Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Milkweed, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Identity and Relationships
War, Dehumanization, and Innocence
Ingenuity, Resilience, and Survival
Family
Summary
Analysis
The only food Misha manages to steal on the other side of the wall is a jar of pickled herring. He eats a piece and gives the rest to the Milgroms. Janina studies her piece of herring with wonder and then savors it slowly. No sooner have the Milgroms eaten than there’s the sound of a machine gun and orders being screamed. Uncle Shepsel yells in terror, but Mr. Milgrom calmly hands Misha an extra armband and guides the family into the chaos outside.
Misha has the satisfaction of helping the family he’s growing to love. However, their happiness is short-lived as they’re interrupted by terror outside. Since Misha’s lack of an armband would raise questions, Mr. Milgrom provides one for him, showing that he’s already developing a sense of fatherly protectiveness for the boy.
Themes
Outside, screaming Nazis force all the residents to line up in the courtyard under bright lights. It’s snowing. Mr. Milgrom whispers to them to stand at attention. Misha thinks that with his armband, he is Jewish now too. He listens to the soldiers’ shouts, but he can’t understand much besides words like “dirty” and “filthy.”
Outdoor, all-night lineups like these were a common tactic for terrorizing ghetto residents. Despite the awful circumstances, Misha feels included in something bigger than himself for the first time. Even the soldiers’ dehumanizing words don’t destroy his willingness to be identified with the Milgroms and their community.
Themes
As they hear screams and the sounds of people being struck, Mr. Milgrom reminds Misha to remain at attention. Misha takes it as a challenge, intending to give the best attention ever. The Jackboots continue to scream at people and club them. Misha feels briefly proud when the soldiers pass him by. He resists the urge to call, “Hey, look at me!”
Misha’s reaction is an example of the subtle dehumanization that could occur in an oppressive place like the ghetto. As a young, naïve child, Misha wants the Nazis’ approval for his ability to comply with their arbitrary commands, not realizing the deeper implications of the situations.
Themes
They’re forced to remain at attention for so long that people start falling over; the ones who don’t fall over have a pile of snow on their heads. Misha feels the snow on his head and holds even more still, not wanting it to fall off. He pictures himself as a stone cemetery angel. Then he faints, but Mr. Milgrom hauls him to his feet before the soldiers notice.
The people who are able to successfully comply with the soldiers’ commands are clearly distinguishable from those who cannot. On one hand, this allows Misha to turn the ordeal into an innocent game. On the other hand, this also turns the situation into something subtly divisive.
Themes
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Finally, at dawn, the soldiers let them go. Everyone stampedes back to the buildings and either rushes to the bathrooms or collapses on their beds. When Misha wakes up later that day, he hears Uncle Shepsel ask why Misha is allowed to sleep with them—he isn’t family. Mr. Milgrom replies, “He is now.”
Having survived the lineup alongside the family, Misha is now considered to be part of the family. In other words, suffering together is one aspect of what constitutes a family.
Themes
