For many decades, Marta’s identity remained unknown. What effect do you believe an anonymous author might have had on the reading experience? How does the revelation of her identity affect our interpretation of the text?

The return of Gerd is the book’s closing anecdote. Does this ending provide any trace of hope for the future? Why or why not? Support your response with evidence from the text.

Rape and sexual violence are the central theme of the text. How does Marta’s portrayal of such extreme violence change throughout the text?