1. Forgotten Fire
Discussion Leader

2. Foreword
Discussion Leader

3. Armenia is between Europe and Asia Throughout history-many invaders
Summary:
Armenia is between Europe and Asia
Throughout history-many invaders
Ottoman Empire (Muslim Turks) 16th century
By 1900s Muslim Turks Considered Armenian Christians inferior and a threat to government’s security
Muslim Turks feared Armenian oppression would draw attention to European powers (weaken already weak Ottoman Empire)
Turkish leaders gave more rights back in 1908-lasted two years
Decided to remove threat of European interference
Destroyed non-Muslim minorities (massacres and genocide)
Muslim superiority
Book told through the eyes of a twelve year old Armenian

4. Vocabulary Page x Massacre: mass murder
Genocide: the deliberate extermination of an entire group of people based on race, religion, politics, etc.
Holocaust: mostly referred to as the systematic mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during WWII (noun)/ mass slaughter and destruction of life (by fire)

5. Characterization Page xi
Based on the true story of one child (Armenian)

6. Literary Terms
Point of View: First Person

7. Passages Right before the foreword begins Adolf Hitler
No one remembers the extermination of people

8. Questions What does Hitler mean by this?
Why is it so important to remember tragedies?
What do you think the central conflict will be in this story based on the historical context?

9. Chapter One
Discussion Leader

10. Summary
Vahan Kenderian born in Bitlis which is a providence of Turkey (once Armenia)
Remembers the details and beauty of this city with sensory details on page 3 and 4
On page 4, he recalls a superior attitude about the greatness of his hometown
In 1915, Vahan was 12 years old (youngest child of one of the wealthiest Armenians in Turkey)
He grew up with luxuries and never knew what suffering really felt like
His father does not like his laziness/troublesome behavior and insists that he needs to develop character and discipline because he has a poor attitude
Vahan’s father leads by example, and he is honorable and dependable
Vahan’s world is sheltered and safe/secure/ Childhood

11. Vocabulary Cobbled page 3 paved with small rounded stones
Blighting page 3 harming, destroying, spoiling
Madzoon page 3 yogurt product
Consolation page 5 comfort, support

12. Characterization Direct Characterization
Page 4 Vahan Kenderian- wealthy, 12 years old, youngest, small, stocky, strong, never knew life without luxery, troublemaker, lazy, poor attitude
Indirect Characterization
Page 5 Threw paper at friends (Manoosh and Pattoo)
Fell asleep at desk, gave a teacher a disrespectful look, skipped school, slacked on chores

13. Characterization Vahan’s Father Page 6 Direct Characterization
Leads by example
Honorable
Hard working
Helpful and dependable
Indirect Characterization
Page 6 He was a man that others turned to for support

14. Literary Terms Setting Bitlis (Providence of Turkey) Foreshadowing
Page 6-top of 7
Father tried to open Vahan’s eyes “beyond the long white wall that surrounded our property…” to the “challenges of the real world.”

15. Passages
Page “In my real world, there would always be this house I loved, the laughter of brothers and sisters, uncles, and cousins. In my real world, I would always belong, and I would always be happy.

16. Questions
What does this passage indicate? What does Vahan’s father want him to do? Why does Vahan not act more honorable like his father desires?

17. Chapter Two
Discussion Leader

18. Summary
Begins with a flashback to Vahan’s childhood home-shows wealth and luxury
Introduces family members
Setting is established 1915
Discusses the separation between the Turks and Armenians-different languages, different schools, different churches
Turks are superior- Armenians must learn language
Rumors of an Armenian massacre at a near city years before
Vahan was not told any of the details
Vahan believes that the Turks in Bitlis are good, but reveals that later finds out that they are the same

19. Vocabulary Page 9 Suitors (potential marriage proposals/courters)
Page 10 Massacre (mass killing)

20. Characterization Direct Characterization
Diran: Oldest brother; hardworking; pride of family (page 9)
Tavel: brother
Sisak: brother closest in age with Vahan (shares a room) (page 8)
Uncle Mumpreh: plays piano (page 8)
Karnig: houseman
Oskina: sister (helps brothers with chores) indirect
Armenouhi: sister; pretty; ready for suitors (courting for marriage)

21. Literary Terms Flashback:
“If I close my eyes I can still see my home…” (page 8)
Foreshadowing:
(page 10) “I would learn that some of the Turks of Adana were also the Turks of Bitlis.”

22. Passages
Page 9 “I did not know we were enemies…”

23. Questions What does Vahan mean by that statement?
How does Vahan differ from his siblings?
Why does Uncle Mumpreh say, “We can’t trust them,” on page 10?

