code name verity essay

Code Name Verity Summary

How it all goes down.

Code Name Verity is the story of a friendship formed between two young women, Julie Beaufort-Stuart and Maddie Brodatt, during the early years of World War II . When the story opens, it's November 1943, and Julie is a prisoner of the Nazi Gestapo in Ormaie, a city in Nazi-occupied France.

Believing Maddie to be dead and having decided to exchange information in return for more time to write her story, Julie begins a long, detailed confession of everything she knows. However, Julie buries any information that would be of military use to the Nazis inside the story of her friendship with Maddie and how Maddie came to be the pilot who dropped Julie in France before crashing her damaged plane. Part 1 ends with an order from a high-ranking Nazi for Julie's execution.

Maddie takes up the narrative in Part 2, and she has lots of surprises for us, the first of which is that she's not dead—she did crash the plane after Julie parachuted out, but she survived. Stuck in France without appropriate identity papers, though, Maddie is in serious trouble. Oh—and she wasn't supposed to be flying into France in the first place. Oops.

Fortunately, she falls in with a Resistance circuit known as "Damask," the circuit Julie would have worked with had she not been captured early in her mission. The people of Damask help Maddie hide in plain sight by providing her with a false identity, and as she waits for a British refugee flight to get her out of France, she starts working with the group to find Julie and complete Julie's mission. Meanwhile, she writes Part 2 in her pilot's notebook in order to record details of the crash.

Maddie discovers that Julie will be transported, along with other prisoners, so Damask sets up an ambush to free them. The ambush goes terribly wrong, though, and unable to free her friend, Maddie shoots and kills Julie herself before the Nazis can begin torturing her.

One of Julie's interrogators turns and works with the Resistance—yay—and she delivers Julie's papers to Maddie. Maddie works out the information Julie embedded in them and uses it to help the members of Damask complete Julie's mission, which was to blow up the Ormaie Gestapo headquarters. She also discovers that Julie's "confession" is total lies, except for the parts about their friendship, and that Julie never told the Nazis anything of value. Part 2 ends with a letter from Julie's mother, telling Maddie she did the right thing and asking her to be like the daughter she lost.

Tired of ads?

Cite this source, logging out…, logging out....

You've been inactive for a while, logging you out in a few seconds...

W hy's T his F unny?

Advertisement

Supported by

Children’s Books

The Pilot and the Spy

• Share full article

By Marjorie Ingall

• May 11, 2012

I’m in a bit of a predicament. Oh, it’s not the predicament of a girl pilot who has crash-landed in occupied France during World War II, or of a girl spy who has been captured by the Gestapo, but it’s still problematic. I have to review a book in which even the hint of plot summary could ruin everything.

“Code Name Verity,” by Elizabeth Wein, is a fiendishly plotted mind game of a novel, the kind you have to read twice. The first time you just devour the story of girl-pilot-and-girl-spy friendship and the thrill of flying a plane and the horrors of Nazi torture and the bravery of French Resistance fighters and you force yourself to slow down, but you don’t want to, because you’re terrified these beautiful, vibrant characters are doomed. The second time, you read more slowly, proving to yourself that yes, the clues were there all along for you to solve the giant puzzle you weren’t even aware was constructed around you, and it takes focus and attention to catch all the little references to the fact that nothing is what you thought. Especially while you’re bawling your eyes out.

“I am a coward. I wanted to be heroic and I pretended I was. I have always been good at pretending.” This is how the book opens. Soon we learn our narrator is Queenie, the girl spy. She’s Scottish, and she’s been caught because she looked the wrong way (left, Britishly) while crossing a French street. She might have talked her way out of trouble — we quickly see she’s charming, funny, flirty and has great nails — but for reasons that will become clear, she has no identification papers. She’s imprisoned in the Château de Bordeaux, a once elegant hotel in a small city by a river in central France, now serving as a Gestapo headquarters. Captain von Linden, Queenie’s captor, forces her to write her confession between bouts of torture carried out by a pale, pinch-mouthed deputy named Anna Engel. For as long as Queenie writes, she will be allowed to stay alive.

