When The World Was Ours

Why does Max succumb to the dictates of the Nazi ideology? What personality traits early in his life indicate that this would happen? How does Max wrestle with his inner conflict, and what is the end result?

Identify and analyze at least three key scenes in which the photograph of the Ferris wheel appears. How does the meaning of the photograph shift within each scene? What aspects of its meaning remain the same?

Study the history of the years leading up to World War II. How did antisemitism and Nazism slowly seep into Austria and the surrounding countries? Within the context of the novel, how does this form of discrimination and prejudice affect the bond that Leo, Max, and Elsa initially share?

In what ways are The Ruinous Effects of War and Hatred shown through this story? How do larger events affect the everyday lives of individual people who are forced to endure them?

How is The Insidious Process of Dehumanization demonstrated through the experiences of Leo and Elsa? How does Max’s experience act as a counterpoint to that of his friends?

What is the literary purpose behind having Leo and his mother escape the Holocaust? How might the story have been received differently if it was told only from the perspective of those who died during the war?

What does Leo mean when he tells the teacher that he hopes his story will help prevent future atrocities? How does learning about past events from a semi-fictional and more personal perspective add clarity and depth to a topic often understood only from the surface?

How do the stories told about the experiences of Holocaust victims and survivors illustrate The Eternal Bonds of Friendship, even in the midst of such atrocities? How does the author work to emphasize this more optimistic note despite the dark tone of the narrative?