Milkweed

Consider the title of the novel. What are the different things that the milkweed comes to represent throughout the novel? The milkweed is distinctly tied to Misha’s belief in angels; how do dreams of flight and lightness come to mean so much to Misha, while he is in the ghetto?

Misha is perpetually in motion. He is constantly running: to steal, to escape from Jackboots, and to save Janina. Does Misha’s physical state reflect his inner state of mind? By the end of the novel, is Misha finally able to rest?  

Misha finds a home with the Milgroms and begins spending less time with Uri and the boys. Discuss how friendship and family intersect in the novel. Do they mean the same things? How does Misha maintain a balance between them? Does Misha finally get the family he always wished for?