Snow In August Study Guide

Chapter 36 Summary

Once they reached the end of Garibaldi Street, there was no more snow. It only snowed on six blocks, puzzling a great deal of people. Michael took the Golem with him to Rabbi Hirsch’s room at the hospital.

The Golem kissed the rabbi on the forehead and instantly healed all his wounds. The Golem took them back to the synagogue, where Michael told the Rabbi about everything that happened. They had to send the Golem back, and in the process, they were taken to a time and place where the rabbi finally danced with his beloved Leah.

Notes: The ending was very bittersweet. They were able to be happy, but they had to send the Golem back. However, Rabbi Hirsch was able to dance with his beloved Leah, finally.

Themes

Friendship: The friendship between Michael and Rabbi Hirsch was an unlikely one. The book also showcased how Sonny and Jimmy abandoned Michael during the times when he needed them the most. His bond with the rabbi was very evident when he did everything in his power to summon The Golem. Michael was very determined to seek revenge for what has happened to his greatest friend.

Revenge: After the attack that Michael witnessed, he became the focus of the angst of the troublemakers in their area. He kept mum about things, but they still thought of him as a rat. When he was the one attacked, he only wanted to do the same things that they did to him. However, when his mother and Rabbi Hirsch were attacked as well, Michael stopped at nothing to get back at those criminals.

Faith: The focus of the book was more with the Jewish faith. However, because of Michael’s Catholicism, it also showed how the two religions shared a God. The Golem was also one of the things that had a great deal of faith needed in order to summon. Michael’s purity and belief helped him call on the being, with Rabbi Hirsch revealing that he has failed to do the ritual in the past because he didn’t believe enough.

Discussion Questions

1. Real and imaginary heroes were present all throughout Michael Devlin’s life. What do you think has he learned about bravery and heroism by the end of the book?

2. Do you agree with Michael not being 100% truthful to the police? Why or why not?

3. The Yiddish language helped Michael summon The Golem to help them out. How do you think the power of language can help us during the modern times?

4. What do you think is the importance of Michael’s fascination with Jackie Robinson in the book?

5. The theme of revenge was very evident during the latter parts of the book. If you were in charge of writing out the ending, how are you going to plot the ending? Explain