What is the story of I Am David?
Published in English. I am David is a 1963 novel by Anne Holm. It tells the story of a young boy who, with the help of a prison guard, escapes from a concentration camp in an unnamed Eastern European country (according to geographical clues, probably Bulgaria) and journeys to Denmark.
How old was David when he was in the concentration camp?
12-year-old David has lived in a concentration camp for as long as he can remember. David was a strong, brave and intelligent boy who had been ripped away from his mother and put into a dreadful camp. His only friend in the camp, Johannes, died some time before from a heart attack, as is revealed in a flashback in Chapter 1.
What does David learn at the end of the story?
At the end of the story, David learns there is more in life than electric fences, dirt, and torture. He see's the beuty of life when Elsa's friend turns ot to be his mother and the guard who helped him escape is his father.
What does David find in the cave after he spends the day?
After having a bath, David finds a cave to spend the day in. Then he decides to go to the town nearby to learn about life outside of a prison camp. He is given, much to his surprise, a loaf of bread. He also finds a piece of newspaper that he uses to practise reading with.
Where is the concentration camp in I Am David?
BulgariaIn 1952, twelve-year-old David (Ben Tibber), who was raised in the Communist Belene Prison Camp in Bulgaria, witnesses the death of his friend and protector Johannes (Jim Caviezel) and escapes from the concentration camp in the night.
What is the theme of the book I Am David?
I Am David addresses the cruelties, politics, and suffering of warfare while celebrating the resilience and abiding optimism of youth.
Is I Am David set in ww2?
I am David - book cover. The novel is set in Eastern Europe during the second world war when Germany occupied Europe. Germany had erected P.O.W camps all over Europe and this novel is based on a boy called David who grew up in one of these camps in Bulgaria.
Where is David from in I Am David?
BulgariaSeven years after World War II, a 12-year-old boy named David (Ben Tibber) escapes a Gulag in Bulgaria where he has spent his entire life where his mother has been taken away from him.
Who is the man in I Am David book?
David is a 12 year old boy. He has lived all his life in a concentration camp somewhere in eastern Europe. He does not know anything about his parents or where he comes from, or why he is in the camp. All he knows is that he is David.
Is the book I Am David true?
"I Am David" is a historical fictional children's story, written by Danish author Anne Holm in 1963. The English translation was originally titled "North to Freedom." The climax of the novel centers on a revelation that 12-year-old David receives after escaping from his life as a prisoner in Russia.
Is I Am David about the Holocaust?
No-one answered, so I conclude that no one had a considered opinion on this text, or that no one could be bothered to discuss it, except one chap who said he thought David was a Jew and the book was about the Holocaust.
What age is I Am David suitable for?
Set in post world war 2 times, it tells a story of a 12 year old boys journey from a concentration camp to various parts Europe. recommend this for age 12 and up (or at the very least 10), as the themes are more relatable for that age group.
What happens in chapter 5 I Am David?
As the days pass, David becomes more and more comfortable in the house. He is listening to music, enjoying getting clean, and reading books, even when Maria's father, Giovanni, becomes amused when he insists on only reading books written before 1917, "...
What happens in chapter 4 I Am David?
His thoughts are interrupted when he is attacked by a dark haired boy, who accuses him of trespassing and, when David doesn't fight back, of being scared. David says he doesn't fight back because that would make him as bad and as violent as the boy, but adds that he can easily run off, which he does.
What happens in Chapter 1 of I Am David?
This novel for young people is the story of David, who is allowed to escape from a concentration camp and makes his way across Europe to a new home in Denmark.
What happens in chapter 5 I am David?
As the days pass, David becomes more and more comfortable in the house. He is listening to music, enjoying getting clean, and reading books, even when Maria's father, Giovanni, becomes amused when he insists on only reading books written before 1917, "...
What happens in Chapter 1 of I Am David?
This novel for young people is the story of David, who is allowed to escape from a concentration camp and makes his way across Europe to a new home in Denmark.
What happens in chapter 3 of I Am David?
I am David. David's compass falls into the sea and he is shattered. He decides to navigate by using the position of the sun. David helps an English tourist to find his spectacles and they give him a sandwich.
What happens in chapter 4 of I Am David?
His thoughts are interrupted when he is attacked by a dark haired boy, who accuses him of trespassing and, when David doesn't fight back, of being scared. David says he doesn't fight back because that would make him as bad and as violent as the boy, but adds that he can easily run off, which he does.
What is the book I am David about?
It tells the story of a young boy who, with the help of a prison guard, escapes from a concentration camp in an unnamed Eastern European country (according to geographical clues, probably Bulgaria) and journeys to Denmark. Along the way he meets many people who teach him about life outside ...
When was I Am David written?
This article is about a 1963 children's novel. For the 2003 film adaptation, see I Am David (film).
What happens to David in the winter?
