Tsura: In Tsura’s chapter, Seraph tells Tsura and Wolf that the raids have been confirmed and how they are going to go to Marzahn that night. Seraph gives Tsura a pair of binoculars as a gift. Also, Tsura expresses how she has feelings for Wolf.  Seraph seems like a small character in Train, although she’s much more. She represents hope for Tsura and Wolf. Seraph always gives to others, which makes her an Angel. The name Seraph is defined as Angel. Seraph even says to Tsura, “Another gift for you” (pg 54). Through Seraphs actions of giving, she gives hope. Seraph is given hope while Alex keeps a secret.  

 

     Alexander: In this chapter, the author foreshadows that Alex and Marko are dating each other. Alex thinks about memories with his family on his way to meet Marko. He thinks about how his family has deep roots in Germany, but they aren’t considered German. He also remembers when his dad talked about how Hitler doesn’t like the jews, yet he needs them to work to keep his country going. Alex recalls when he and his dad had a joke that, “Adolf Hitler hates the Jews, but he can’t run the country without us” (Pg.57). Alex and his father aren’t very Jewish. When they are having their goodbye dinner, the author states,“He took out a silver wine cup and a bottle of sweet brandy, Ruth hadn’t seen the cup in years.” (pg 61.) They don’t celebrate Shabbat, they don’t go to synagogue, or even read prayers. Alex wasn’t even Bar Mitzvahed. Hitler and the Nazis are telling Jews that they are extremely religious and that they aren’t “real” Germans.  The Nazi’s are deciding their identity for them. Alex and his father identify as German before they identify as Jews. While Alex meets up with Marko, Ruth cries over Alex's absence.

 

     Ruth: Ruth cries over Alex leaving, but soon he comes back to the house to ask for help. Alex came to ask if Marko’s cousin Kizzy, can stay with them. They all have dinner together and before Alex leaves, and their dad gives Alex his good-quality coat. Alex forgets that his photographs are in his coat, so he accidentally leaves them at home. Ruth eventually convinces her parents to agree to let Kizzy stay with them. Ruth says to her father, ‘“Papa, imagine if it was me’” (644). This quote is in response to Marko asking Ruth's family if Kizzy can stay with them. At that moment Ruth begins to understand how bad the war has become, and how lucky she is that she is not in danger. She begins to put herself in Kizzy’s shoes. She realizes Kizzy is in a similar situation to her brother and dad, both being persecuted by the Nazis. She sees how they are just like her, but their different ethnicities and religions make them in danger.  Ruth really sees how lucky she is. While Ruth is lucky, sadly, Elise isn’t.

 

     Elise: Elise talks about her brother Viktor and how her mom has been grieving for him. She reads a letter from Viktor where he asks her to visit him. She feels terrible that she didn’t see him when he needed her. Then she sees Alex outside her window.  He’s kissing someone that she believes to be his “girlfriend”. We also learn that she feels depressed and she cuts herself with her father's letter opener. Elise does this after she reads the letter from her brother who was killed by the Nazis. She cuts herself because she feels caught between two sides. Her brother was killed by the same people for whom her father fights.. She also goes to the Nazi youth group where she supports the same people that have caused her family such sadness. Elise isn’t the only person who feels guilty, Marko feels guilty as well.

 

     Marko: Marko and Alex meet Tsura in the park. Marko feels guilty that he lied to Tsura about bringing Duerr to the hospital. Alex realizes that he forgot his pictures at his house. Marko and Alex leave to go pick up the photos. When they are on their way to the house, the reader learns that Alex and Marko are dating. Marko and Alex kiss and a Nazi sees them, so they run away. In this chapter, Marko again shows how careless he can sometimes be. He does what he wants to do and doesn’t think about the consequences. He kissed Alex out in the open in public when he knows that they could be seen. Marko also left Kizzy by herself to take Duerr to the hospital. Kizzy ends up getting trouble just because Marko wanted to meet up with Alex. Alex is a caring, thoughtful, person, and a great brother. Marko is careless and more of a risk taker than Alex. He does things he probably shouldn’t do and he doesn’t think before he acts. While Marko is running free with Alex, Kizzy is all by herself in the hospital.

 

     Kizzy: Kizzy is still waiting at the hospital after she gets caught by the officers. Some nurses come in and look at Duerr. Then some police officers drag her to some room by herself where she will be sleeping until she gets sent somewhere.Kizzy always tries to act extremely mature. She looks up to Tsura like a role model because Kizzy’s mom is taken away. Tsura treats Kizzy like an adult, while Marko doesn’t. At the end of the chapter on page 88, Kizzy says “Thinking about her cousins made Kizzy cry harder. Tsura wouldn’t cry, Kizzy knew. But Tsura is older. I’m only thirteen.” She wants to be strong and brave, just like Tsura. She refuses to admit to herself that she may be just a kid. While Kizzy is on her way to the hospital, she tried to assure herself that she could do it all by herself. She wants people to know that she knows what's happening and that she can take care of herself.

 

     In this chapter, each of the characters has individual struggles. For example, Tsura, Alex, and Marko struggle with their love lives; Kizzy struggles with danger; Elise and Ruth struggle with loss. It is through these struggles where the characters learn the truth about who they are and what is important to them.