Essay Question:

Discuss the effectiveness of the author’s choice to use themes in the novel,
Hitler’s Daughter
You are to complete the following template. This template will form the basis of your essay

Question  Evaluate and discuss the effectiveness of the author’s choice to use themes in
Deconstruction: the novel
 Briefly describe THREE themes (find more info on page 2)
Main Points / Focus: 1. The reason for the author’s choice to use these themes in the novel
2. The effect of using them: allows for multiple perspectives including the
power of reflection and hindsight offered to the reader
3. The message the author wanted to convey by using these themes - varied
perspectives around history, morality, ethics, war, politics, bigotry, racism,
discrimination, love, acceptance, hate and genocide are explored
Response Structure:
Introduction: G (General): This is a general thought/comment/idea about the question you need
to answer
E (Expand): This is where you expand on your general idea. You link your general idea
to the ideas of the text. You also introduce the text(s) you will be using.
L (Link): This section is where you link your ideas in one or two sentences. You need
to refer back to the main ideas of the question and link the G and the E together.
Theme 1

Idea: You clearly state the overall idea of your

paragraph
Expand: You explain your idea in more detail by
specifying ideas you will include in your
paragraph
Quote: You offered a quote to support your idea
Technique: You highlight the technique used in the
quote you have nominated. All the
meanwhile, linking back to the idea and
question
IEQTEL
Explanation: You explain how the quote and technique
demonstrate the idea you are attempting
to show and, in turn, answer the question
Link: You show the overall link of your
paragraph by summarising it in one
sentence

1
 Theme 2

As above
IEQTEL

Theme 3

As above

IEQTEL

Conclusion / L (Link): Linking the overall ideas you have discussed in a summary sentence or two
Summary by linking to the question
E (Expand): Expand on these ideas by highlighting the main points you have
attempted to show by linking to the question
G (General): End with on overall general statement which shows the main idea(s) in
one sentence

Main Themes

1. Moral dilemmas: Good and evil / 'right' and 'wrong'

The character of Mark is confronted by moral dilemmas and issues raised in Heidi's story. Are parents
always right? How do we know when they're right or wrong? Do we just accept that our parents have
different opinions from us in order to keep family harmony? In the most extreme moral dilemma, Mark
wonders what conflicts would occur if his parents were evil. For Mark, he imagines what Heidi would have
felt when she found out what evil crimes her father committed.

How the theme is expressed?

Think of when Mark asks many questions of his parents in the novel. Mark's parents eventually answer
Mark with various hypothetical (imagined) situations. Mark learns that his parents would still love Mark if he
was evil, but they would not excuse his actions. Mark admires his parents' values through his constant
questions. Remember, Mark is inspired and a little 'spooked' by Heidi's secret life in the dark world of Hitler.

Relevance to you/empathy
Have you ever been in situations where you have disagreed with the attitudes or actions of your parents or
friends? Why did you disagree? Did you say or do something in response? Otherwise, imagine a number of
hypothetical situations where you are faced with a moral dilemma. What is the moral problem and how
might you respond to it?

2
Notes:

 It is clear from the novel and history that Hitler and the Nazis committed many horrendous crimes
(Motivated by racist views against Jews and non-Aryans).

 Heidi's character journey is representative of Hitler's evil. Readers are not surprised that Hitler
cannot show love for his daughter. In an evil act, Hitler sends his daughter to almost certain death.

Quotes from the novel

 (Mark asks his father on p45) 'If you did things like Hitler did-really bad things-what do you think I
should do?'

 (Mark asks his mother on p90) 'If everyone... thinks something is right, but you know it's wrong,
what do you do then?'

2. Racism, prejudice and intolerance

Prejudice, intolerance and discrimination involve a situation when an individual (or a group of people) are
treated unfairly and differently. An extreme form of prejudice is racism. Racism involves the belief that a
certain culture, ethnic group or race of people is inferior (of less human worth). Racist individuals can hold
racist attitudes or also commit racist crimes.

How the theme is expressed?

