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About the The Lilac People by Milo Todd Discussion category
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5
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143
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September 3, 2025
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Does this book reflect today's current political climate? Why or why not?
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29
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368
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September 3, 2025
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Overall, what did you think of The Lilac People? (no spoilers, please!)
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26
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643
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September 3, 2025
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In what ways, if any, does this book alter your perceptions of WWII, the Holocaust, and/or America's role in the liberation of Germany? Did anything surprise you?
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20
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266
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September 3, 2025
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Do you interpret the ending as happy, sad, bittersweet, foreboding, hopeful, or something else? Why?
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15
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177
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September 3, 2025
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Do you feel Sofie and Bertie are bad people for going into hiding instead of actively fighting against fascism? Why or why not?
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14
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171
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September 3, 2025
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Trans people during the Weimar Republic could carry police-sanctioned cards identifying themselves as trans. In relation to the time, do you feel this was a good thing or a bad thing? Why?
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13
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181
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September 3, 2025
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Dr. Hirschfeld tells Bertie, "Transvestites are the canaries of the world." (p. 190) What do you suppose he meant? Do you agree that this was true then? How about now?
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11
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191
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September 3, 2025
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Why do you think Karl was so resistant to masculinity lessons despite identifying as a man?
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10
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144
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September 3, 2025
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Do you feel Bertie was in unrequited love with Gert? Why or why not?
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10
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163
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September 3, 2025
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Is there a quote or scene in The Lilac People that stood out for you? Why do you suppose it resonated?
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10
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193
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September 3, 2025
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Goss tells Bernie that the problem with Berliners is that “You take nothing seriously. Everything’s a joke.” He goes on to say, “Never laugh in the face of villainy.” (p.71) What’s your opinion of this advice?
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9
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137
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September 3, 2025
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All German citizens were made to pay reparations after WWII (in the form of physical labor and low food rations). Do you believe this was fair? Why or why not?
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9
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166
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September 3, 2025
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Do you believe Sofie would have been better off if she'd never met Bertie? Why or why not?
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8
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138
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September 3, 2025
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Karl says that survival is inherently selfish (p.248). Do you agree or disagree? Why?
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8
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367
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September 3, 2025
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Bertie is often preoccupied with Gert's whereabouts, especially after WWII. In what ways is his preoccupation reasonable? In what ways is it detrimental? Where is the line, if any, between healthy and unhealthy concern about a loved one?
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8
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140
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September 3, 2025
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When Karl shares his story in Chapter 9, no white space is used. Contrarily, when Hitler becomes chancellor, plenty of white space is used (pp 164-179). What do you think these narrative approaches are meant to express?
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7
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125
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September 3, 2025
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Throughout the novel, Bertie demonstrates a fixation with inanimate objects, such as where they came from and where they went. Why do you think this is?
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7
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159
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September 3, 2025
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In what ways do you feel community is expressed in this book? Which expressions are positive and which are negative?
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6
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134
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September 3, 2025
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What do you think "Das Lila Lied" ("The Lilac Song") means to Bertie, Sofie, Karl, and Gert? What do you think it represents in the story itself?
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5
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142
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September 3, 2025
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Bertie, Karl, and Sofie all show their grief and survivor's guilt in different ways. What are these ways and why do you think they differ from one another?
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3
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87
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September 3, 2025
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