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A Teenage Refugee in America During World War II

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Fifteen-year-old Ralph Kuznitzki wrote the following composition, “The Flower and I,” when he was living at the Ft. Ontario refugee camp near Oswego, NY. While most refugees had to stay mostly at the camp, children were able to attend local schools. Ralph attended high school in Oswego and wrote this for his English class.

Look closely at the document, especially focusing on the highlighted sections, and then answer the questions beneath.

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View the full activity: https://docsteach.org/activity/a-teenage-refugee-in-america-during-world-war-ii/

  • Identify the five most powerful words in the composition. How do the word choices contribute to the tone of the composition?
  • What are the author’s emotions?
  • What can you speculate about what his current life is like?
  • What event is the author reflecting on?
  • What are his dreams for the future?
  • Do you think the author intended this to be read by others? If not, how might he have written it differently?
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To the extent possible under law, National Archives Foundation has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to “A Teenage Refugee in America During World War II”