Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Summer of My German Soldier

 Summer of My German Soldier
type
TVTItem
 Summer of My German Soldier
label
Summer of My German Soldier
 Summer of My German Soldier
page
SummerOfMyGermanSoldier
 Summer of My German Soldier
comment
A popular YA novel by Bette Greene about Patty Bergen, a 12-year-old Jewish girl living in World War II-era rural Arkansas who befriends a German POW in a nearby camp named Anton Reiker. She shelters him after he attempts escape, while keeping him a secret from her family and the authorities.Rejected by publishers 37 times, it was published in 1973 and became an ALA Notable Book. A Made-for-TV Movie adaptation, starring Kristy McNichol as Patty and Bruce Davison as Anton, was made in 1978. That same year, Greene wrote a sequel novel, Morning Is a Long Time Coming, which met with a mostly lukewarm reception.
 Summer of My German Soldier
fetched
2023-06-06T08:27:46Z
 Summer of My German Soldier
parsed
2023-06-06T08:27:46Z
 Summer of My German Soldier
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_3ae6199a
type
Psychopathic Manchild
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_3ae6199a
comment
Psychopathic Manchild: Harry Bergen qualifies for the extent of his physical abuse of Patty alone (it's implied that he both beats and emotionally abuses his wife as well), while portraying himself as an upstanding businessman in the community. However, Anton secretly observes him ranting to himself one evening about how no one respects him before breaking down into Inelegant Blubbering while alone in his den.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_3ae6199a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_3ae6199a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_3ae6199a
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_44fc28e8
type
Honor Before Reason
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_44fc28e8
comment
Honor Before Reason: Averted. Anton says that, faced with the rise of the Nazis, his father chose "acquiescence and life rather than resistance and death. Not an honourable choice, but a very human one." Played straight by Anton when he runs out of his hiding place to try and protect Patty from her father, though she convinces him to turn back.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_44fc28e8
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_44fc28e8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_44fc28e8
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_47d35854
type
Intergenerational Friendship
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_47d35854
comment
Intergenerational Friendship: In the TV movie, which downplays the romantic nuances of the relationship between Patty and Anton.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_47d35854
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_47d35854
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_47d35854
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_4e3d253b
type
Downer Ending
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_4e3d253b
comment
Downer Ending: Anton is shot by the FBI in New York, Patty is tried for treason and sent to reform school where she realizes Ruth is all she's got left in the world.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_4e3d253b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_4e3d253b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_4e3d253b
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_697b5232
type
Those Wacky Nazis
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_697b5232
comment
Those Wacky Nazis: Subverted in that Anton is a patriot, but adamantly against Nazi ideology, and even goes on to decry it as brainwashing. The other German prisoners are basically never brought up again after they are in the Bergens' shop. At one point, Patty protests, "He's not a Nazi, he's German."
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_697b5232
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_697b5232
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_697b5232
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_6a696742
type
The Power of Love
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_6a696742
comment
The Power of Love: Anton and Patty tell each other that they love each other. It is with Anton's companionship that Patty gains self-esteem, and the love he gives her compensates for the love she does not get from her parents.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_6a696742
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_6a696742
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_6a696742
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_76dc3807
type
Alone in a Crowd
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_76dc3807
comment
Alone in a Crowd: Patty, after everyone goes away to Baptist Camp, and she realizes just how alone she is.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_76dc3807
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_76dc3807
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_76dc3807
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_88933ad4
type
Parental Favoritism
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_88933ad4
comment
Parental Favoritism: It's incredibly obvious that Sharon is the favorite child, but even Patty doesn't have it in her to resent Sharon for that. Even when Harry outright says that from the day Patty was born, she brought him nothing but misery. Wow.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_88933ad4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_88933ad4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_88933ad4
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_96e5792c
type
Moral Guardians
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_96e5792c
comment
Moral Guardians: This book has frequently been banned in schools due to its use of racial slurs, and candid portrayal of prejudices in the 1940s.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_96e5792c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_96e5792c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_96e5792c
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_984ef9ef
type
"Not So Different" Remark
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_984ef9ef
comment
"Not So Different" Remark: Dark example. On numerous occasions, the racism and paranoia of rural America is compared to those same aspects of German society which allowed the Nazis to rise to power. The novel also points out that cruelty and brutality exist everywhere and transcend nationality and race, as when Anton compares the cruelty of Patty's father, a Jewish man, to that of Hitler.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_984ef9ef
