Dave at Night

Significance

The author (Gail Levine) is trying to tell you her father’s life story in a different way. Gail Levine used her father experience in a Hebrew orphanage to let the reader know what life in an orphanage might be like. This piece matters because it shows what life in the 1920’s was like. I chose this book because I knew that we had to write a historical fiction piece and this book was historical fiction and it seemed interesting. I also chose to read this book because I had read the Newbery Honor book Ella Enchanted, by the same author.

Perspective

Gail Carson Levine is the author of this piece of work. The time period of this book was the 1920’s. Her personal experience by being Jewish and having a father who grew up in an orphanage affected this story a lot. In the story the author pointed out the racial prejudices of Mr. Doom and other people at that time. I can relate to the religious aspects of this book because I am Jewish.

Evidence

There are a few arguments the author is trying to make. First when you are given a bad situation you can make it a good one. Next that race, religion, and age don’t have to keep people apart. Levine supports all these arguments by different situations that Dave (the main character) and his friends get themselves into. The fact that Levine’s father grew up in an orphanage provided her with tales of his childhood which she was able to use in the story.

Connection

After this time period many racial prejudices have changed. Now days more kids are placed in foster homes instead of orphanages. This book reminded me of a book where the main character, Bud lived in an orphanage and foster homes. This book will inspire me to read more historical fiction books.

Supposition

If you changed Dave’s family’s position in life Dave might have had a different tale. If the story’s characters were different or kinder the book would be different ending. If Levine’s father hadn’t lived in an orphanage she wouldn’t have had a personal connection to write this book. She might have written the book in a different time period, changing the story completely.