In chapter 17 from pages 124-129, Ackerman writes about how Jan goes to the Ghetto to provide important information to the Resistance. In the meantime, Antonina is staying at the zoo taking care of the refugees and their son Rys. It talks about how Antonina struggles to balance these two situations, but still manages to stay strong. She wants to help these strangers and she needs to take care of her family. This is important to me because it shows how strong Antonina is. Ackerman clearly states how compassionate a woman Antonina is and shows it strongly in the book. This passage shows how badly she wants to preserve her family and still take care of the others in need of help. She wants to be that beacon of light in the darkness from the Nazis. This passage also shows how Jan goes as far as actually joining the resistance to help all the Jews in the world...not just the refugees staying in their zoo. Both of these people want to help total strangers because it's in their nature to help those in need. It's in their nature to provide a home for those who don't have one or can't survive on their own (hence the zoo the keep). This passage is symbolic for the entire book and the meaning of it because it's exactly what Ackerman is trying to convey. She wants the book to show how compassionate Antonina and Jan are as people to those who are strangers.