The Devil's Arithmetic

“‘I’m tired of remembering,’ Hannah said to her mother as she climbed into the car. She was flushed with April sun and her mouth felt sticky from jelly beans and Easter candy.”

The first sentence in the book shows who Hannah is at the beginning of the novel and how far she has to go in her journey of personal growth. She doesn’t want to remember anymore. The second line builds Hannah’s secularism. She’s Jewish, but that doesn’t stop her from eating Easter candy. This contrasts with the close connection that she will forge with the Jewish community in 1942 Poland.

“Tired or not, you’re going with us, young lady. Grandpa Will and Grandma Belle are expecting the entire family, and that means you, too.”

Hannah’s mom conveys her annoyance with her daughter. She calls Hannah “young lady” out of frustration. She also emphasizes the importance of family and community, things that will also become dear to Hannah.

“Glad to be doing something she knew she was good at, Hannah began a gruesome tale about the walking dead, borrowing most of the characters, plot, and sound effects from a movie she’d seen on television the night before.”

This quote reveals Hannah’s talent for storytelling. It foreshadows the violence she experiences firsthand when going back in time to the Holocaust. These lines capture her in a moment of affection with her brother, whom she is trying to entertain.