Summer of My German Soldier
| Author | Bette Greene |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. |
Publication date | 1973 |
| Publication place | USA |
| Media type | book |
| Pages | 199 (1993 paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-440-21892 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: length |
| Followed by | Morning is a Long Time Coming |
Summer of My German Soldier is a book by Bette Greene. It was first published in 1973.
The story is told in first person narrative by a twelve-year-old Jewish girl named Patty Bergen living in Jenkinsville, Arkansas during World War II. The story focuses on the friendship and consequences of Patty and an escaped German POW named Anton. Patty first meets Anton when a group of German POWs visits her father's store. Anton teaches her that she is a person of value. In return, she protects Anton by temporarily hiding him above her father's garage, without her family's knowledge. Anton leaves Patty and embarks on a journey back to his home in Germany. In the book version, Anton is shot in New York City several days later while trying to run away from authorities. Two FBI agents come and force the truth out of Patty. Patty is sentenced to go to a girl's reformatory school for six months during which Ruth, the Bergen's maid, visits her. Patty then realizes what she can do with her life and decides to go overseas to see Anton's mother.
Plot
A new POW Camp is being established in the area [1]. As the Nazis get off of the train Patty wonders whether the Nazis are truly as fierce as they are portrayed with their powerless looks, sad faces, and standard clothing [2]. Patty then goes over to her parents department store where she tells her father that one of the Nazis attempted to escape [3]. That Sunday her family goes to visit her mothers side of the family [4]. Rebelling against her mother's instructions, Patty accepts money from her grandmother. The next day Patty is working at her parents department store. The POWs arrive to buy hats to keep them from fainting in the Arkansas sun [5]. Anton, the English speaking Nazi, buys a pencil sharpener, stationary and a diamond pin from Patty [6].
Patty heads over to Memphis to visit her grandparents. [7] Patty spends time with her loving grandmother shopping, walking, and spending her money on items. One Saturday Patty got a chance to work at the shop. [8] Her father was pleased to hear news about the on going war. Since her father praised her she got greedy and "wanted [mom] to be pleased with her too" [9]. Her mom sends her over to Miss Reeves "from the beauty parlor." [10] Patty asks her mother "please for once in your life listen to me." [11] Miss. Reeves tells Patty that she is "Messing up something beautiful."[12] Anton escapes and Patty brings him food.
Patty Bergen has the guilt of hiding a POW that she believes she loves. She is lying to her family and government. "Well, this might be the same prisoner I waited on." [13] she said when asked if she had seen the POW, Anton Rieker. While investigation the escape of Anton, FBI workers and reporters swarmed the little Arkansas town like bees. Among these people was Charlene Madlee, the reporter that would inspire Patty to do something big, but maybe not being a journalist like Charlene. "A journalists life might be fun but fun, like champagne bubbles, can't completely fill you up." [14] Anton and Patty continue tying their bond tighter by sitting in her garage and just talking While they are together, Anton recounts his life before the war, including his family and hometown in Göttingen. Teaching her about words, teaching him about something deeper, emotions. Ruth discovers Anton, but decides that she will keep it a secret "No, Ruth, I'm telling you Yes [sic]. Yes, he's the one." [15] Patty is learning though that perhaps, true love can be the strongest determining factor in even the roughest situations.
After finding out about Anton, Ruth decides she must meet him. Before Anton left, he gave Patty with a golden ring "this ring was made by Germany's best goldsmith." [16] Being herself she wanted to tell someone, so she told Sister Parker who immediately grew suspicious. He told her uptight father who believed her made up story. The sheriff was immediately called and decided that is was an overreaction. He believed her story about the old man giving it to her, but didn't think like her dad that he touched her. Patty's father was not so content with the conclusion that nothing inappropriate happened "No, I'm not satisfied. I'm a long way from being satisfied." [17] Later, two FBI agents went to the Bergen home to question Patty. They press her until she cracked. They tell her that Anton was killed while trying to escape. She just lost her innocence and best friend.
Harry Bergen Patty's father calls their lawyer in Memphis to help defend Patty. [18] Mr. Bergen started yelling Patty for helping a "God damn Nazi". [19] Ruth tries to defend Patty and ends up getting fired. [20] She heads for Memphis the next day and gets harassed by the towns people. [21] Charlene comes over and brings some good news about Patty's case. (168)
Chapter 19 begins with Patty riding "along the Highway rows of never-been-painted tenant shacks" [22] in Calvin Grimes car. Mr. Grimes stops at a diner for some food [23]. He is not supposed to do that though which shows he understands what Patty is going through [24]. The place where Patty is going to is the Jasper E. Conrad Arkansas Reformatory for Girls [25]. 32 days later Patty begins to wonder if she will ever be able to talk to Antons parents. Then Patty remembers what Charlene did to help Patty after and during the trial. Then Ruth Arrives they talk about how things are going back in Jenkisville. Ruth gives Patty some fried chicken and Antons's ring back. Once Ruth leaves the book ends with Patty wondering what will happen to her next.
Characters
Main characters
- Patricia Ann Bergen: Patty is a troubled 12-year-old living in Jenkinsville, Arkansas during World War II. She feels abused by her father and is insulted by her mother, but eventually begins to learns to love herself, independent of their opinion. Patty is very intelligent and intellectually curious, particularly about words – something that is shown to be in stark contrast to most of the other inhabitants of her town. She can also be naive and unworldly; when the German POWs disembark the train at the beginning of the story, Patty alone is inclined to return an ironically friendly wave from one of the soldiers (probably Anton). She is also unique in her response to the prisoners in that she does not take a reactionary dislike to them, and is immediately attracted to Anton for his intelligence and obvious decency. Her feelings for Anton are semi-romantic, despite the 10-year age gap. She may also see a positive paternity in him that she does not have in her own father. She is left grief-stricken by Anton's death, but also stronger by their friendship and by his good opinion of her. She is sent to a reformatory school for her actions, but has begun to develop her own moral compass and a sense of self.
