Ursula Hegi's "Stones From the River" Quiz

Answer: dwarf

Her name is Trudi Montag and she is a strong, brave girl and woman. Yet she is not perfect. She can be spiteful, envious, and vindictive.

Answer: She is crazy.

Trudi's mother Gertrud is crazy from the time of Trudi's birth. Yet, Trudi loves her mother very much and spends a lot of time with her until Gertrud's death when Trudi is 4.

Answer: He is very kind.

All of the women of Burgdorf are attracted to Leo Montag, but he remains true to his dead wife. He was very kind and loving to his wife, daughter, and to everyone in town. Many people come to him with their troubles and he always listens sympathetically.

Answer: They run a pay library.

Most of the books in the library are romances, cowboy tales, and thrillers. Leo has his own library of literary works, but most of these are banned during the Nazi years.

Answer: Hans-Jurgen Braunmeier

Hans-Jurgen is a cruel little boy who grows up to be a serial murderer. He is one of four boys who sexually assault Trudi in the Braunmeiers' barn.

Answer: Trudi's dog

The dog's name means "seal", or "sea dog", yet he is afraid of water. He is a loving, faithful dog all of his life.

Answer: because they betray her

Many of Trudi's friends become ashamed to be friends with her because she is a dwarf. This happens with Eva, Georg, and Klaus. Her friend Ingrid never feels this way, however. Neither does Jutta or Max.

Answer: True

Although there are some admirable characters in the book who are Catholics (such as a few Catholic clergymen who help Jews to escape), the author seems to feel that the majority of priests and nuns acted in a hypocritical, cowardly mannner during the war.

Answer: another swerg who is an animal trainer

Pia is very important to Trudi, because the animal trainer teaches the girl that there are many other small people in the world, and that she is just as good as other people.

Answer: her storytelling

Trudi uses storytelling to relate to other people and sustain herself through hard times. Once, her talent even saves her life when she tells an inventive tale to a Nazi officer who holds her prisoner.

Answer: She hides a mother and son in her home.

Trudi, her father, and several other brave townspeople hide Jews in their homes and help them escape from Germany.

Answer: Klaus Malter

The dentist kisses her while they are dancing, but later he seems ashamed of this.

Answer: She answers his newspaper ad.

When Max advertises for a lady friend, Trudi writes a fake response, describing herself as "Angelica", a tall, beautiful woman. She waits for the duped recipient in a cafe and gives him a fake note from "Angelica", saying he is too pitiful to consider. Max soon figures out the ruse, and becomes interested in Trudi. Much later, they become lovers.

Answer: No

Perhaps she would have married Max, but he is killed in the bombing of Dresden.

Answer: kids in doe-brown uniforms

The first character to show up in a Hitler Jugen uniform is Helmut Eberhardt, who later turns in his mother to the Nazis.

Answer: False

At first it seems that way, but Burgdorf soon catches up with the rest of Germany.

Answer: after the war

He dies near the end of the novel. Trudi is in her 30s by this time. The whole town grieves and tries to help Trudi with her grief.

Answer: Emil Hesping

Emil is the same man who was in a motorcycle accident with Trudi's mother (and possibly had an affair with her) while Leo was fighting in World War I. Emil embezzled money in order to buy surprise gifts for the people of Burgdorf. He also engineered a sort of underground railway for Jews escaping the Nazis.

Answer: because he allows the SS to take his wife, who is Jewish

Alexander marries Eva Rosen. Trudi hides Eva, but the young wife sneaks back to spend the night with her husband. The next morning, the SS comes for her.

Answer: Trudi's uncle and aunt in America

Ursula Hegi wrote another book about Trudi's relatives who moved to New Hampshire.