So Queenie unfurls the story of her friendship with the pilot, Maddie, interspersed with enough information about codes and airports to live for one more day, and another, and another. Commander von Linden, whom she compares to Captain Hook (“in that he is rather an upright sort of gentleman in spite of his being a brute”), is a cultured man who gets wrapped up in Queenie’s story. When Fräulein Engel becomes impatient with what she sees as Queenie’s pointless literary fancies, von Linden interrupts her.

“ ‘Fräulein Engel, you are not a student of literature,’ he said. ‘The English flight officer has studied the craft of the novel. She is making use of suspense and foreshadowing.’ . . . Engel dutifully slapped me into silence and said: ‘She is not writing a novel. She is making a report.’ ”

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

• study guides
• lesson plans
• homework help

Code Name Verity Summary & Study Guide

Code Name Verity Summary & Study Guide Description

The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity. London: Egmont, 2015. Kindle AZW file.

Code Name Verity tells the story of a British espionage mission in Nazi-occupied France during World War Two, from the perspective of two young women.

Part 1 is a confession written by an unnamed narrator being held prisoner in the Gestapo headquarters in the French town Ormaie. The narrator tells the story of how she came to be in France through an account of how she met her best friend, a young British woman named Maddie Brodatt. The narrator combines her story about Maddie with diary-style entries about her life in prison.

Maddie grew up in Stockport, a working class area of Northern England. She was raised by her grandfather who owned a motorcycle store. He gave Maddie her own motorcycle on the condition that she learned how to fix the engine herself. One day, Maddie witnessed a small plane crashing into a nearby field and she assisted in the rescue of its pilot, a woman named Dympna Wythenshawe. Maddie and Dympna became friends and Dympna assisted Maddie in learning about plane engines and gaining her pilot’s license.

After Britain declared war on Germany, Maddie joined the Women’s Auxiliary Airforce and was quickly promoted up the ranks due to her extensive knowledge of aviation. She met an upper class Scottish woman who the narrator refers to as Queenie. The narrator later admits that Queenie is the narrator herself. Maddie and Queenie became close friends. They were both recruited into the intelligence service: Maddie due to her aviation skills and Queenie because she was fluent in French and German. After the original pilot was injured in a car crash, Maddie ended up flying Queenie to a mission in France. Their plane was damaged by anti-aircraft fire. Queenie parachuted from the plane and has not seen Maddie since.

Meanwhile, in the prison, the narrator recounts the torture she has undergone at the hands of the Nazis. In order to stop the interrogations she has agreed to give them 11 sets of wireless code. The Nazis convince the narrator that Maddie was killed in the plane crash. The narrator agrees to participate in an interview with an American journalist named Georgia Penn who tells her that she is looking for the truth, using the words “I’m looking for verity.” The narrator witnesses the execution of another prisoner and finishes her confession by revealing that her real name is Julie and repeating the words “I have told the truth.”

Part 2 is told from the perspective of Maddie, who survived the plane crash and is now hiding in the attic of a farmhouse belonging to members of the French resistance. Maddie reveals that Julie’s mission in France was to destroy the Gestapo headquarters with dynamite. Maddie is given fake identification papers by the resistance and begins to circulate in Ormaie pretending to be German. Maddie meets with Georgia Penn who tells her that Julie showed no signs of wanting to be rescued from prison and that she remains committed to her mission. Maddie makes contact with a female guard from the prison, Engel, who tells her that Julie is being transferred to a concentration camp. The resistance tries to ambush the prison convoy but is unsuccessful. Maddie shoots Julie to save her from torture.

Engel gives Maddie Julie’s written confession from Part 1 and Maddie reveals that Julie lied throughout the document and did not reveal any classified information to the Nazis. Maddie realizes the confession contains coded instructions about how to destroy the building. With Maddie’s assistance, the resistance frees all of the prisoners and destroys the Gestapo headquarters. Maddie returns to Britain and sends Julie’s confession and her own diary to Julie’s mother. Julie’s mother tells Maddie that she did the right thing and agrees to keep the record of events in their family library.

