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Varian Fry’s Grave Responsibility

45 min

Walk-In-The-Shoes Questions
As you read, imagine you are the protagonist.

  • What challenges are you facing?
  • What fears or concerns might you have?
  • What may prevent you from acting in the way you ought?

Observation Questions

  • Who was Varian Fry?
  • What did Varian Fry do during the opening years of World War II?
  • What do Varian Fry’s actions say about his identity?

Discussion Questions
Discuss the following questions with your students.

  • What is the historical context of the narrative?
  • What historical circumstances presented a challenge to the protagonist?
  • How and why did the individual exhibit a moral and/or civic virtue in facing and overcoming the challenge?
  • How did the exercise of the virtue benefit civil society?
  • How might exercise of the virtue benefit the protagonist?
  • What might the exercise of the virtue cost the protagonist?
  • Would you react the same under similar circumstances? Why or why not?
  • How can you act similarly in your own life? What obstacles must you overcome in order to do so?
  • Students will analyze Varian Fry’s performance during the opening years of World War II.
  • Students will understand how a sense of responsibility guided Varian Fry’s actions.
  • Students will apply this knowledge to better understand responsibilities in their own lives and how they can act upon them.

Student Handouts