Analysis of Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: Characters, Plot, and Setting
Delve into the intricate web of characters, plot points, and setting details in Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity. Explore the protagonist, Verity, and her best friend Maddie as they navigate espionage amidst the backdrop of World War II. Unravel the complexities of their experiences with the Nazi occupation forces and Gestapo in France, set against a timeline punctuated by key events from 1938 to 1943. Witness a tale of bravery, friendship, and sacrifice as these young women confront unimaginable challenges in a war-torn world.
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CODE NAME VERITY BY ELIZABETH WEIN
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY FAMILY BACKGROUND Born in NYC in 1964 Father (Norman) sent to England for work in 1967 Moved to Kingston, Jamaica because of her father s work in 1970; lived there until 1973 Parents divorced in 1973 Elizabeth and younger siblings (brother and sister) move to Harrisburg, PA. Mother (Carol Flocken) died tragically in a car accident in 1978 Grandparents raised her, books kept her alive Particularly inspired by fantasy authors JRR Tolkien and Ursula K. LeGuin Began writing at age 14 Currently lives in Scotland with her husband (Tim) and their two children
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY EDUCATION AND OTHER WORKS Education Attended and graduated from Yale University Earned a Ph.D. in Folklore from University of Pennsylvania Genre primarily Young Adult Literature/YA Fantasy-Science Fiction The Lion Hunter Series (5 books) and The Young Pilots Series (3 books) Awards and Honors Edgar Award and Printz Honor Book (Code Name Verity) Africana Book Award (Black Dove, White Raven)
CODE NAME VERITY ANALYZING PLOT POINTS Main characters Protagonists there are two different 1stperson narrators who tell equal amounts of the story Verity (Julia) Young woman of noble birth; refers to herself as Queenie Maddie Grandchild of Russian Jewish immigrants Interested in motorbikes and mechanics because of grandfather s bike shop Antagonist(s) The Nazi occupation forces and French collaborators in France
CODE NAME VERITY ANALYZING PLOT POINTS Setting: The main story takes place between November 8th, 1943 and Nov. 28th, 1943 During this time, Verity is in the custody of the Gestapo in Ormaie, France. The story includes flashbacks from the years 1938-1943 Verity recounts for her interrogators how she came to be a spy for the British government and the details that led to her capture in France Her story is intertwined with that of her best friend and pilot, Maddie Brodatt The story eventually ends with a letter dated Dec. 26th, 1943
CODE NAME VERITY ANALYZING PLOT POINTS Exposition story takes place during World War II the war has been going on since September of 1939 France is occupied by the Nazis. The Gestapo are the Secret State Police of Nazi Germany; during the war they had two main tasks: hunt Jews and tackle the threat of resistance movements Gestapo interrogation methods included Near drowning in ice water Electric shock to hands, feet, ears, and genitalia Beatings with rubber nightsticks and cowhide whips Burning flesh with matches or soldering irons Night and Fog Decree (1942) Policy of German government Suspected anti-Nazi s would vanish without a trace and never be seen again Usually arrested in the middle of the night, interrogated/tortured, killed or sent to concentration camp to die
CODE NAME VERITY ANALYZING PLOT POINTS Conflicts in the novel: all the conflicts in the novel can be traced back first to the war itself. Main Conflict The main conflict is Man V. Man The war itself is a Man V. Man conflict between the Axis forces (Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan) and the Allied forces (Great Britain, France, America, and the rest of the free world) Verity is being held by the Gestapo and tortured by her Nazi Guards In particular, she has direct Man V. Man conflict with SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Amadeus von Linden (the Nazi captain in charge of her interrogation and torture) and FraulienAnna Engel (the Nazi guard who translates Verity s confession) Secondary Conflicts Man V. Self Verity knows that she is betraying the Allies, her own country, and her friends by confessing under torture. She feels terrible about it, but has accepted the fact that this confession will end in her death either at the hands of her Nazi captors or as a result of being tried as a Nazi collaborator after the war
CODE NAME: VERITY ANALYZING THEME It is impossible to talk about this book without talking about the friendship between Maddie and Verity (Julia). What is the novel trying to teach us about friendship? A true friend s impact on your life can t be quantified, and a true friendship lives on even after one of the friends is gone. Quotations to support theme statement (Make sure you can and do explain how your quote(s) relate back to the theme statement) It s like being in love, discovering your best friend. But a part of me lies buried in lace and roses on a riverbank in France-a part of me is broken off forever. A part of me will be unflyable, stuck in the climb. And this, even more wonderful and mysterious, is also true: when I read it, when I read what Julie's written, she is instantly alive again, whole and undamaged. With her words in my mind while I'm reading, she is as real as I am. Gloriously daft, drop-dead charming, full of bookish nonsense and foul language, brave and generous. She's right here. Afraid and exhausted, alone, but fighting. Flying in silver moonlight in a plane that can't be landed, stuck in the climb alive, alive, ALIVE.
ARTWORK For my artwork, I chose to recreate Maddie s pilot notebook, which like her, survived the crash in France. The pilot s notebook is key in the novel, as Maddie records the details of her crash, her alliance with the Damask resistance group, and ultimately, the truth about Julie s confession and her death.
IF THERE IS A FILM VERSION OF YOUR NOVEL You must include a slide where you detail the differences between the novel and the film. You must include enough details that I am sure you didn t just watch the movie without reading the novel.
REACTION/RESPONSE/OPINION RECOMMENDATION I whole heartedly recommend this novel to any reader. While the obvious target audience would be teen girls and women (who can relate to the friendship between Maddie and Julie), because the novel is set during World War II, there is a great deal of action that I think would make this book an enjoyable read for guys too. I would not recommend it for the faint of heart, especially because Part I goes into detail of Julie s and the other POWs torture at the hands of the sadistic Nazi guards. Certainly if you like history or aviation, this is a fantastic novel for you as you get a great many details about WWII and flying planes during WWII. I would definitely read another novel by this author.