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_984ef9ef
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_984ef9ef
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_9dd2cbc2
type
CloudCuckooLander
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_9dd2cbc2
comment
Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Patty uses daydreams and fantasy to cope with her loneliness, isolation, and her parents' abuse.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_9dd2cbc2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_9dd2cbc2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_9dd2cbc2
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_aabe2fb
type
Deliberate Values Dissonance
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_aabe2fb
comment
Deliberate Values Dissonance: The book makes no bones about the prejudices of the 1940s.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_aabe2fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_aabe2fb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_aabe2fb
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_b11ac9f5
type
Abusive Parents
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_b11ac9f5
comment
Abusive Parents: Harry and Pearl Bergen. Harry is physically abusive, Pearl is emotionally abusive.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_b11ac9f5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_b11ac9f5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_b11ac9f5
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_b42b7e7b
type
Moral Myopia
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_b42b7e7b
comment
Moral Myopia: Major theme of the book, in that the Bergens have been treated unfairly for being the only Jewish family in a small Arkansas town. Despite the prejudice that the Bergens have faced, Harry and Pearl seem to have no problem with racist attitudes towards black people and are quick to think Anton is a Nazi or Nazi sympathizer simply because he is German.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_b42b7e7b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_b42b7e7b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_b42b7e7b
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c132c0c5
type
I Have No Son!
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c132c0c5
comment
I Have No Daughter: Harry outright tells Patty she is dead to him after finding out she was harbouring the escaped POW.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c132c0c5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c132c0c5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_c132c0c5
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c514c2c4
type
Gentleman and a Scholar
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c514c2c4
comment
Gentleman and a Scholar: Anton, in his general mannerisms and his protectiveness of Patty in the climax of the story. Before he was drafted, he was a medical student in Gottingen. Also qualifies as Officer and a Gentleman.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c514c2c4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c514c2c4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_c514c2c4
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c868a42a
type
Freudian Excuse
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c868a42a
comment
Freudian Excuse: Near the end of the story, we learn that Patty resembles Harry Bergen's emotionally abusive mother.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c868a42a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_c868a42a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_c868a42a
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_e13156e1
type
Mama Bear
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_e13156e1
comment
Mama Bear: Ruth. She gives a powerful Whoopi Epiphany Speech on how Patty's parents are incapable of giving her love, comparing them to the irregular and seconds products one sees when shopping— Patty has "irregular" parents.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_e13156e1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_e13156e1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_e13156e1
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_e621b159
type
A-Cup Angst
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_e621b159
comment
A-Cup Angst: Patty occasionally delves into this, wishing her bosom was larger after seeing a neighbor's enormous brassire hanging from a clothesline. She even considers praying to God for bigger breasts at one point, before deciding against it as it just might be blasphemous.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_e621b159
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_e621b159
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_e621b159
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_eeb86ce6
type
Good Samaritan
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_eeb86ce6
comment
Good Samaritan: Patty to Anton, even though she is committing a war crime.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_eeb86ce6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_eeb86ce6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_eeb86ce6
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_f65cce93
type
I Just Want to Be Beautiful
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_f65cce93
comment
I Just Want to Be Beautiful: Played straight with Patty, whose mother frequently talks behind her back about how homely her daughter is.
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_f65cce93
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_f65cce93
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_f65cce93
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_name
type
ItemName
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_name
comment
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Summer of My German Soldier / int_name
 Summer of My German Soldier / int_name
itemName
Summer of My German Soldier

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
American Literature (N to S) / int_82344b5d
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Don't Make Me Take My Belt Off! / int_82344b5d
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Mammy / int_82344b5d
 Summer of My German Soldier
hasFeature
Starbucks Skin Scale / int_82344b5d
 Summer Of My German Soldier
seeAlso
Summer of My German Soldier