Stefania learns an important lesson from Mrs. Diamant: “Sadness can become cruelty” (38). Now, it’s your turn to learn a critical lesson from Stefania. She has a lot of thoughtful things to say about trauma, sacrifice, romance, and more. Choose a few of her quotes and explain how her wisdom can apply to everyday life.

Stefania possesses a number of laudatory traits. She’s willful, brave, smart, funny, unselfish, and caring. Select one or two traits and make an argument that these traits were the key to her survival.

There are several books about hiding Jews. Choose a book—like The Upstairs Room, The Book Thief, or The Diary of Anne Frank—and compare it to The Light in Hidden Places. How do the characters show bravery? How do they deal with chance? How do they survive or why do they get caught?