English 10, Block 3
20 March 2013
Essay Exam: The Hiding Place

Lessons Learned in The Hiding Place John and Elizabeth Sherrill’s “The Hiding Place” is the story of Corrie ten Boom’s life in Holland during WWII. Corrie is a Christian helping to hide Jews across the country while leading a large underground organization from her home the Beje. As a child Corrie learns many life lessons which she goes back to in times of trouble during her work with the underground and later during her prison sentence. While reading this book I learned three very important lessons that applied to Corrie’s life on many different occasions. The first lesson I learned was that some knowledge in the world are too heavy for children. Corrie learns this lesson when she asks her father the meaning of the word “sexsin.” After asking, her father asks her to carry his heavy suitcase full of watch parts off of the train for him. When she tries to pick it up she finds that it is much too heavy for her to lift. She tells her father it is too heavy and he replies, “Yes, and it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little girl to carry such a load. It’s the same way, Corrie, with knowledge. Some knowledge is too heavy for children.” (Bantam 26) The second lesson I learned was that God never God gives you the strength you need when you need it and not before. Corrie learns this when the neighbor baby dies and she begins to worry about her family and her father dying. She is so worried that she tells her father about her worries before bed on night and he asks her when he gives her her train ticket to go to Amsterdam. She tells him that he gives is just before they get onto the train. He replies, “Exactly. And our wise father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need—just in time.” (Bantam 29) The third lesson I learned was that if you tell the honest truth, God will take care of you. Corrie learns this lesson during one of the razzias. Corrie’s