Journal Entry #17
Chapter 17 : The Story of Ten Days
The story of ten days is a very long chapter, and this story of ten days with his friend Aurthur and Charles is unbelievable. Despite the harsh environment and illness they had, they mentioned to survive until help came to them. They found food to sustain them from starving to death and they also found enough water that wasn't contaminated to quench their thirst. Also, the weak and the sick were left behind the camps, which meant that it was highly capable for him to catch contagious diseases from these sick men. Primo and his friends, however, managed to find enough food, water, and warmth to help each other survive until help came to them. This was maybe possible since they were so used to the harsh cnoditions, and the primitive way of surviving hunger and thirst.
It was ironic how the people were filled with hope when they were being evacuated from the camps. The people who were wealthy enough to march, were hoping that they would find a new refuge much better than Auschwitz, and they thought that this would all end. This, however, was a march towards death, not towards a new start.
"for the first time since the day of my arrest I found myself free, without armed guards, without wire fences between myself and home." For the first time in Primo's life after his arrest, he is not being watched. I wonder how it felt like for him to feel the sense of freedom, and know that no one was watching him. It was probably overwhelming for him, or maybe even awckward for him that he wasn't being watched.
Levi also states, "Today I think that if for no other reason than that an Auschwitz existed, no one in our age should speak of Providence." This shows how skeptical he was about religion and God, since it seemed ilke God had forsaken Auschwitz and Primo survived on his own and by luck. This may be an opposing viewpoint for many believers, but we have to understand that we do not know what he has gone through, and I can understand why he is so skeptical about God. If I were in such situation, I would have probably blamed God for not rescuing me.
To wrap up, even though Primo is now a free man, I think he would never be able to live fully as a free man. His memories will always haunt him, and the images will never fade away. Though officially free, I think he will still live as a prisoner in heart.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Journal Entry #16
Journal Entry #16
Chapter 16 : The Last One
"To destroy a man is difficult, almost as difficult as to creat one : it has not been easy, nor quick, but you Germans have succeeded." This quote shows how the intentions of the Germans to dehumanize and degrade the Jews succeeded. Of course, there were numbers of people, very few, who actually rebelled against the Germans to keep their dignity and still be humans in front of their eyes. The last one to rebell, who exploded the crematorium at Birkenau, was finally put to death while other prisoners were watching.
"Who answered 'Jawohl'? Everybody and nobody: it was as if our cursed resignation took body by itself, as if it turned into a collective voice above our heads." When the German asked if the Jews understood why this man was being killed, people answered 'Jawohl' when they knew that that wasn't what they wanted to say. When the man is killed, and people are dismissed, Alberto and Primo are in great shame of themselves that they couldn't say anyting, or do anything about the man's death. They didn't have enough courage to stand out, which meant that the Germans succeeded in stripping their humanity away.
"We lifted the menaschka on to the bunk and divided it, we satisfied the daily ragings of hunger, and now we are oppressed by shame." The fact that they had to see and feel for themselves that the Germans had succeeded in degrading them was probably very shameful for them. While they could be furious on the inside, no one was courageous enough like the man who bombed the crematorium and actually showed his anger and sense of humanity by action. One thing hasn't changed during these days, or during our days now. People try to fit in and go with the crowd in order to blend in and in order to be not pointed out, but is that a wise thing to do? I think people should step out like the "last one" in order to fulfill their beliefs even though it may be self-sacrificing.
Chapter 16 : The Last One
"To destroy a man is difficult, almost as difficult as to creat one : it has not been easy, nor quick, but you Germans have succeeded." This quote shows how the intentions of the Germans to dehumanize and degrade the Jews succeeded. Of course, there were numbers of people, very few, who actually rebelled against the Germans to keep their dignity and still be humans in front of their eyes. The last one to rebell, who exploded the crematorium at Birkenau, was finally put to death while other prisoners were watching.
"Who answered 'Jawohl'? Everybody and nobody: it was as if our cursed resignation took body by itself, as if it turned into a collective voice above our heads." When the German asked if the Jews understood why this man was being killed, people answered 'Jawohl' when they knew that that wasn't what they wanted to say. When the man is killed, and people are dismissed, Alberto and Primo are in great shame of themselves that they couldn't say anyting, or do anything about the man's death. They didn't have enough courage to stand out, which meant that the Germans succeeded in stripping their humanity away.
"We lifted the menaschka on to the bunk and divided it, we satisfied the daily ragings of hunger, and now we are oppressed by shame." The fact that they had to see and feel for themselves that the Germans had succeeded in degrading them was probably very shameful for them. While they could be furious on the inside, no one was courageous enough like the man who bombed the crematorium and actually showed his anger and sense of humanity by action. One thing hasn't changed during these days, or during our days now. People try to fit in and go with the crowd in order to blend in and in order to be not pointed out, but is that a wise thing to do? I think people should step out like the "last one" in order to fulfill their beliefs even though it may be self-sacrificing.
