Milkweed

The beginning of Chapter 16 finds Misha telling Uri about the day he spent with Janina and her family. Misha observes how Janina’s family sends Uncle Shepsel into one of the houses to stand in a doorway, in order to claim a room. Misha tells Uri that the room is the size of a closet. As Janina walks him downstairs to the landing of the building, she gives him another buttercream and hazelnut candy. The candy has been bitten in half.

Later, Misha returns to the ghetto only to see that Jackboots are in the process of building a wall around it. Misha returns to the house on Niska Street and brings food to Janina’s family. Janina’s mother stays lying down on a mattress on the corner of the room and is displeased by Misha’s presence. Janina’s mother is unimpressed by the food that Misha has stolen after she sees that he has brought baking powder. Janina’s mother says that she once had an oven and that she “was a human being once” (61). Misha tells them about the wall and tells Janina that he can get in and out of anywhere due to his small size.