Chapter 1

Question 1

1. Briefly describe the conditions in the prison.

Answer 1

The prison camp is dirty, dull and bare. Nothing pleasant ever
happened in the camp.

Question 2

2. Why do you think “the man” assists David to escape?

Answer 2

S.O.A. Possible answer: “The man” feels sorry for David. /
It is “the man’s” last day at the camp, so he has nothing to lose.
(p. 2)

Question 3

3. Why do you think David refers to this person as “the man”?

Answer 3

David hates him too much to use name.
“Giving him a name would be like admitting that he knew him; it
would place him on equal footing with the others.” (p.2)

Question 4

4. David breaks his silence by asking the man for a piece of soap.
   What is the significance of this action?

Answer 4

David had never asked the man for anything. David hated him
too much to ask him for anything and he also knew that it would
be of no use. Asking for soap shows us that David must really
want it very badly. (p.3)

Question 5

5. Why does David question the order given to him by the man?

Answer 5

David thought it was a trap. He knows that “the man” hates him
just as much as David hates him. (p.4)

Question 6

6. Why does he follow through with the escape?

Answer 6

“If you were fired at while trying to escape, you would be dead
within a minute.” (p. 4) The alternative would be staying in the
camp, waiting to die.

Question 7

7. Explain why David travels at night even though these conditions are
   tougher.

Answer 7

It would be much more difficult to see / and find David at night.

Question 8

8. When David crosses the bridge he almost hopes he will be caught. Why?

Answer 8

If he gets caught it would all be over quickly.

Question 9

9. Who is the ‘Johannes’ of whom David speaks?

Answer 9

Johannes was David’s best (only) friend in the prison camp.

Question 10

10. Why does the Italian soldier on the ship not take David to the captain?

Answer 10

David does not argue or run away when the sailor catches him. David has
the same look in his eyes as his grandmother did before she died. (p. 20 – 21)

Question 11

11.David cannot swim, yet he is prepared to jump into the sea with a life-belt.

Answer 11

Explain why he is willing to commit such a daring deed.
David’s body automatically prepared him for jumping into the sea. David himself
was so tired that he was beyond caring. (p.22- 23)