I Must Betray You

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Pavaza Tarii”: A Closer Look at Romania’s Communist Propaganda

In this activity, students will examine communist Romanian propaganda, comparing it to the realities of life in Ceauşescu-era Romania as portrayed in I Must Betray You.

Propaganda is a tool used by dictators to promote and control information about their regime. In Chapters 13-17, Cristian thinks on how life in Romania is portrayed in the communist regime’s propaganda: As a country of prosperity, with bountiful fields and a thriving, happy population. However, as Cristian knows all too well, nothing could be further from the truth.

In this exercise, you will examine real-life Romanian propaganda from this era, and determine how it contradicts what Cristian and his family experience throughout I Must Betray You.

• Research. Research online to find examples of communist propaganda posters from Romania. Select one poster to serve as the focus of your project.
• Analyze. Conduct a deep analysis of the various elements of the posters—the visuals, the words, the colors, etc. What is the poster’s primary message?
• Compare. Compare the message in the poster to the realities of Romanian life as described in I Must Betray You. Find a section of the text that serves as a contradiction to the messaging found in the poster.

As a class, share the poster you chose to analyze and discuss the key themes in the poster. What did you learn in your analysis of the poster, especially when comparing it alongside the text of I Must Betray You?

Teaching Suggestion: To help students in their analysis of their chosen propaganda pieces, the National Archives provides a helpful instructional graphic on how to critically examine propaganda in “Analyze a Poster.” Students should be able to find numerous examples of Romanian communist propaganda online, but if they have trouble finding reputable, usable sources, then you can direct them to either: PRINT’s “The Daily Heller: Romania Had a Poster Tradition, Too” or Americana’s “Identity Stereotypes: The US in Romanian Media of the Late 1940’s—Political Cartoons.” For even broader historical context, you can ask students to consider: What are the similarities (and differences) between Romanian propaganda and that of other communist countries in this era? 

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. I Must Betray You is told from Cristian’s first-person perspective.

• How does this perspective shape the narrative in a way that adds to the tension in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Select two other key characters in the novel. How would the story change if told from their perspective?
• In your conclusion, consider how many of the primary characters harbor their own secrets, and how that adds to the overall themes of Loyalty and Betrayal.

2. In the novel’s Epilogue, Cristian’s understanding of both Cici and his mother are completely upended.

• What are the shocking revelations that Cristian learns about Cici and his mother? (topic sentence)
• How does this revelation revise what Cristian knows to be true about these two women? Compare and contrast how Cristian characterizes the women throughout the novel.
• In your conclusion, explore how Cristian’s descriptions of both women help the reader understand their choices, and how they were torn between Self-Interest Versus Collective Interests.

3. Cristian’s mother repeatedly denounces artistic endeavors that are meaningful to Bunu and Cristian, such as philosophy and poetry.

• Why do you think communist regimes consider art and philosophy dangerous? (topic sentence)
• Analyze moments in the novel when Cristian and/or Bunu engages with art and/or philosophy. What evidence does the novel offer as to why Ceauşescu might have considered these a threat?
• In your conclusion, reflect upon how both art and philosophy encourage individuals like Cristian and Bunu to discover their own truth, all while giving them a means of self-expression and empowerment.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Throughout I Must Betray You, Sepetys intersperses official surveillance reports by the Securitate with the first-person narrative as told by Cristian. How do these reports by the Securitate help enhance the tension in the novel? How do they impact both the reader’s understanding of the communist regime, and their understanding of Cristian and the primary characters? In your conclusion, assess how these reports help draw out the book’s theme around The Difficulty of Finding Truth.

2. Cristian frequently weighs the risks of opposing the communist regime against his belief in freedom. How does Cristian view his responsibilities as a citizen? How does he balance the protection of self against the fight for Romanian freedom? Examine two or three decisions Cristian makes in the novel to determine how he answers this question. In your conclusion, examine how Cristian’s conflict of Self-Interest Versus Collective Interests drives much of the narrative tension throughout the novel.

3. By the novel’s Epilogue, readers have learn that both Cici and Cristian’s mother assisted the Securitate as informants. How do their motivations for serving as an informant compare to Cristian’s? Perform a close reading on no fewer than three sections in the text when Cristian specifically discusses both women’s motivations. How do Cristian’s descriptions of them help the reader to understand their choices? In your conclusion, describe how each of the three characters struggles with having to balance Loyalty and Betrayal in communist Romania.

