what was einstiens views on education?

who was elsa? what were her views on passing the exam

Who was yuri?what was his role in the story?

What were Einstein's views on education?

Eisntein believed that education did not mean learning facts but thinking about ideas. He did not see any point in learning dates because one could always look them up in books, factual information like dates of battles or the number of men killed by armies could hardly contribute towards one's learning. Einstein was more  interested in finding out why those soldiers were trying to kill each other which for him would constitute true learning-to go beyond facts and study ideas.

Who was Elsa? What were her views on passing the exam?

Elsa was Einstein's cousin who used to live in Berlin where her father had his business. She believed that one must learn just enough to pass exams. She observes that one does not have to know anything or understand what is being taught but just be able to repeat it in the exams. To learn to repeat things like a parrot and reproduce it in the exam hall. Elsa does not read anything other than what is prescribed in her school,she has no thirst for knowledge and will not study anything that is not required as per her coursework.

Who was Yuri? What was his role in the story?

Yuri is a student like Einstein,he seems to be very poor and lives with other poor students in dismal lodgings. Yuri was Einstein's only friend in Munich and a close confidant plus partner in mischief. Yuri's role is to show us the abysmal state of academics where students are stuck with rote learning facts and cannot get out of it because it is their only passport towards a better future.