Number the Stars Lies and Deceit Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

He prodded the corner of her backpack with the stock of his rifle. Annemarie trembled. "What is in here?" he asked loudly. From the corner of her eye, she saw the shopkeeper move quietly back into the shadows of the doorway, out of sight.

"Schoolbooks," she answered truthfully. (1.18-19)

Whew. Nothing to lie about here. Then why is she still so afraid? Goes to show you: the truth may not be your ticket out when it comes to the Nazis.

Quote #2

"Is it true, Papa?" she asked. "What the boy said?"

Papa thought for a moment. He always considered questions very carefully before he answered them. "Yes," he said at last. "It is true. Any Danish citizen would die for King Christian, to protect him." (2.22-23)

Annemarie has grown up in a house where truth gets top billing. This is probably why it's so hard for her to tell a lie later on—even when her life depends on it.

Quote #3

It was all imaginary, anyway—not real. It was only in the fairy tales that people were called upon to be so brave, to die for one another. Not in real-life Denmark. Oh, there were the soldiers; that was true. And the courageous Resistance leaders, who sometimes lost their lives; that was true, too. (3.59)

Have you ever tried to convince yourself that something wasn't true? Spoiler alert: that usually doesn't help. But you know what? It can be comforting, and we're totally okay with that.