Salt to the Sea Essay Questions

What function do the motifs of the hunter and the "bang" serve in Salt to the Sea?

The author uses the motifs of the hunter and the "bang" to draw a strong parallelism between the four narrators in the opening and closing sections of the novel. At the beginning of the novel, each of the four narrators hears the bang of gunshots or artillery. This parallelism highlights that despite their different social positions under to the Nazi regime, each shares important similarities. Each is a young person forcibly separated from his or her home and family due to war. Each is in danger and afraid of death. Moreover, each narrator bears a heavy burden after four years of war, and each feels persecuted by his or her emotional realities.

Salt to the Sea is a work of historical fiction. What are some of the real historical events that the novel refers to?

The novel refers to real historical events such as Operation Hannibal, during which over two million Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, ethnic Germans, and residents of the East Prussian and Polish corridors were evacuated. The Wilhelm Gustloff was a real ship that participated in Operation Hannibal. It took off from the port of Gotenhafen on January 30, 1945, with German officials and civilians, as well as refugees from Prussia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, and Croatia, on board. The Amber Room is also real, though historians are still unsure what happened to its contents. Prussian royalty created the Amber Room in 1701. In 1716 they presented the room to the Emperor of Russia, Peter the Great, as a gift.

Why did Sepetys choose to tell the story through the eyes of multiple, first-person narrators?

Sepetys tells the story through the eyes of multiple, first-person narrators because she wants to represent the different perspectives of young people from different nations involved in World War II. Sepetys explains that World War II stories are often portrayed in stark lines of black and white. Yet understanding each narrator's history, family dynamics, and emotional realities helps the reader to understand that nothing is black and white. By understanding each narrator's different perspective, we gain a richer and more nuanced understanding of history.

What does Emilia's pink hat symbolize?

Emilia’s pink hat is a symbol of survival and the regeneration of life despite all odds. The hat accompanies Emilia throughout her journey. When the refugees at the cathedral appear to be a mass of gray faces, Emilia's bright, pink hat stands out as a sign of life. After giving birth in the infirmary, Emilia is no longer wearing her hat. She feels disconnected from her baby after remembering the trauma of her rape. Yet when Florian visits Emilia in the infirmary, he finds her pink hat and puts it on the baby, as if to show Emilia that the baby is a symbol of Emilia’s own survival and the survival of her Polish lineage.

Why did Sepetys choose to write about the tragic sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff?

While there are many important stories of World War II, Sepetys chose to focus on the story of the Wilhelm Gustloff, because even though it is the deadliest disaster in maritime history, most people have never heard of it. Often, stories of war focus on great battles or famous historical figures. Yet Salt to the Sea brings to life the stories of World War II’s millions of refugees. In this way, Salt to the Sea questions which elements of history are preserved and which are forgotten. She insists that it is important for us to preserve the memory of those who perished and to give a voice to the survivors of historical tragedies.