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. When Cristian first goes undercover as an informant for the Securitate, who is the one person he worries about being able to fool?

A) Starfish

B) Cristian’s mother

C) Bunu

D) Cristian’s father

2. Given that I Must Betray You is written in the first person, which of the following best describes the effect on the reader?

A) It makes the reader feel like Cristian’s confidant.

B) It makes the reader feel as though they’re a fly on the wall, observing Cristian from an arm’s length.

C) It makes the reader feel as though they can truly understand the motivations of the communist regime.

D) It makes the reader feel like they cannot trust Cristian.

3. In Chapters 1-12, Cristian’s constant feeling that something terrible will befall him or his family because of his decision to be an informer is an example of what literary device?

A) Irony

B) Symbolism

C) Juxtaposition

D) Foreshadowing

4. Which of the following is not a shared characteristic of both Cristian and Liliana?

A) A sense of curiosity about American culture.

B) A desire to learn about life outside of Romania.

C) An intense devotion to their family.

D) Conflicted feelings about Cici.

5. Which of the following is a constant source of tension in Cristian’s life, as well as a general motif throughout the novel?

A) Parental abuse

B) Surveillance

C) A bad academic record

D) Physical illness

6. When Cristian and Lilliana share a soda in Chapter 11, which of the following best explains why they’re so deeply excited?

A) They live under an oppressive dictatorship, so simple moments as this are even more pleasurable.

B) They are both obsessed with drinking soda.

C) They know that this means that they’re now officially “boyfriend” and “girlfriend.”

D) They are both sensitive to caffeine, since it is a banned substance in communist Romania.

7. Which of the following countries does Cristian regard as most instrumental to Romanian freedom?

A) Poland

B) Hungary

C) Czechoslovakia

D) The United States

8. Which of the following pivotal events spurs Cristian to support rebellion in Romania?

A) Bunu’s death

B) Liliana’s ignoring him

C) Dan’s pointing out the surveillance mechanisms in his home

D) The arrival of the neighbor who had lived in Boston

9. Which of the following is the starkest difference between Cristian’s mother and Bunu?

A) Cristian’s mother is a hard worker, while Bunu prefers a life of leisure.

B) Cristian’s mother is outwardly submissive and compliant to the Romanian government, while Bunu is a staunch and vocal opponent.

C) Cristian’s mother is a religious woman, while Bunu is an atheist.

D) Cristian’s mother strictly wears white clothing, while Bunu wears only black.

10. Which of the following characters is best described as an American culture enthusiast?

A) Alex

B) Liliana

C) Cristian’s father

D) Starfish

11. Throughout the novel, American contraband largely serves as a symbol of what concept?

A) Capitalism

B) Subjugation

C) Colonialism

D) Freedom

12. Which of the following is the correct order of events?

A) Bunu passes away, Cristian learns that Hungary has overthrown its communist regime, Cristian learns of a protest in Timişoara

B) Cristian learns that Hungary has overthrown its communist regime, Bunu passes away, Cristian learns of a protest in Timişoara

C) Cristian learns of a protest in Timişoara, Bunu passes away, Cristian learns that Hungary has overthrown its communist regime

D) Cristian learns that Hungary has overthrown its communist regime, Cristian learns of a protest in Timişoara, Bunu passes away

13. In Chapter 59, Bunu uses a metaphor to describe informants in Romanian, comparing them to what creature?

A) Rats

B) Roaches

C) Worms

D) Pigeons

14. Which of the following best describes the larger significance of Ceauşescu’s portrait throughout the novel?

A) The power of art

B) Colonialist rulers

C) The legacy of Romania’s oligarchy

D) Constant surveillance

15. In Chapter 81, Liliana and Cristian meet in the stairwell and share what dessert?

A) Fruit pies

B) Ho-Hos

C) Ding Dongs

D) Twinkies

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. What is the main irony in Cristian’s becoming an informant, as it pertains to his family and friends?

2. Cristian’s notebook is more than simply a means for Cristian to release his frustrations, especially when he decides to share it with Mr. Van Dorn. What does Cristian’s notebook symbolize, and what is the larger intention when he gives to Mr. Van Dorn?