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The Midnight Zoo, By Sonya Hartnett

576 Words3 Pages

Sonya Hartnett's "The Midnight Zoo," tells the tragic story of two young Romani boys fighting for freedom. This story is set in Czechoslovakia during World War Two. The theme of 'freedom' is explored in many literal and metaphorical ways. Freedom is the motivation for the children when they run away from the invaders who attack their group. Freedom is what the animals in the zoo long for, and freedom is only achieved for the boys and animals when they go to heaven. Andrej and Tomas experience satisfying freedom when they run away from life-threatening danger. In chapter ten, 'The Kite', Tomas and Andrej reveal their traumatic backstory and share how they ended up in their unfortunate situation. It is revealed that their village and family were taken by the Nazi soldiers, tormented, and even killed. A quote that is constantly revisited in the book is 'Run, children!' This quote was first said by Andrej and Tomas's mother. This quote alone has the ability to represent the theme of freedom. The boys instantly escape from the soldiers’ captivity and run for freedom. The boys keep running, traveling, and …show more content…

Near the end of the book, Andrej, and Tomas desperately attempt to help the animals in the zoo escape and set them free. But to no avail, every pitiful attempt to open the cages fails miserably, and the boys are filled with guilt and sorrow. The theme of freedom was shown when the boys informed the animals about the life-changing news, they would finally be free. Even though the animals never gained freedom, Andrej's imagination took them on an unforgettable journey back to their homes in the wild. The imagery used in the end of this book paints a full picture in your head as to how Andrej wants the ending of his story to look. Even in Andrej’s last moments, he still chooses to give the animals their happy

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