The Cage

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939 is regarded as the event that triggered the start of World War II. Describe the scene at the onset of the war. Who were the main participants in the war? What was life like in Poland when the Germans attacked? Describe how Poland was affected during World War II and specifically during the Holocaust.

Teaching Suggestion: Students will likely have a cursory understanding of the forces and primary events that animated World War II; they may also know that Auschwitz-Birkenau, located in Poland, was one of the largest and most brutal concentration camp during the Holocaust. That said, students may be lacking in background on how Poland, specifically, fared during World War II. For a more nuanced understanding of The Cage, it will be helpful to spend time guiding students through a Polish-focused history of the war. Consider accessing or sharing these or similar resources with students to help inform this work.

• “Invasion of Poland, Fall 1939” is a short article from the online Holocaust Encyclopedia that gives key facts and other contextual background regarding Germany’s invasion of Poland.
• “Witness the German Invasion of Poland (1939)” is a 4-minute video that shows the scope of the invasion and its effect on Polish citizens, including Polish Jews.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners and different learners—or for any student who has a less advanced understanding of World War II history—it may be useful to spend more time on this prompt, discussing in depth the nature of World War II and the Holocaust: the participants, the outcomes, and the lasting effects of the war that can be seen in modern life. Articles such as the Holocaust Encyclopedia’s “World War II: In Depth” and videos like “The Story of Poland’s Armed Forces in Exile—WW2 Documentary Special” will provide students with deeper background on Poland’s role in World War II and on the history of World War II in general.

2. Hanukkah and Passover (Pesach) are two holidays with significance in the novel. What are the origins and/or meaning behind one or both of these celebrations?

Teaching Suggestion: The Jewish experience is central to The Cage. In discussing and learning more about significant Jewish holidays, students will make connections between the text’s themes of Nature and Life Cycles and Humanity and Community Memory. Note that Jewish students may be inclined to share their personal experiences and understanding of these certain traditions and customs; be sure to make space for them to share these experiences with the class.

• “About the Jewish Holidays” is a summary by the University of Massachusetts’s department of Religious and Spiritual Life, which gives a brief summary of each of the major Jewish holidays.
• “What Is Passover?” is a brief video that gives an overview of the traditions of Passover, also known as Pesach, in the Jewish faith.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Reading can help people through hard times. Beloved song lyrics help heal a broken heart after a breakup, a favorite book eases the pain after losing a loved one, a warm poem helps soothe the empty feeling of loneliness. Has any text, whether it be a song, a book, or a poem, helped get you through tough times?

Teaching Suggestion: The theme of Education, Writing, and Books is key throughout The Cage, but especially in how Riva’s writing provides a kind of spiritual nourishment to other women in the concentration camp. Students should be encouraged to share their own experiences in using written texts as a balm to help work through difficult times. These texts, as loosely defined in the prompt, may include not only books and poems but also songs, theater texts, and any other form of written communication.

• The books in the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series offer inspiring stories geared to different needs and interests. Younger readers may enjoy “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Extraordinary Teens,” while adult readers may like “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People.”
• “Poems of Hope and Resilience” is a collection of poems by the Poetry Foundation to help inspire and uplift.