I Must Betray You

I Must Betray You 

• Genre: Fiction; historical fiction; young adult 
• Originally Published: 2022 
• Reading Level/Interest: Grades 8-12 
• Structure/Length: 336 pages; approximate length 7 hours and 10 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Set in 1989 Romania under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu, the story follows 17-year-old Cristian Florescu, who is coerced into becoming an informant for the secret police. The central conflict involves Cristian's struggle with the moral dilemma of betraying those he loves to protect his family, set against the backdrop of a society steeped in fear and oppression. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of political oppression; surveillance; betrayal; emotional and psychological stress; historical violence 

Ruta Sepetys, Author 

• Bio: Born 1967; of Lithuanian descent; known for historical fiction aimed at young adults; focuses on underrepresented history; recipient of many literary awards; noted for her thorough historical research; advocate for the power of storytelling in education 
• Other Works: Between Shades of Gray (2011); Out of the Easy (2013); Salt to the Sea (2016); The Fountains of Silence (2019) 
• Awards: Winner of the Yoto Carnegie Shadowers’ Choice Medal for Writing in 2023

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Loyalty and Betrayal
• Self-Interest Versus Collective Interests
• The Difficulty of Finding Truth

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the historical and sociopolitical contexts around Cold War-era communism that shape Cristian and his family’s experiences in I Must Betray You.
• Read paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Loyalty and Betrayal, Self-Interest Versus Collective Interests, and The Difficulty of Finding Truth.
• Research and analyze real-world Romanian communist propaganda and perform a comparative analysis between its portrayal of life in Romania at that time and the text.
• Analyze and evaluate the plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the similarities and differences between Cici and Cristian’s mother, the importance of art for Cristian’s and Bunu’s characters, and other topics.