Pick three of the central characters and choose one sad story that each of them seeks to conceal. What are their motivations for doing so? In your opinion, are they right? Why, or why not?

In the book’s early pages, Czesław uses his “golden hands” in carpentry. Using textual evidence, examine what other ways he fixes things for himself and others as the story progresses.

Consider Poland’s political atmosphere during and shortly after World War II. Using textual evidence and other sources, explore how foreign ideologies might have impeded the nation’s ability to move beyond its past.