The Devil’s Arithmetic, one of my favorite books, is a historical fiction novel written by Jane Yolen. This novel is about how Hannah the main character goes through the daily life in a concentration camp, and she goes through the terror of seeing people get chosen and, taken away from their families to never be seen again. In order to survive Hannah has to make tough survival decisions and the important lessons that Rivka teaches Hannah; therefore, making these themes important to survival in the concentration camps. One main theme throughout the book is how she has to make some survival decisions. One decision she has to make is the decision to not speak out against the Nazi’s, for she might get chosen if she does. Another decision she has to make is to not speak up and say that she is Rueven’s brother, so she doesn’t get sent to Lilith’s cave Rivka says on page 141. “Why is it your fault?’ Rivka asked I should have said he was my brother, then you would not be here”. A final time is when she watches as Shmuel Hannah’s uncle, Fayge his wife get shot, killed, and get taken to Lilith’s cave. These are many tough survival decisions other people in the camps would have to make in order to persevere. This is one of the many important themes to the book …show more content…
One of the lesson’s Rivka teaches Hannah is that people with lower numbers have been here longer, says that they can help you, and tell you helpful information on page 115. “My lower number means I can organize.” Another lesson is to not go to Lilith’s cave, for when you go there you do not come back. A final lesson is to not stand next to Greek Jews because they don’t know In Yiddish, they are also too slow when following orders, and they easily lose the hope to survive, and become musselmen. These are the rules that Hannah had to follow in order to get through the camps. This is another very significant theme in the