"Once" by Morris Gleitzman Flashcards
Who is the author of the novel “Once”?
Morris Gleitzman is the author of the novel “Once”.
What is the tagline of the novel “Once”?
“Everybody deserves something good in their life. At least…[Once]”.
Who is the narrator of the novel “Once”?
Felix, because he tells the story.
What is the setting of the novel “Once”?
The setting of the novel is Poland in 1942, during World War II.
What does the name Felix mean?
The name Felix means lucky. This is a good name for Felix because he survives many dangerous experiences, like being shot at by a Nazi soldier.
Also, Felix is full of hope and optimism (positive thoughts and feelings) even though he is a Jew trying to survive the Holocaust.
Is the novel narrated in the 1st person or the 3rd person?
The novel is narrated in the 1st person. Felix tells his own story using “I”.
Is Felix a reliable narrator? Does he understand all that he narrates?
No, Felix is not a reliable narrator. He often misunderstands the events that are taking place around him. For example, he thinks his discovery of a whole carrot in his soup is a sign from his parents that they are coming to the orphanage to get him.
Give at least 3 examples of themes of the novel “Once”?
Hope The impact or effects of war on children Childhood Innocence Kindness The power of storytelling The Holocaust
Who is the hero of the novel “Once”?
Felix is the novel’s hero, because he is the main male character in the story.
At the end of the novel we learn something unexpected about Zelda. What is it?
Zelda is a daughter of a Nazi soldiers. Her parents were Nazis who were more than likely killed by the Polish resistance.
“Once” is the title of the novel and each chapter starts with the word “Once”. Suggest a reason why?
Fairy tales begin with “Once upon a time…”. One of the novel’s themes is the power of storytelling.
The novel shows us how storytelling helps the characters deal with a very difficult situation: the Holocaust.
Story telling also acts as a way for readers to learn about and from events that they have not experienced first hand. For example, it helps us to learn about and remember the Holocaust in the 1940s.
Choose 3 adjectives to describe Felix?
- innocent or naive or gullible
- imaginative or creative
- kind
- brave.
- hopeful.
There are lots of other adjectives you could choose too.
List at least 5 adjectives that describe Felix.
kind hopeful, positive, optimistic innocent or naive creative brave funny or humorous foolish generous good-natured determined
Give one example that shows Felix is innocent or naive.
Felix is innocent or naive. For example, soon after he leaves the orphanage a soldier shoots at him and he thinks it is accidental. He imagines the truck the soldier is in drove over a bump that caused his gun to fire accidentally.
Give an example that shows Felix is imaginative or creative.
Felix is imaginative or creative. He is very good at making up stories. He tries to tell Zelda a story about her parents bringing her on a picnic when she asks about them. He tells a Nazi soldier a story to distract him from the pain of having a tooth pulled out by Barney.