Journal Entry #15
Journal Entry #15
Chapter 15 : Die drei Leute vom Labor
Chapter 15 seems to describe the anxiousness and anticipation of what is going to happen next to them. Fear would be a better word than anxiousness because they fear what their fate would be. No one knows what will happen to them, and if they will actually survive the camp. It is amazing how the Italians started out as a number of 174,000 and now, there are only 21 that is still breathing. It would be so frightening to see so much people die from the same race, and I would never be able to comfort myself and assure myself that I would survive the camp. Unexpected events always seem to happen in Auschwitz. For example, when Primo thought he would be able to get better treatment since he was the specialized Kommando, that meant that they would work in shelter which left them in their summer outfits. They were treated rather worse than better since they were the "chemists." This was totally unexpected for Primo, but this was how Auschwitz was like, full of surprises.
However, everything changes when Primo is one of the chosen three to go to the laboratory. It is ironic how a lot of comrades congradulated him, but with envy. Working conditions seemed better, but there was one torment that Primo had to stand. The girls in the laboratory kept on singing and talking about their ordinary life, which made Primo wonder why he was captured, and how he was a free man just one year ago. "I am not even alive enough to know how to kill myself." This quote seems to express all of Primo's feeling of desperation and his longing to go back to his normal life. The camp took everything away, even his memories and his identity, which left him there stripped of humanity and making him a weak beast.
These girls talking and his memories are psychologically disturbing, but Primo will now have hope for survival since physical conditions are much more better than before. This foreshadows a great change in Primo's tone of talking, maybe to a bright and hopeful tone.
Chapter 15 : Die drei Leute vom Labor
Chapter 15 seems to describe the anxiousness and anticipation of what is going to happen next to them. Fear would be a better word than anxiousness because they fear what their fate would be. No one knows what will happen to them, and if they will actually survive the camp. It is amazing how the Italians started out as a number of 174,000 and now, there are only 21 that is still breathing. It would be so frightening to see so much people die from the same race, and I would never be able to comfort myself and assure myself that I would survive the camp. Unexpected events always seem to happen in Auschwitz. For example, when Primo thought he would be able to get better treatment since he was the specialized Kommando, that meant that they would work in shelter which left them in their summer outfits. They were treated rather worse than better since they were the "chemists." This was totally unexpected for Primo, but this was how Auschwitz was like, full of surprises.
However, everything changes when Primo is one of the chosen three to go to the laboratory. It is ironic how a lot of comrades congradulated him, but with envy. Working conditions seemed better, but there was one torment that Primo had to stand. The girls in the laboratory kept on singing and talking about their ordinary life, which made Primo wonder why he was captured, and how he was a free man just one year ago. "I am not even alive enough to know how to kill myself." This quote seems to express all of Primo's feeling of desperation and his longing to go back to his normal life. The camp took everything away, even his memories and his identity, which left him there stripped of humanity and making him a weak beast.
These girls talking and his memories are psychologically disturbing, but Primo will now have hope for survival since physical conditions are much more better than before. This foreshadows a great change in Primo's tone of talking, maybe to a bright and hopeful tone.
Journal Entry #14
Journal Entry #14
Chapter 14 : Kraus
Chapter 14 : Kraus
“He does not yet know that it is better to be beaten, because one does not normally die of blows, but one does of exhaustion…he seems to think that his present situation is like outside, where it is honest and logical to work, as well as being of advantage, because according to what everyone says, the more one works the more one earns and eats." Primo has a criticizing tone about Kraus, a hungarian. It seems that Primo does warn him about things, but he is hopeless when he does so. I think Primo has such criticizing tone agains Kraus because he was only able to see Kraus as a fool working so hard for no reason. In such a devastating situation, his prejudice overrode him, and he was being illogical.
The chapter describes Kraus and how Primo thinks of Kraus, but I wanted to talk about a certain quote that I thought had many meanings beneath it. "When it rains we would like to cry.' This quote is short, and may seem pointless when we take a first glance at it. However, I found out that this quote has so much meaning to it. First, I figured out that prisoners cried when it rained since the rain brought them so much bain. The work was harder, and their feet would decay faster if their feet was damp and wet all the time. Second, and the most important, I thought that the prisoners liked to cry when it was raining since that was the only time when they could disguise their grief. If they weeped when no rain was coming, and everyone knew that you cried, no one would appreciate such act while everyone is having a hard time. So their only chance to show their grief and sorrows was when the rain fell down from the skies, when they were able to disguise their tears as raindrops falling down their face.
