What follows in Spinelli's novel comprises the main themes of Milkweed: “Misha's” search for his true identity and his need to belong . He is a blank slate, and is quick to associate himself with any group that appears to be in control of its surroundings and that accepts him into its ranks.
What does milkweed symbolize?
Milkweeds symbolize remembrance, dignity and freedom .
How does Misha change in milkweed?
Misha's identity evolves through the novel , and he desperately seeks somewhere he can belong. He finds a home with Uri and the orphan boys, and also with the Milgroms. After they are gone, however, Misha is lost. He is forced to re-evaluate his own identity.
What is the problem in milkweed book?
An internal conflict is going on inside a character and Misha's main conflict is actually the main theme of the book: identity. Here is a boy who is an orphan. He has no idea who he is. Because he steals in order to obtain food in order to live, he has the name of “Stopthief.” It is bestowed upon him by others.
Why is the book called milkweed?
Milkweed is a symbol of hope and an angel . The first time Misha and Janina saw a puff of milkweed they thought that they were being watched over by an angel. At this time they thought that they would go to heaven and have a happy ending to life. Jerry Spinelli has created a novel that is really emotional.
Is milkweed good for anything?
Although potentially poisonous, the plant has been used for medicinal purposes as well. Many indigenous tribes applied milkweed sap for wart removal and chewed its roots to treat dysentery. It was also used in salves and infusions to treat swelling, rashes, coughs, fevers and asthma.
Is milkweed toxic to humans?
Milkweed contains cardiac glycosides that are poisonous to humans , but the level of toxicity depends on the species, age, and how it's prepared and eaten. ... Milkweed poses the greatest danger to grazing animals, but there are reports that show that animals avoid it.
Is Misha a gypsy in milkweed?
Essentially, Misha has no stable identity . ... At various points in the story Misha adopts the persona of a gypsy, a Jew, and a member of the Milgrom family but without actually being any one of them. It is this lack of a fixed, stable identity that sets Misha apart from the other characters in the story.
Who are the 4 main characters in milkweed?
- Stopthief / Misha Pilsudski. At the beginning of the story, Stopthief is a young orphan boy living on the streets of Warsaw, Poland, stealing food to survive. ...
- Janina Milgrom. ...
- Uri. ...
- Mr. ...
- Mrs. ...
- Uncle Shepsel. ...
- Doctor Korczak. ...
- Buffo.
What made Misha the perfect smuggler?
What makes Misha the perfect smuggler? The stealing, the speed, the size, the rash stupidity .
What is the 1st thing the main character remembers milkweed?
MILKWEED opens in darkness. We hear the voice of an old man. “ I am running ,” he says. “That's the first thing I remember.
What happens to Janina in milkweed?
Milgrom's death, Janina becomes despondent, but she regains some of her old spark after Misha goes to great lengths to smuggle an egg for her . When Misha tries to get Janina to run away from the ghetto to avoid the deportations, she throws a fit and refuses to leave.
Who are the flops in milkweed?
Flops are Jewish people who have been assigned to guard and police the population in the ghetto .
Why did Uri shoot Misha in milkweed?
By wounding Misha and rendering him unconscious so that the Nazis would have thought he was dead , Uri had saved his friend from being put on the train to the concentration camps, where he would have been killed in the ovens.
What are the jackboots in milkweed?
Nazis that charged and bombed Warsaw in the story. Called jackboots for their large, shiny, black boots . Often terrorized and beat up Jews (and Gypsies) living in the city. “They were magnificent.
What country does Misha migrate to milkweed?
Misha Pilsudski was born in Russia and immigrated to Warsaw, Poland , with his father, who is a horse trader and his mother, who tells fortunes. Uri gives Misha Pilsudski many siblings and a favorite horse named Greta. Uri also attempts to explain why Stopthief/Misha is an orphan.
