Essay Questions

Why is Nina reluctant to hand over Sigita’s son to authorities?

Nina is a benevolent employee working for the Red Cross, and her primary duty is to serve humanity. At some point, Nina rescues a trafficked child from a train locker when an old friend sends her the key. When Nina opens the vault, she finds a naked boy whom she thinks is a kidnapped child. Nina is confused about what to do with the baby, and the last option she has is to hand him over to the authorities. According to Nina, the police are very corrupt and cannot be trusted. Nina knows that the policemen will ask for bribes or take the child and sell her to kidnappers.

Is child trafficking one of the main themes in the book ‘The Boy in the Suitcase’?

The book commences by introducing a woman called Sigita who has lost her son to child traffickers. Sigita is a poor single mother and immigrant to Denmark. Sigita finds it challenging to look for her child because she cannot communicate effectively. Throughout the book, Sigita spends her life looking for her son. Nina also reveals that the cases of child kidnappings are on the rise and the police are part of the syndicate. Corruption in the police force acts as a catalyst to child trafficking. Similarly, people like Jan are promoting child trafficking because they have already paid for Sigita’s son, and they are eagerly waiting for his arrival. Through the help of Nina, Sigita reunites with her son at last.

How is culture promoting the illegal child business?

The setting of the book ‘The Boy in the Suitcase’ reveals that society expects every couple to have children. Any childless couple finds itself in the middle of societal ridicule. When Jan's son dies, his wife becomes distressed because she does not know how to face the society that attaches most significance to children. Jan knows that the only way to prevent his wife from becoming mad is to replace the deceased son with a purchased one. Jan's encounter reveals the immense child trafficking syndicate in Denmark, and the police are doing nothing about it. The author thinks that society should stop putting pressure on couples to have children, which will go a long way in reducing the cases of child trafficking.