forgotten fire

Forgotten Fire Discussion Leader

Foreword

Discussion Leader

Summary:

• Armenia is between Europe and Asia• Throughout history-many invaders• Ottoman Empire (Muslim Turks) 16th century• By 1900s Muslim Turks Considered Armenian Christians

inferior and a threat to government’s security• Muslim Turks feared Armenian oppression would draw

attention to European powers (weaken already weak Ottoman Empire)

• Turkish leaders gave more rights back in 1908-lasted two years

• Decided to remove threat of European interference • Destroyed non-Muslim minorities (massacres and genocide)• Muslim superiority• Book told through the eyes of a twelve year old Armenian

Vocabulary • Page x • Massacre: mass murder • Genocide: the deliberate extermination of an

entire group of people based on race, religion, politics, etc.

• Holocaust: mostly referred to as the systematic mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during WWII (noun)/ mass slaughter and destruction of life (by fire)

Characterization• Page xi• Based on the true story of one

child (Armenian)

Literary Terms•Point of View: First Person

Passages • Right before the foreword begins• Adolf Hitler• No one remembers the

extermination of people

Questions• What does Hitler mean by this?• Why is it so important to remember

tragedies?• What do you think the central

conflict will be in this story based on the historical context?

Chapter One

Discussion Leader

Summary• Vahan Kenderian born in Bitlis which is a providence of Turkey

(once Armenia)• Remembers the details and beauty of this city with sensory

details on page 3 and 4 • On page 4, he recalls a superior attitude about the greatness of

his hometown• In 1915, Vahan was 12 years old (youngest child of one of the

wealthiest Armenians in Turkey)• He grew up with luxuries and never knew what suffering really

felt like• His father does not like his laziness/troublesome behavior and

insists that he needs to develop character and discipline because he has a poor attitude

• Vahan’s father leads by example, and he is honorable and dependable

• Vahan’s world is sheltered and safe/secure/ Childhood

Vocabulary

• Cobbled page 3 paved with small rounded stones• Blighting page 3 harming,

destroying, spoiling• Madzoon page 3 yogurt product• Consolation page 5 comfort, support

CharacterizationDirect Characterization• Page 4 Vahan Kenderian- wealthy, 12 years old,

youngest, small, stocky, strong, never knew life without luxery, troublemaker, lazy, poor attitude

Indirect Characterization • Page 5 Threw paper at friends (Manoosh and

Pattoo)• Fell asleep at desk, gave a teacher a disrespectful

look, skipped school, slacked on chores

CharacterizationVahan’s Father• Page 6• Direct Characterization• Leads by example• Honorable• Hard working• Helpful and dependableIndirect Characterization• Page 6 He was a man that others turned to for

support

Literary Terms• Setting• Bitlis (Providence of Turkey)

• Foreshadowing• Page 6-top of 7• Father tried to open Vahan’s eyes

“beyond the long white wall that surrounded our property…” to the “challenges of the real world.”

Passages

• Page “In my real world, there would always be this house I loved, the laughter of brothers and sisters, uncles, and cousins. In my real world, I would always belong, and I would always be happy.

Questions

What does this passage indicate?

What does Vahan’s father want him to do?

Why does Vahan not act more honorable like his father desires?

Chapter Two

Discussion Leader

Summary• Begins with a flashback to Vahan’s childhood home-shows

wealth and luxury• Introduces family members• Setting is established 1915 • Discusses the separation between the Turks and Armenians-

different languages, different schools, different churches• Turks are superior- Armenians must learn language• Rumors of an Armenian massacre at a near city years before • Vahan was not told any of the details • Vahan believes that the Turks in Bitlis are good, but reveals

that later finds out that they are the same

Vocabulary • Page 9 Suitors (potential

marriage proposals/courters)• Page 10 Massacre (mass killing)

Characterization• Direct Characterization• Diran: Oldest brother; hardworking; pride of family

(page 9)• Tavel: brother • Sisak: brother closest in age with Vahan (shares a

room) (page 8)• Uncle Mumpreh: plays piano (page 8)• Karnig: houseman • Oskina: sister (helps brothers with chores) indirect• Armenouhi: sister; pretty; ready for suitors (courting

for marriage)

Literary Terms• Flashback: • “If I close my eyes I can still see my

home…” (page 8)• Foreshadowing:• (page 10) “I would learn that some of

the Turks of Adana were also the Turks of Bitlis.”

Passages•Page 9 “I did not know we were enemies…”

Questions• What does Vahan mean by that statement?

• How does Vahan differ from his siblings?

• Why does Uncle Mumpreh say, “We can’t trust them,” on page 10?