Hitler murdered and imprisoned six million Jews based on his racist views. Hitler was prejudiced against
any non-Aryan individual or group. Ben's father is apparently racist toward Asian-Australians. Mrs Latter
dislikes racism and intolerance, yet she displays little tolerance of other people with her critical outbursts.

Relevance to you/empathy
Do you know someone who has racist attitudes or displays racist actions? Racism is unacceptable in
Australia's multicultural society. What can we do to promote tolerance in our society? Jackie French is
encouraging the reader to think about his/her own attitudes and to think about some important issues in
Australian society. How can we prevent racial violence? To compare the present with the past, find out how
Australia's Aboriginal peoples were treated in the early colonial history of Australia. Is the novel 'right' to
compare the experience of Aboriginal people with genocide of the Jews?

Quotes from the novel...

 (Mark asks Anna on p68) '...are some people better than others...?'

 (Mark to his friends on p69) 'Ben's dad says that Asians are all criminals. But that can't be right can
it? I mean how do we know?'

3. Parent-child relationships/the actions and attitudes of parents

Parent-to-child relationships are an important theme in Hitler's Daughter. Parents or guardians play a vital
role in ensuring children are safe, happy and well-educated. Mark thinks about what the children of evil
people are like. Mark's teacher and Mark's mother assure him that the children of evil parents are not
necessarily going to be evil as well. Through his questioning, Mark finds that he has excellent role-models
in his life. Mark also realises that he might disagree with some of his father's views about Aboriginal land
rights.

3
How the theme is expressed?
Mark and his friends have caring and sensible parents, 'But are parents always right?' Mark asks. Parents
are humans and all humans make mistakes and are not perfect. This is why Mark and Bonzo complain
about their parents. Or why Ben's father's views about Asians are unacceptable. Further, Jackie French is
encouraging us to imagine how Hitler or an evil person would treat their children. Why did Duffi hide his
daughter from others? Did Duffi love Heidi?

Relevance to you/empathy
You will know how important your parents are in helping you to make a successful transition into adult life.
Yet you may also like to think about your own parents' attitudes about current affairs and Australian society.
Do you have opinions which are similar to those of your parents?

Quotes from the novel...

 (Mark reflects on p77) People should do what they thought was right. But what if what you thought
was right, was wrong?

 (Bonzo to Mark on p80) 'Didn't parents ever learn anything at school? They can't ever answer
anything right.'

 (Hitler rejects Heidi on p123) 'Take her away,' said Adolf Hitler. 'Now! Do you hear me? Now!'

4. Learning from history and examining issues in your own society

Hitler's Daughter raises many questions about society. Hitler abused his power to promote his extreme
ideas about the 'perfect' German race (The Aryans). In so doing Hitler enacted racist policies toward non-
Aryans. Think about the children's world of country Australia. Mark listens to the views of Mrs Latter, Mr
McDonald and his parents. There is criticism of the Australian Prime Minister. There is mention of the
treatment of Aboriginal peoples. Mark wonders why Ben's father is racist and why Mrs Latter is so critical of
so many people.

How the theme is expressed?

Nazi Germany was a terrible time and a frightening place for children like Heidi to be. Modern-day Australia
is a wonderful place for children to grow up. Perhaps the point of this theme is for young readers to think
about how Australia could be improved as a society. In what ways does racism exist in Australia? Do all
Australian children have good lives and good parents like Mark and his friends? Why is Mrs Latter so angry
about things in Australia?

Relevance to you/empathy
Hitler's Daughter refers to a number of issues in Australian society and history. Think about what you know
or feel about these issues. There is reference to racism/intolerance toward Asian Australians. Reference is
made to past genocide (mass killing) of Aboriginal peoples and also to Indigenous land rights. The novel
also has more general issues for you to empathise with. What about your own parents' attitudes, your
attitudes and your friends' attitudes to Australia?

Quotes from the novel...

 (Mark asks his father about his grandfather's land on p85) 'But what if he didtake it from the
Aboriginal people... just suppose. It wouldn't be our fault, would it?'

 (Mrs Latter to the children on p69) 'People just don't THINK, that's the trouble'.

 (Anna explains why Heidi goes to Australia on p134) '...she wanted a new life... a real life, like
everyone else, with a family and friends to laugh with'.