The Paris Daughter

Compare and contrast the characters of Juliette Foulon, Elise LeClaire, and Ruth Levy. Consider in particular their attitudes towards the children in their care and their reactions to the trauma and hardships of war. Analyze how this reinforces themes of maternal duty and care.

Elise tells Olivier that his duty is to his family rather than to his country and tries to persuade him to abandon his work with the French Resistance (1, 5, 33). Discuss how the novel explores concepts of moral duty and culpability, particularly in the context of Collaboration and Nazi atrocities. What do the later chapters say about this theme as well?

The text is divided into three parts and many short chapters. How does this structure help to convey and illuminate the deeper messages of the novel? What role does the years-long time skip between Part 2 and Part 3 play in illuminating the text’s themes?