Forgotten Fire

1. Forgotten Fire Discussion Leader

2. Foreword Discussion Leader

3. 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

4. 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)

5. Characterization • Page xi • Based on the true story of one child (Armenian)

6. Literary Terms • Point of View: First Person

7. Passages • Right before the foreword begins • Adolf Hitler • No one remembers the extermination of people

8. 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?

9. Chapter One Discussion Leader

10. Summary • VahanKenderian 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

11. 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

12. Characterization Direct Characterization • Page 4 VahanKenderian- 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

13. Characterization Vahan’s Father • Page 6 • Direct Characterization • Leads by example • Honorable • Hard working • Helpful and dependable Indirect Characterization • Page 6 He was a man that others turned to for support

14. 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.”

15. 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.

16. Questions What does this passage indicate? What does Vahan’s father want him to do? Why does Vahannot act more honorable like his father desires?

17. Chapter Two Discussion Leader

18. 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

19. Vocabulary • Page 9 Suitors (potential marriage proposals/courters) • Page 10 Massacre (mass killing)

20. 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)

21. 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.”

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

23. 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?

24. Chapter 3 Discussion Leader

25. Summary • In the spring of 1915, policemen took Vahan’s father away • His father’s name is SarkisKenderian • 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 • Vahanis 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

26. Vocabulary • Page 11 gendarmes: policemen • Page 12 antidote: cure, remedy • Page 14 renown: reputable, famous, well known

27. Characterization • SarkisKenderian • 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

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

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

30. 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?

31. Chapter 4 Discussion Leader

32. 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 –SelimBey 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

33. Vocabulary • Fortress: any place of exceptional security • Haggard: worn; fatigued; exhausted

34. 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 SelimBey-governor of Van murdered Armenians by the thousands • Page 18 Karnig: houseman hung himself

35. Literary Terms • Page 21 Foreshadowing: Uncle Mumpreh gives the women in his family bags of poison to wear around their necks

36. Passages • …”Eight or nine hundred of them, all Armenian, with soldiers and gendarmes on either side” (19).

37. 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?

38. Chapter Five Discussion Leader

39. 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

40. Vocabulary • Page 23 Ominous: Threatening • Page 25 Pallid: Pale • Page 30 Effrontery (noun): arrogance, boldness, brashness,

41. 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 • Oskinaon page 30 questions with effrontery (arrogance) where they are being taken

42. Literary Terms • Suspense “I looked up at the street and my heart fell” (30) • Setting: moving to Goryan’s Inn (30)

43. Passage • Page 23 “I did not know when I opened my eyes the next morning that it was the last day of my childhood.”

44. 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?