrients that they needed. “There was nothing to drink, nothing to eat. The heat was stifling. The air was full of a dry, feathery dust that stung her eyes and her throat” (Rosnay 30). The Jews in the dome were treated like they were not humans. They were treated poorly because of their religion and no one seemed to have a problem with the fact that they were not getting what they needed to survive. One person was kind enough to help Sarah escape because her brother was in trouble. “ ‘For God’s sake, run! Run now, quick, both of you. If they see you… Take off your stars. Try to find help. Be careful! Good luck!” (Rosnay 92). If the guard did not let Sarah escape, who knows what would have happened to her. She would not get the right amount of food and water that each person needs and would be put in terrible living