When winter hits, David is traveling through the mountains, and he is held prisoner by a farmer who uses him for work. It is a hard season, but he is grateful to shelter at night in the farmer's stable until the snow melts. The farmer's dog, King, keeps him company through the winter. David knows that as the snow melts, he must escape from the bolted stable, as the farmer will soon hand him to the police. He makes a hole in the stable, digs a tunnel, and is free again. King catches up with him. Later, the dog gives his life to distract some guards in East Germany so that David can sneak over the border. David travels on through Denmark to Copenhagen where he looks up his mother's address in a telephone book, which he does find. Virtually at the end of his strength he knocks on the door of "the house" and introduces himself to his mother whom he recognizes from the picture he saw of her in Switzerland. His mother instantly recognizes him as her son David. Gladly she takes her son in to her house and that is the end of the story.
Why does David work for a circus?
Later, after visiting the town every day for a while, David uses the excuse that he works for a circus to explain why he is a polyglot and why he is traveling. Then he overhears people talking about him. He flees the town and travels north. On his way, he helps people, and sometimes they give him money.
How does the Italian sailor help David escape?
Thankfully, the Italian sailor decides to help David escape by lowering him down the side of the ship with a lifebelt on. He floats to land and, after climbing for a little way, promptly falls asleep. After having a bath, David finds a cave to spend the day in.
What does Sophie tell David about the woman?
Sophie tells him that the woman's husband and her child, a boy named David, were killed, but that a guard who was attracted to the woman allowed her to escape. He realizes he needs to travel to Denmark and find that woman, who is his mother. He also realizes that the guard, who became the commandant, has saved him because he was in love with David's mother. However, because she did not love him back, and he felt a need for revenge, he did not tell her that David was still alive.
What does David do in the story of the fire?
On his way, he helps people, and sometimes they give him money. Along his journey, David discovers the beauty of the world and slowly he changes his behavior and the way he interacts with people. He saves a girl named Maria from a fire in a shed where she was trapped.
Where did David escape?
Seven years after World War II, a 12-year-old boy named David (Ben Tibber) escapes a Gulag in Bulgaria where he has spent his entire life where his mother has been taken away from him. He sets out on a risky journey to Denmark, initially believing he is on an important mission to deliver a letter, but eventually discovering that the "mission" was to reunite him with his mother, of whom he has distinct memories. Along his journey, he faces danger, fear, loneliness, hunger, missions and encounters various people.
What does the guard tell David?
The guard also tells him to trust no one. Since David was locked in a camp all his life, he has repressed feelings and trusts no one anyway, and so feels lost and disoriented in the world. Along his journey, though he is mistreated by some people, he is well-treated by others.
Is I Am David a positive movie?
The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics. Based on 34 reviews collected by the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 38% of critics gave I Am David a positive review, with an average rating of 5.2/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 47 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote: "I couldn't believe a moment of it, and never identified with little David."
Where does David go when he reaches Copenhagen?
As soon as David reaches Copenhagen, he looks up his mother's address in a telephone book and goes to her house. She immediately recognizes him. He is home.
How does David's life outside camp change him?
Gradually David's life outside camp changes him. He learns how to interact with people outside a camp setting. He saves a girl who is trapped in a burning barn. The girl is called Maria and her family are so grateful they invite David to stay with them for a while. However, they start to worry that he knows too much about pain and death. They also grow concerned about the nature of his relationship with Maria. Hearing them speaking with suspicion, David leaves a note and runs away. Later in his journey he sees that Maria's parents have put a note on the newspaper offering a home to him and saying that they understand his character completely.
What is the name of the boat David sneaks on?
David jumps onto a truck that is going to Salonika and when they arrive finds a boat labeled "Italy". He sneaks aboard but is discovered; fortunately the sailor who finds him takes pity on him and lowers him gently into the ocean wearing a life belt so that he can float ashore. David comes ashore and finds a cave and sets up a makeshift home before exploring the town below the cliff. People start to wonder who he is and he tells them he is with a traveling circus. However, their suspicion makes him uneasy and he decides to head north.
What is David thankful for in the mountains?
It is now winter; David is a prisoner of a farmer in the mountains exploiting him for work. Despite this David is thankful for the shelter and food this slavery offers him. He develops a close bond with the farmer's dog, King. As the snow thaws David digs a tunnel in the softening ground under the stable and both he and King escape. King is incredibly loyal to David and later sacrifices his life to save David by diverting the attention of the armed guards at the East German border.
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Who cares about David?
There is a commandant who cares enough about David to make sure that he has access to food and even vitamins and one day, inexplicably, sets up an escape for him. He hides a get-away bag for him outside the fence and turns of the electric current in the face momentarily so that David can escape.
Who is Sophie in David's journey?
Another important person on David's journey is Sophie, a middle-aged woman from Switzerland. She is an artist and wants to paint David.