Irmgard Keun writes in a style known in German as Neue Sachlichkeit. How does Keun exemplify this writing style?

Doris desperately wants to become a star (Glanz in German). How does Doris define the term “star?”

How does Doris view love and happiness?

Doris does not want to find a job after she meets and stays with Ernst. What reasons does she give? Does she make any valid points?

What prominent historical themes during the Weimar Republic in German history are depicted in the novel, and how are they addressed? How does Doris’s frustration reflect the populism of the period, even if she doesn’t marinate in nationalism?

What role does education play for Doris and German society in general during the Weimar period? How does lack of education limit Doris’s options and contribute to the rise of Nazism?

How is prostitution portrayed in the novel?

In Chapter 3, on Page 112, the French poet Baudelaire is mentioned along with his poem, Lesbos. What significance does the poem hold for the book? Are there any thematic or symbolic similarities between the two?