Snow Treasure

Compare Peter’s act of throwing snowballs in the novel’s opening chapter to his later act of throwing a snowball at the Commandant in the novel’s climax. Explore how these two scenes exemplify both the changes in Riswyk in the two months of the novel’s action, as well as Peter’s resultant change and growth.

Living in a challenging environment requires people to adapt with ingenuity. How are the Norwegians’ ingenuity, resilience, and forward planning showcased in their scheme to safeguard Norwegian gold?

Peter glorifies his uncle Victor Lundstrom as being brave and adventurous; Victor’s ingenuity in dreaming up the scheme of using children to transport gold highlights his bold and unconventional approach. Viewed in another light, how might Victor’s scheme be considered callous and irresponsible? Consider the horrendous treatment of Polish people, including children, at the hands of the Nazis as outlined by Jan Lasek in Chapter 24.

An allegory is a story whose characters and events symbolize more abstract concepts or philosophies. How does McSwigan use this story as an allegory to highlight the power and resilience of children?

Although McSwigan’s story is biased toward the Allied forces (e.g., the Norwegians are characterized as brave and resilient, and the Americans epitomize freedom), McSwigan deliberately depicts some German soldiers negatively and others positively. What purpose does this serve in the overall narrative? Choose at least two characters and compare and contrast their actions in your response.

Peter hopes to defy the Nazis bravely, but instead, he feels “horribly afraid” when he is captured and imprisoned (146). What lessons might McSwigan hope to convey to her readership about facing stressful and overwhelming moments in their own lives?

Peter contrasts his father, who works in a bank, with his uncle Victor, whom Peter believes is the epitome of bravery and adventure. Do you agree with Peter’s assessment of his father as comparatively less brave and daring than Victor? Can you find evidence that contradicts Peter’s view of his father as comparatively cowardly and boring?

Irony is employed when the Commandant dismisses the Norwegians as “dumb, stupid cattle” (81). Contrast instances of Norwegian intelligence and ingenuity with German ill-preparedness and foolishness.