- Frederick Anton Reiker: Anton comes from Germany, but is half English (his mother is from Manchester). His English-educated father is a professor of history who gets into trouble for making fun of Hitler in lectures. Anton has no sympathy either with the Nazi party or its ideology. He speaks perfect English and is intelligent and practical (in contrast to Patty's initial naivety) – he devises a plan to escape the POW camp and mask his scent to evade recapture by a K-9 unit. His friendship with Patty develops as she keeps him in hiding and he demonstrates his love and compassion. Shortly after leaving Patty, he is captured in New York City and is then shot for attempting to escape. He dies at a nearby hospital. In the film version, he apparently never makes it out of Arkansas, and is shot in the county, seemingly just outside Jenkinsville.
- Ruth: The Bergen's black maid who takes care of Patty and Sharon. She is very caring of Patty and is the most influential person in her adolescence. Patty's best friend.
Minor characters
- Harry Bergen: Harry is Patty's abusive, tyrannical, ignorant father who runs a local department store. Known for flirting with women, Harry had an impoverished childhood that resulted in saving every penny he had. Harry seems to loathe his elder daughter, but asks himself why he isn't loved. He tends to favor his younger daughter, Sharon.
- Pearl Bergen: Pearl is Patty's vain mother. She often negatively comments on Patty's looks and behavior, both directly to her daughter and to others in and out of her daughter's hearing. She shows no regard for Patty's interests or opinions in any matter, down to the way Patty wears her hair. She is portrayed as being selfish and self-absorbed in character, though extremely skilled in her role as a saleswoman. She, too, tends to favor her younger daughter, Pearl.
- Sheron Bergen: Patty's younger sister. She seems to be loved by everyone in Jenkinsville, including Patty. Patty is occasionally jealous of the adoration and encouragement her sister receives from their parents but is very fond of her sister. While her parents dote on the younger child, Patty's love manifests itself in wanting to help Sharon to 'grow up good.' Patty sees beyond Pearl's showing-off a good deal of unspoken wisdom.
- Freddy Dowd: Patty's only school friend. Patty's father doesn't approve of their friendship, possibly because he is poor, or because he is a Gentile. In one instance Harry Bergen beats Patty with his belt when he catches her with Freddy. Freddy is slow and naive, and does not understand Patty's reluctance to be friends with him, which she feels unable to explain truthfully to him.
- Edna Louise Jackson: Patty's rich friend. Along with most of the children Patty is friendly with, Edna goes to Baptist camp for most of the summer. Patty wants to be able to go to, but her father does not permit her to go because she is Jewish. It is revealed at one point that Edna's grandfather cheated Ruth's mother out of her lifesavings, an example of the themes of hypocrisy and injustice that the book addresses.
- Charlene Madlee: A reporter and a friend of Patty's. Patty admires her works. Tells Patty her charges near the end of the book.
- Sister Parker: Works at the department store, was there when Anton first came in. The person Patty goes to when Anton gives her the golden ring. Tells Mr. Bergen about the ring after her suspicion grows.
- Calvin Grimes: The man in charge of driving Patty to the Reformatory. Mr. Grimes is a kind man who is sympathetic towards Patty.
- Sheriff Caudwell: The town sheriff who is called when Mr. Bergen believes someone touched Patty. Also, helps with town investigations.
Themes
Bette Greene expresses many themes in this novel. This includes prejudice against German soldiers. Many of the townspeople were prejudiced against Anton. Another theme is pride and self-esteem. Patty's self-esteem increased throughout the book. As she grows to learn more about Anton her self-esteem grows. Racism gets greatly expressed throughout the book. Ruth and many other blacks in town have jobs as servants for white families.[26]
Adaptations
In 1978 the novel was turned into a made-for-television film of the same title, Summer of My German Soldier. It was fairly well received and won an Emmy and a Humanitis award. In the movie Anton was shot outside of Jenkinsville, not in New York City. Patty was played by Kristy McNichol and Bruce Davidson played Anton. Davidson has appeared in many films and recently has had cameos on television shows such as CSI, Ghost Whisperer, and Numb3rs. [27]
A new musical version of the novel with music and lyrics by David Brush and Jim Farley opened in Ohio in August 2003, staged by Encore Theater Company.
Reception
Bette Greene is a well established author who has won many awards for her classic novels. Summer of My German Soldier has won ALA Notable Book along with New York Times Book of the Year (1973) and National Book Award Finalist. Her work is described as "courageous and compelling" by Publishers Weekly. She is known for her writing and deep emotion it brings out. [28]
References
Notes
- ^ Greene, p.1
- ^ Greene, p.3
- ^ Greene, p.17
- ^ Greene, p.19
- ^ Greene, p.33
- ^ Greene, p.33
- ^ Greene, p.47
- ^ Greene, p.61
- ^ Greene, p.63
- ^ Greene, p.64
- ^ Greene, p.64
- ^ Greene, p.69
- ^ Greene ,p.83
- ^ Greene, p.99
- ^ Greene, p.112
- ^ Greene, p.134
- ^ Greene, p.147
- ^ Greene, p.159
- ^ Greene, p.160
- ^ Greene, p.161
- ^ Greene, p.165
- ^ Greene, p.170
- ^ Greene, p.173
- ^ Greene, p.174
- ^ Greene, p.178
- ^ http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/tbw/viewWorkDetail.do?workId=1714
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078341/fullcredits#cast
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0142406511/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
Sources
- Greene, Bette. Summer of My German Soldier. Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers: New York, New York,1993. ISBN 0-440-2189-6