24. Chapter 3
Discussion Leader

25. Summary In the spring of 1915, policemen took Vahan’s father away
His father’s name is Sarkis Kenderian
Vahan’s grandmother, Toumia is the wisest and most respected in the family and assured Vahan’s mother that he will be back
Vahan’s father does not return
Vahan is worried
The audience sees Vahan is more of a child than he realizes and he goes to see his mother because he is afraid
She assures Vahan that his father is away on business as usual and she is not worried
Vahan feels better but he doesn’t believe his mother
His city began to change for the worse
Uncle Mumpreh is arrested for being a revolutionary

26. Vocabulary Page 11 gendarmes: policemen Page 12 antidote: cure, remedy
Page 14 renown: reputable, famous, well known

27. Characterization Sarkis Kenderian
Indirect Characterization: “It’s nothing…” (confident)
Uncle Mumpreh says, “He knows more about running this city than they do” (page 12) which indicates Vahan’s father is powerful and respected
Mother: (direct characterization) hazel eyes, brown hair, tender smile, worrier

28. Literary Terms
Foreshadowing page 14: stores closed, heard gun shots, screams, houses burned down, no more school, stay home

29. Passages
Page 14 to top of 15 “There was no question now that this was our Adana…”

30. Questions What does Vahan mean? What happened in Adana?
Why does Vahan feel better after talking to his mother, but reveals that everything she said was a lie?
What clues are given that Vahan’s childhood will soon be coming to an end?

31. Chapter 4
Discussion Leader

32. Summary
The gendarmes (police) took Uncle Mumpreh away-accused of being a revolutionary
All of the rumors were true about the massacres/screams/suffering
It was only the beginning for Vahan
Providence of Van –Selim Bey governor-murdered thousands of Armenians
Hundred of Armenians marching through with Turkish soldiers/police –husbands and fathers killed
Karnig (houseman) disappeared-No one tells Vahan (sheltered) Oskina informs him he committed suicide by hanging himself after discovering his family was killed
All men were shot on the way (march) to Diarbekir- Vahan’s father is assumed dead
8-900 Armenians marching through Bitlis
Tavel and Diran want to fight back; Sisak wants to esacpe- venerable grandmother believes all will be fine because of power of Vahan’s father
Uncle Mumpreh was brought home with burns on his face and hands which indicates he’s been tortured
Gives the women bags of poison just in case they need it, and the next morning he was gone again

33. Vocabulary Fortress: any place of exceptional security
Haggard: worn; fatigued; exhausted

34. Characterization Direct Characterization:
Page 16 Uncle Mumpreh- father’s younger brother
Comedian, black sheep
Vahan and Uncle Mumpreh relate (both feel they are black sheep in family)
Gifted student; dropped out of medical school
Page Oskina tomboy; protective, motherly, mature
Indirect Characterization: helps struggling people with minor medical issues
Page 17 Selim Bey-governor of Van murdered Armenians by the thousands
Page 18 Karnig: houseman hung himself

35. Literary Terms
Page 21 Foreshadowing: Uncle Mumpreh gives the women in his family bags of poison to wear around their necks

36. Passages
…”Eight or nine hundred of them, all Armenian, with soldiers and gendarmes on either side” (19).

37. Questions
Page 20 What do the burns on Uncle Mumpreh indicate as an inference you can make?
Page 21 Why does Uncle Mumpreh disappear again?
Page 17 Why does Vahan smile after he discovers that all men were killed on their way to Diarbekir?

38. Chapter Five
Discussion Leader

39. Summary Soldiers surrounded Vahan’s house
They question his mother where Uncle Mumpreh is and if they are hiding anyone
The soldiers ask the age of Diran (19) and Travel (17), and they take them all out to the garden and shoot Diran and Tavel
Armenouhi rarely left her room-afraid
The soldiers came back a week later
They do not shoot anyone else but take Vahan and his family to Goryan’s Inn

40. Vocabulary Page 23 Ominous: Threatening Page 25 Pallid: Pale
Page 30 Effrontery (noun): arrogance, boldness, brashness,

41. Characterization Direct Characterization
Diran: oldest son, natural leader, optimistic, 19 years old
Tavel: Diran’s best friend, 17 years old
Oskina- is a lot like her father
Indirect Characterization
Vahan wants to comfort his mother but is too afraid
Oskina on page 30 questions with effrontery (arrogance) where they are being taken

42. Literary Terms
Suspense “I looked up at the street and my heart fell” (30)
Setting: moving to Goryan’s Inn (30)

43. Passage
Page 23 “I did not know when I opened my eyes the next morning that it was the last day of my childhood.”

44. Questions Why do the soldiers ask if they are hiding anyone?
Why do the soldiers kill Diran and Tavel?
Why don’t they kill Sisak and Vahan?