Read more from the Study Guide

FOLLOW BOOKRAGS:

• Member Login
• Library Patron Login
• Get a Free Issue of our Ezine! Claim

Reading guide for Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Summary  |  Excerpt  |  Reading Guide  |  Reviews  |  Beyond the Book  |  Read-Alikes  |  Genres & Themes  |  Author Bio

Code Name Verity

• BookBrowse Review:
• Critics' Consensus:
• Readers' Rating:
• First Published:
• May 15, 2012, 352 pages
• May 2013, 352 pages

• Historical Fiction
• Young Adults
• UK (Britain) & Ireland
• 1940s & '50s
• Dealing with Loss
• Female Friendships
• Strong Women
• War Related
• Publication Information
• Write a Review
• Buy This Book

About this Book

• Reading Guide

Reading Guide Questions

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

• Why is SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden keeping "Verity" alive and imprisoned at the Château de Bordeaux? Why do you think he is willing to give her so much time to write her confession?
• At the beginning of Code Name Verity, "Verity" starts her confessional story from Maddie's perspective rather than her own. Why? In "Kittyhawk," part two of the book, the author changes narrators from "Verity" to Maddie. Does this change your expectations of what's going to happen? Does having two narrators detract from the story or strengthen it? Why?
• According to William Shakespeare ( The Tempest ), "misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows." Metaphorically speaking, how is this quote relevant to the friendship between Julie ("Verity") and Maddie?
• Who do you think switched Verity's and Maddie's identification papers? Why?
• Throughout the book, the author makes a number of allusions and refers to a good many poets and authors. What are some of the most significant allusions? How do you think these literary and historical influences help deepen your understanding of the characters?
• How well do we really get to know Julie ("Verity")? What of her confession is "true"? She ends her confession by repeating and repeating "I have told the truth." What truths has she shared?
• What are your impressions of Anna Engel? Is she a sympathetic character? Why or why not?
• How do the roles of the female characters, especially Maddie, foreshadow the women's liberation and equal rights movements that would take place a generation after the War in Europe and the U.S.?
• Maddie makes a life-or-death choice that you will probably never have to face. Given a similar bond of friendship, what would you do if you were in a situation that required you to hurt someone you loved?
• Though Code Name Verity takes place during World War II, in what ways is it relevant today, with regard to conflict and war? Has this novel changed the way you regard human suffering or changed the way you define courage? How?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Hyperion Books for Children. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.

• "Beyond the Book" articles
• Free books to read and review (US only)
• Find books by time period, setting & theme
• Read-alike suggestions by book and author
• Book club discussions
• and much more!
• Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
• More about membership!
• Media Reviews
• Reader Reviews

Beyond the Book:    The Invention of the Ballpoint Pen

• Read-Alikes
• Genres & Themes

BookBrowse Book Club

Members Recommend

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

Discover the bestselling Japanese novel celebrating the healing power of cats.

Solve this clue:

K U with T J

and be entered to win..

Book Club Giveaway!

Before the Mango Ripens by Afabwaje Kurian

Both epic and intimate, this debut announces a brilliant new talent for readers of Imbolo Mbue and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Your guide to exceptional           books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info and giveaways by email.

Free Weekly Newsletters

Discover what's happening in the world of books: reviews, previews, interviews, giveaways, and more plus when you subscribe, we'll send you a free issue of our member's only ezine..

Spam Free : Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time.

What’s Past is Prologue

The World of Code Name Verity. Though listed here in order of publication, suggested reading order is: 1) The Enigma Game, 2) Code Name Verity, 3) Rose Under Fire, 4) The Pearl Thief.

