Ready Reference Treatise: The Devil's Arithmetic

“The Devil’s Arithmetic” by Jane Yolen was first published in 1988. It is a historical fiction novel. The story revolves round a Jewish girl, Hannah Stern. She lives in New Rochelle, New York.

During a Passover Ceremonial Dinner (Passover Seder), Hannah Stern is sent back in time to 1942 Poland, during the Second World War.

Hannah finds herself in a death camp that is thought to be Auschwitz. She begins to live the life of a girl named Chaya in the concentration camp. At this point, she realizes how important it is to know about the past.

When she comes back to the present day, she recounts the story of her time in the concentration camp to her Uncle and Aunt. Her Uncle and Aunt inform her that they had been saved by a girl named Chaya, who was actually Hannah herself.

Ready Reference Treatise: The Devil's Arithmetic
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis