Karel Character Analysis in The Hiding Place

A friend of Willem’s at seminary. Meeting Karel as a teenager, Corrie immediately falls in love with him. Several years later, during celebrations for Willem’s wedding, Corrie and Karel share a brief courtship, even discussing a shared future together before Willem gently tells Corrie that Karel will never marry her because his parents are insistent that he marry a wealthy woman. Several months later, Karel introduces another woman to Corrie as his fiancée. Although Corrie feels devastated, she asks God to help her forgive Karel; eventually, she feels that she selflessly loves him and is able to pray for him and his wife sincerely. This episode helps convince Corrie that forgiveness is not only a moral imperative but a way to feel closer to Jesus.

Karel Quotes in The Hiding Place

The The Hiding Place quotes below are all either spoken by Karel or refer to Karel. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

God loves Karel—even more than you do—and if you ask Him, He will give you His love for this man, a love nothing can prevent, nothing destroy. Whenever we cannot love in the old, human way, Corrie, God can give us the perfect way.

Related Characters: Father / Casper ten Boom (speaker), Karel, Corrie ten Boom

Page Number and Citation: 60

Explanation and Analysis:

Karel Character Timeline in The Hiding Place

The timeline below shows where the character Karel appears in The Hiding Place. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

As a teenager, Corrie is attending one of Mama’s impromptu parties when she meets Karel, one of Willem’s friends from seminary. She takes one look at him and falls in... (full context)

...and Nollie travel to Willem’s university to visit. His friends soon arrive at his apartment, Karel among them. Corrie is surprised and thrilled to see that he remembers her, even after... (full context)

...after Willem’s ordination, he and Tine get married. Corrie is especially excited because she knows Karel will be there and see her in her new silk dress and intricate hairdo. When... (full context)

...Dutch Reformed Church. Friends and family converge on Willem’s parish and stay for days, including Karel. As soon as he arrives at Willem and Tine’s house, he takes Corrie on a... (full context)

One morning, Willem corners Corrie and gently tells her that if Karel has implied that he’s serious about her, he’s leading her on. Karel’s family is determined... (full context)

Soon after this, Karel returns to his own parish, but not before urgently pleading with Corrie to write him... (full context)

...he will comfort her with some platitude about finding someone else, even though she knows Karel is the only love of her life. Instead, he tells her that when love is... (full context)

For now, Corrie tries to get over her feelings for Karel “without giving up the joy and wonder that had grown with it.” She prays fervently... (full context)

...ailments. As Nollie walks down the aisle, Corrie recalls her old dreams of marriage to Karel. She knows that by now she’s too old to get married; like Betsie, who has... (full context)

...God has “accepted the faltering gift of my emotions,” because she’s able to think of Karel with sincere love and no anger. She prays for him and his wife, knowing that... (full context)