• Code Name Verity Cycle

The Enigma Game

You can still watch the events from my virtual launch tour which took place 2-9 November 2020!   Click here for links. Windyedge Airfield, Scotland. World War II. Louisa Adair, newly orphaned and shunned for her mixed-race heritage, has come here…

The Pearl Thief

A stunning new story of pearls, love and murder – a mystery with all the suspense of an Agatha Christie and the intrigue of Downton Abbey. Not quite sixteen-year-old Julie Beaufort-Stuart is returning to her family’s Perthshire ancestral home in…

Rose Under Fire

Rose Justice is a young pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War. On her way back from a semi-secret flight in the waning days of the war, Rose is captured by the Germans and ends up…

Code Name Verity

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she’s sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or…

Home — Essay Samples — War — Women in Combat — Code Name Verity MWR

Code Name Verity Mwr

• Categories: Book Review Friendship Women in Combat

About this sample

Words: 2732 |

14 min read

Published: Aug 16, 2019

Words: 2732 | Pages: 6 | 14 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature Sociology War

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

5 pages / 2129 words

4 pages / 1616 words

4 pages / 1788 words

3 pages / 1355 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Women in Combat

Civilization is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses a wide range of characteristics and traits. Over the centuries, historians, anthropologists, and scholars have identified various key features that define a [...]

Enzymes are essential biological molecules that catalyze biochemical reactions in living organisms. One such enzyme, amylase, plays a crucial role in the digestion of carbohydrates in the human . This essay will explore the [...]

Florence Nightingale is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of nursing and a trailblazing leader who revolutionized the profession. Her groundbreaking work during the Crimean War and her enduring legacy as a reformer, [...]

The Powhatan Dilemma, Written by Camilla Townsend, is a thought-provoking and insightful book that delves into the complex interactions between the English colonizers and the indigenous Powhatan people in the early years of the [...]

It is a widely debated topic whether females should be allowed in combat or not. Throughout history, we have seen men fighting in wars and some argue that it should stay that way. The question is, why? There are [...]

Are women too feminine to fight; do they not have the courage men have? Women are just as courageous as men (if not more) and also just as powerful. I think the real reason women haven’t been allowed in combat is because there [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Ask LitCharts AI
• Discussion Question Generator
• Essay Prompt Generator
• Quiz Question Generator

• Literature Guides
• Poetry Guides
• Shakespeare Translations
• Literary Terms

Code Name Verity

Elizabeth wein.

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

Maddie Brodatt

Julie/the narrator/queenie/verity, ss-hauptsturmführer von linden/the captain.

Dympna Wythenshawe

The machiavellian english intelligence officer/john balliol, mitraillette, amélie/la cadette, ss-scharführer etienne thibaut, maman thibaut, papa thibaut, the rose-grower, georgia penn, the french girl/marie, the jamaican rear gunner, julie’s mother, squadron leader creighton, the photographer, the farmer’s wife.

• Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

Code Name Verity

88 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-4

Part 1, Chapters 5-8

Part 1, Chapters 9-11

Part 1, Chapters 12-15

Part 2, Pages 207-264

Part 2, Pages 265-300

Part 2, Pages 301-332

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Julie Beaufort-Stuart/Verity/Queenie

Born into the Scottish aristocracy, Lady Julia Lindsay MacKenzie Wallace Beaufort-Stuart, called Julie by her friends, bravely writes the story of her war work, knowing from the beginning that her life will soon be over. She narrates Part 1 of the novel. Pretty, smart, quick-witted, and feisty, Julie is also a born actress. Her talents, including her ability to speak fluent French and German, are spotted by the Special Operations Executive unit of the British secret war service which subsequently recruits her.

It becomes clear that Julie’s confession is not what it seems. The reader quickly picks up on the contradiction between what Julie says directly about herself and her reported actions. For example, Julie says she’s a coward and a Judas, but she tries to escape multiple times and she fights her captors whenever she gets a chance. Julie’s deception is even more astounding, considering that she reveals, at several points in her narrative , exactly what she is doing, in comments such as, “It’s jolly astonishing, really. YOU STUPID NAZI BASTARDS” (5).

Related Titles

By Elizabeth Wein

Rose Under Fire

Featured Collections

9th-12th Grade Historical Fiction

View Collection

Truth & Lies