Briar Rose is in some ways an attempt to correct people's stereotypes and misconceptions about World War II. It makes a point, for instance, of demonstrating that not all of the victims of the war were Jewish. (Josef, for instance, defies our expectations in more ways than one; he's gay, not Jewish, and not Gemma's love interest.)
Even Becca, who is herself Jewish, didn't know about the existence of labor or extermination camps. She didn't know her own grandma had been in Europe during the war.
Real wars are sprawling and complicated, heroism is sometimes hard to recognize, and the stories we encounter don't always capture these nuances very well. And the effects of a war don't just end when the fighting is over; they have a legacy. That, too, isn't necessarily straightforward.
Questions About Warfare
- Josef doesn't see himself as a hero. Do you think Gemma saw him that way? Why or why not?
- What is the legacy of World War II in Chelmno?
- How was Josef's experience as a prisoner different than Gemma's?
Chew on This
Briar Rose paints a realistic picture of Holocaust survivors, warts and all.
Briar Rose celebrates the heroism of Holocaust survivors like Josef and Gemma.