Chapter 3

Discussion Leader

Summary • In the spring of 1915, policemen took Vahan’s father away• His father’s name is Sarkis Kenderian• Vahan’s grandmother, Toumia is the wisest and most

respected in the family and assured Vahan’s mother that he will be back

• Vahan’s father does not return• Vahan is worried• The audience sees Vahan is more of a child than he realizes

and he goes to see his mother because he is afraid• She assures Vahan that his father is away on business as

usual and she is not worried• Vahan feels better but he doesn’t believe his mother• His city began to change for the worse• Uncle Mumpreh is arrested for being a revolutionary

Vocabulary • Page 11 gendarmes: policemen• Page 12 antidote: cure, remedy• Page 14 renown: reputable,

famous, well known

Characterization• Sarkis Kenderian• Indirect Characterization: “It’s nothing…”

(confident)• Uncle Mumpreh says, “He knows more

about running this city than they do” (page 12) which indicates Vahan’s father is powerful and respected• Mother: (direct characterization) hazel

eyes, brown hair, tender smile, worrier

Literary Terms

• Foreshadowing page 14: stores closed, heard gun shots, screams, houses burned down, no more school, stay home

Passages

• Page 14 to top of 15 “There was no question now that this was our Adana…”

Questions• What does Vahan mean? What happened in Adana?

• Why does Vahan feel better after talking to his mother, but reveals that everything she said was a lie?

• What clues are given that Vahan’s childhood will soon be coming to an end?

Chapter 4

Discussion Leader

Summary • The gendarmes (police) took Uncle Mumpreh away-accused of being a

revolutionary • All of the rumors were true about the massacres/screams/suffering• It was only the beginning for Vahan• Providence of Van –Selim Bey governor-murdered thousands of Armenians• Hundred of Armenians marching through with Turkish soldiers/police –husbands

and fathers killed• Karnig (houseman) disappeared-No one tells Vahan (sheltered) Oskina informs

him he committed suicide by hanging himself after discovering his family was killed

• All men were shot on the way (march) to Diarbekir- Vahan’s father is assumed dead

• 8-900 Armenians marching through Bitlis • Tavel and Diran want to fight back; Sisak wants to esacpe- venerable

grandmother believes all will be fine because of power of Vahan’s father• Uncle Mumpreh was brought home with burns on his face and hands which

indicates he’s been tortured• Gives the women bags of poison just in case they need it, and the next morning

he was gone again

Vocabulary • Fortress: any place of

exceptional security• Haggard: worn; fatigued;

exhausted

Characterization• Direct Characterization:• Page 16 Uncle Mumpreh- father’s younger brother• Comedian, black sheep• Vahan and Uncle Mumpreh relate (both feel they are black sheep in

family)• Gifted student; dropped out of medical school• Page 17-18 Oskina tomboy; protective, motherly, mature

• Indirect Characterization: helps struggling people with minor medical issues

• Page 17 Selim Bey-governor of Van murdered Armenians by the thousands

• Page 18 Karnig: houseman hung himself

Literary Terms• Page 21 Foreshadowing: Uncle

Mumpreh gives the women in his family bags of poison to wear around their necks

Passages• …”Eight or nine hundred of them, all

Armenian, with soldiers and gendarmes on either side” (19).

Questions• Page 20 What do the burns on Uncle

Mumpreh indicate as an inference you can make?

• Page 21 Why does Uncle Mumpreh disappear again?

• Page 17 Why does Vahan smile after he discovers that all men were killed on their way to Diarbekir?

Chapter Five

Discussion Leader

Summary • Soldiers surrounded Vahan’s house• They question his mother where Uncle

Mumpreh is and if they are hiding anyone• The soldiers ask the age of Diran (19) and

Travel (17), and they take them all out to the garden and shoot Diran and Tavel

• Armenouhi rarely left her room-afraid• The soldiers came back a week later• They do not shoot anyone else but take

Vahan and his family to Goryan’s Inn

Vocabulary • Page 23 Ominous: Threatening• Page 25 Pallid: Pale• Page 30 Effrontery (noun):

arrogance, boldness, brashness,

Characterization• Direct Characterization• Diran: oldest son, natural leader, optimistic, 19

years old• Tavel: Diran’s best friend, 17 years old• Oskina- is a lot like her father

• Indirect Characterization • Vahan wants to comfort his mother but is too afraid • Oskina on page 30 questions with effrontery

(arrogance) where they are being taken

Literary Terms• Suspense “I looked up at the

street and my heart fell” (30)• Setting: moving to Goryan’s Inn

(30)

Passage • Page 23 “I did not know when I

opened my eyes the next morning that it was the last day of my childhood.”

Questions

• Why do the soldiers ask if they are hiding anyone?

• Why do the soldiers kill Diran and Tavel?

• Why don’t they kill Sisak and Vahan?