The Light in Hidden Places

The Diamants become Stefania’s second family. She works for them in their shop, and when her sister moves, she lives with them. They take care of her, and, in return, she tries to save their lives. Cameron doesn’t pay much attention to Mr. Diamant. However, Mrs. Diamant becomes a role model for Stefania and a motherly figure. She calls her “my ketzele” (12), and Stefania calls Mrs. Diamant “my babcia” (22). Mrs. Diamant teaches Stefania valuable life lessons that Stefania puts into practice during the war and genocide. Mrs. Diamant tells her that “sadness can become cruelty” (38), and Stefania tries not to let the traumatic violence make her apathetic or selfish. Thinking about Mrs. Diamant reinforces her resolve to save the brothers and other Jews. Stefania says, “My babcia would have wanted me to save her sons” (183).

Two of the brothers—Henek and Chaim—are relatively minor characters. Chaim is a dedicated doctor. He tries to “heal starving people in the ghetto’s hospital with no food and no medicine” (99). He doesn’t jump from the train and presumably dies in the camp. Henek can come across as stubborn. He wants to return to the ghetto when his girlfriend, Danuta, insists it’s a death sentence. Henek is also risky. He takes a big chance by sending Danuta a letter when she runs away from him and stays at Stefania’s apartment.

The two brothers who play semi-pivotal roles are Izio and Max. Izio is Stefania’s first romantic interest, and Max is her second romantic interest. Izio flirts with Stefania right away when she starts to work at the store, and Max flirts with Stefania when he’s not hiding. Stefania loves Izio, and his death traumatizes her. Later, after much deliberation, she realizes she loves Max. Max is a leader and clever. He comes up with the idea to build the bunker, and then he creates a better hiding place in the attic. Max also takes chances. He wanders out of the ghetto and hits a policeman. Max’s relationship with Stefania has a Hollywood ending: The story ends with them kissing.

Aside from Max and Henek, the other Jews that Stefania hides are Dr. Schillinger, Danuta, Hirsch, Monek, Sala, Malwina Bessermann, Siunek, Dorlich, Cesia, Janek, and Dziusia.

Dziusia is Schillinger’s daughter, and Schillinger is a dentist. He’s clever and pretends to be Stefania’s upset boss in front of the police. Cesia and Janek are Malwina’s kids, but they play the role of parents and try to calm Malwina and bring her back inside when she has typhus. She causes drama, but some of her fits seem to be Hirsch’s fault because she feels coerced by him. Alluding to some unpleasant agreement, she says, “And I don’t have to do what he says! I don’t have to marry you…just because you say…just because I said” (352-53).

Hirsch comes across as manipulative and a weak link. He shouldn’t have told Malwina about the plan. At the same time, he’s clever. He hid the money for the predictable robber. Siunek is Hirsch’s son, and he has a crush on Cesia. Monek is Hirsch’s nephew, and Sala is his wife. Mrs. Krawiecka gets Dorlich, the postman, into the attic, and Danuta is Henek’s girlfriend. Danuta can be independent. She runs away from Henek when he wants to return to the ghetto. She also gets a bad reputation because Emilika tells people she is pregnant.

Helena Podgórska almost functions as Stefania’s sidekick. She helps her big sister save the Jews. At first, Helena doesn’t seem like she can handle the role of sidekick, which makes sense because she is a six-year-old child—she shouldn’t have to bear the burden of saving lives. Yet Helena matures quickly. After she falls on the sidewalk and refuses to eat, she and her big sister talk. Stefania tells her, “Now we’re a team. I’m going to need you to do what I ask, even if sometimes you don’t understand, and in return, I’m going to promise that I will tell you the truth. Always. Even if it’s bad” (89).

As the only other member of the two-person team, Helena has to sacrifice and possess courage. She comes up with the idea of using the ball to communicate with Max, and she endures beatings as she tries to save the Jews and help her big sister. Helena can be confrontational and assertive, like when she asks Berdecki in a sassy tone, “What do you want with my sister?” (149) In Max’s picture, Helena is also a guardian angel. She, too, is a hero.

Emilika is sociable and a friend to Stefania. She’s something of a sidekick because she helps Stefania forge papers and trick other people with the picture of the SS men. Yet Emilika isn’t as unselfish as Stefania and Helena: She won’t sacrifice to save Jews. She tells Stefania, “I plan to be around years from now, and I won’t throw my life away for some Jew I’ve never even heard of!” (161). As Emilika and Stefania remain suspicious of one another, perhaps Emilika thinks differently. About Emilika, Max wonders, “Do you think she knew Danuta was a Jew? Because I think maybe she did. That she spread those rumors to protect her” (155). Max’s question links to Emilika’s unknown motivations. However, when it comes to directly helping Stefania, Emilika comes through.

In the story, the gender of the characters seems to indicate whether they’re helpful or antagonistic. Most of the secondary women characters are either harmless or offer some kind of support. Even though Stefania upbraids Mrs. Krawiecka, she gives Stefania ample food. Mrs. Krajewska inadvertently helps Stefania when she breaks up the party and takes Stefania’s side when Stefania asks the electricians not to install the pole through the attic. Januka gives Stefania food and acts as a friend. Stefania doesn’t appreciate Mrs. Wojcik’s sexually suggestive comments about Berdecki, but Mrs. Wojcik doesn’t pose a threat to Stefania.

The main female antagonists are the nurse Karin and Ilse. They are self-centered characters—eating her food and partying during a war and genocide. Yet they’re not without consciences. Karin helps Helena after the person abuses her, and Ilse apologizes. Edith, too, is helpful and antagonistic. She gets Stefania to a doctor to avoid deportation to Berlin, yet the doctor experiments on her so perhaps Edith set her up.