Is Salt to the Sea sad?

It takes place during WWII and focuses on the lives and stories of four different characters- Alfred, Joana, Emilia, and Florian. It's such a sad book but sooo worth it and you will not be able to put this book down.

Is there romance in Salt to the Sea?

'Salt to the Sea' effectively blends World War II history with teen romance. In this World War II story, set during the sunset hours of the terrible conflict, Ruta Sepetys effectively spins a tale that is equal parts romance, thriller, and real life dystopia.

Who all dies in Salt to the Sea?

Ultimately, both Emilia and Alfred perish. The book concludes with a glimpse into the future. Joana and Florian live in the United States. They have Emilia's baby, the boy Klaus, and a child of their own.

What is the moral of Salt to the Sea?

Telling the truth frees Eva from the tragedy the others endure. Eventually, sharing one's secrets also liberates others.

Why does Joanna feel guilt?

Joanna is haunted by her conscience, which is largely what motivates her to help others. She begins the novel with the words “Guilt is a hunter”(1) and later she tells Florian, “I am a murderer” because she feels responsible for the death of her cousin's family.

Ruta Sepetys discusses her new novel, SALT TO THE SEA

Why is Emilia's Hunter shame?

Hunters are persistent, they patiently await the perfect moment to strike. Emilia Stożek states that “Shame is a hunter”(5). Emilia feels constant shame because she has been raped and impregnated by Russian soldiers, she copes by convincing …show more content…

What does Emilia's pink hat symbolize?

Emilia Stozek wears a pink hat in Salt to the Sea. For her, her hat is a symbol of regeneration that takes place due to the war.

Did Emilia get raped in Salt to the Sea?

The hideous story of her pregnancy unfolds: Frau Kleist, August's mother, gave Emilia to Russian soldiers when they tried to take August's sister. The Kleist family watched as Emilia was “dragged to the cold cellar” and raped (239).

Is Salt to the Sea based on a true story?

At the center of "Salt To The Sea" is the true story of a doomed German ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Late in the war, this one-time cruise ship became part of a massive evacuation of German soldiers and civilians plus refugees from Poland, Lithuania and beyond. All were fleeing the advancing Soviet army.

What happened at the end of Salt to the Sea?

The letter at the end of "Salt to the Sea" is from a woman who tells Florian that she found Emilia's body on a raft, washed up onto their property. The letter provides closure to those who might want to know what happened to Emilia.

Who got Emilia pregnant in Salt to the Sea?

One of the four narrators, Emilia is a fifteen-year-old girl from Lwów, in southeastern Poland. Emilia's father sent her to safety to the Kleist's farm in East Prussia. There she became pregnant when Russian soldiers raped her. Emilia is a highly perceptive, intuitive young woman who feels deeply connected to nature.

Do Joana and Florian end up together in Salt to the Sea?

Joana and Florian get married, raising Emilia's baby and the little boy. The novel ends on a bittersweet note when Florian, twenty-three years later, reads a letter from a woman who discovered Emilia's raft on her beach in Denmark a month after the ship sank.

Who is Clara at the end of Salt to the Sea?

Clara Christensen is a woman who lives with her husband on the coast near the sinking site of the Wilhelm Gustloff. They were the ones who found Emilia's body, but they never knew who she was.

What is the plot of Salt to the Sea?

In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff.

What is the conflict in Salt to the Sea?

The conflict of Sepetys' Salt to the Sea is the main characters' fight for survival, as Joana, Florian, and Emilia are all refugees seeking to escape... See full answer below.

Why should you read Salt to the Sea?

Salt to the Sea is a great book for teens to read because it is educational in history and in morals. This novel provides readers with another view of what refugees lived through during the tragic World War II era.

Why is the book called Salt to the Sea?

Salt To The Sea Title Meaning

Throughout this WW2 novel, we realize how much bigger the world is and our small part in it. War takes away personality–with the goal to dehumanize–just like salt blends and dissolves into the sea. Sepetys' mission is to bring these quiet but powerful stories to life.

Will Salt to the Sea be a movie?

Universal Pictures is developing a movie based on Ruta Sepetys' historical novel “Salt to the Sea,” and set up the project with “Transformers” producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. The studio won the rights in an auction.

Which war does Salt of the Sea take place in?

“Salt to the Sea” chronicles a nigh-unknown refugee story from World War II in the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German refugee ship fleeing the onslaught of the Soviets in 1945, which constitutes the single greatest maritime disaster in history. Over 9,300 evacuees died, including about 5,000 children.

Who does Emilia remind Joana of in Salt to the Sea?

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Even though Emilia is Polish and Florian is German. Florian allows her to stay with him because she reminds him of his little sister Anni.

What name is on Emilia's identification papers in chapters 83 129?

What name is on Emilia's identification papers in Section 3? Una.

What secret did Alfred reveal to Hannelore?

Alfred's final letter to Hannelore reveals the truth about their relationship and why he could never truly love her. Alfred reported Hannelore's Jewish father.

Why does fate hunt Florian?

Fate is hunting Florian, a young East Prussian man carrying a grave secret and prized treasure that could seek revenge on Adolf Hitler. Shame is hunting Emilia, a Polish girl merely trying to survive after various persecutions from the Germans and the Russians.

Who is the bravest character in Salt to the Sea?

However, Joana, the girl who protected and nursed the characters shows the most bravery. She defied Nazi beliefs, and saved people from being tortured, and ultimately slaughtered by the cruelty of Hitler's followers.

What point of view is Salt to the Sea?

Point of View

The point(s) of view in this novel are, in fact, used as a narrative device. The chapters are not numbered, as with "traditional" novels, but are all named after one of either four of the main characters - Florian, Joana, Emilia and Alfred - who tell their version of events as they experience them.