Chapter 2

Question 1

1. Name three things of beauty which catch David’s attention after he
   reaches land.

Answer 1

• The blueness of the sea
• the colours of the landscape
• the villages with their brightly coloured houses
• trees with many changing tints of green
• the sun shining with a warm golden loveliness

Question 2

2. The first thing David wants to do is wash himself and his clothes. Explain
   why this is so important to him. Do you think this washing is only
   physical? Explain.

Answer 2

David is physically very dirty. He also wants to wash away all the bad
memories of the camp. (p.28)

Question 3

3. Why is David so afraid of people?

Answer 3

He does not know who he can trust and who he can’t trust.

Question 4

4. What rule did the prisoners in the camp make about food and why did
   they do this?

Answer 4

No one was allowed to talk about food because it would only make them
miserable and more hungry. (p.33)

Question 5

5. David makes a simple decision on the way to his hiding place. He feels
   strong and free afterwards Explain the reason for this.

Answer 5

His feet had carried him along. This time he had made the decision to cross
the road. This gave him a feeling of strength and freedom. From now on he
would think for himself and make his own decisions. (p. 30)

Question 6

6. Name three things of which David is ignorant.

Answer 6

David doesn’t know what’s good to eat and what is poisonous. (p. 32)
He has never seen a map and he doesn’t know where the various countries of
Europe are, where their borders are and which countries are free.
He doesn’t know how people live outside the camp. (p. 34 – 35)

Question 7

7. Describe the difference between the way the Italian people laughed
   and the way ‘they’ laughed.

Answer 7

When the Italians laughed it sounded pleasant, even beautiful. Like they
were happy and content. ‘They’ laughed at prisoners and it was an
ugly, cruel laugh. (p. 37)

Question 8

8. The priest and a woman have a conversation in which they mention
   several things about David that make him uncomfortable.
   What are they?

Answer 8

The woman says that David doesn’t look like the other casual workers
and that he has very strange-looking eyes. He doesn’t smile or run
away, he just turns and walks away. (p. 45)