Journal Entry #13
Journal Entry #13
Chapter : 13
Winter is arriving in Auschwitz, and winter in Auschwitz means several things to the prisoners. Hunger, tiredness, fear, and pain are all words that describe what winter is like in Auschwitz. There are some similarities how people treat winter these days, and how people treated winter in the camps. Winter brings the cold weather, and people tend to dislike the cold weather. They try to stay in warm places, and they try to hide from the cold. Like this, people in the camp tried to stay in warm places, trying to avoid chances of getting sick and cold from the weather. While they are running from the cold, the winter brings something else that the prisoners are aware of. The selection takes place during winter also, which is selecting prisoners that will be killed in the gas chambers. No one knows what their fate is going to be, if they are going to die or survive. It is a matter of luck that they will avoid the selection. The people who were selected, however, got certain privelages which was pretty ironic to me. For example, Zieglar, a man who was selected got a privelage of getting more soup than usual because he was going to die soon. What is the point of feeding prisoners better than before if they know they are going to kill them anyways?
"Kuhn is out of his senses. Does he not see Beppo......Can Kuhn fail to realize that next time it will be his turn? Does Kuhn not understand that what has happened today is an abomination, which no propitiatory prayer, no pardon, no expiation by the guilty which nothing at all in the power of man can ever clean again? If I was God, I would spit at Kuhn's prayer." This quote stood out since it explained how infuriated Primo was by the meaningless killnig of the Jews. Just because they had too much, they started sending people to the gas chambers. While Kuhn still clinged on to religious beliefs for his salvation, Primo seems to denounce his faith since it felt like God has forsaken the Jews and people in Auschwitz.
Chapter : 13
Winter is arriving in Auschwitz, and winter in Auschwitz means several things to the prisoners. Hunger, tiredness, fear, and pain are all words that describe what winter is like in Auschwitz. There are some similarities how people treat winter these days, and how people treated winter in the camps. Winter brings the cold weather, and people tend to dislike the cold weather. They try to stay in warm places, and they try to hide from the cold. Like this, people in the camp tried to stay in warm places, trying to avoid chances of getting sick and cold from the weather. While they are running from the cold, the winter brings something else that the prisoners are aware of. The selection takes place during winter also, which is selecting prisoners that will be killed in the gas chambers. No one knows what their fate is going to be, if they are going to die or survive. It is a matter of luck that they will avoid the selection. The people who were selected, however, got certain privelages which was pretty ironic to me. For example, Zieglar, a man who was selected got a privelage of getting more soup than usual because he was going to die soon. What is the point of feeding prisoners better than before if they know they are going to kill them anyways?
"Kuhn is out of his senses. Does he not see Beppo......Can Kuhn fail to realize that next time it will be his turn? Does Kuhn not understand that what has happened today is an abomination, which no propitiatory prayer, no pardon, no expiation by the guilty which nothing at all in the power of man can ever clean again? If I was God, I would spit at Kuhn's prayer." This quote stood out since it explained how infuriated Primo was by the meaningless killnig of the Jews. Just because they had too much, they started sending people to the gas chambers. While Kuhn still clinged on to religious beliefs for his salvation, Primo seems to denounce his faith since it felt like God has forsaken the Jews and people in Auschwitz.
Journal Entry #12
Journal Entry #12
Chapter 12 : The Events of the Summer
This chapter explains the values of time and one's identity to the readers. While time can be gold, we try to use our time wisely in order to achieve our goals. In the camps, however, time is just a matter of schedule. Time is a painful factor that continuosly goes on to torment the prisoners for another day of hard labor. As time passed by in the camps, Primo survived the camp for five months, and he is now a veteran of the camp. Levi is fully in the concentration camp world which was very different from the real world outside. The outside world is all but gone meaning that all confines of the outside world are likewise gone. He does not have the things that he once had, like freedom. In fact, he does not have any attatchment from the outside world that are considered important. Integrity, honesty and bathing which are taken for granted by other people outside of the camps are all but forgotten. In other words, Levi considers himself as a dead man and the people outside as living.
Under such dark thoughts, however, a man named Lorenzo seems to give hope to Levi. Lorenzo is a man who constantly portrays goodness in his characte, even when he is physically struggling. Even though everything that mattered in the outside world didn't matter in Auschwitz, Lorenzo's behavior made prisoners think once again that just still existed outside their own. Since prisoners were so exhausted just by the fact of trying to survive, they were getting dirty on the outside, and well as in the inside. Lorenzo was the one who helped the prisoners that goodness actually still existed, and that it did matter. I think Lorenzo's good soul helped prisoners to have hope once again, and motivated them to care for others also and not be so egoistic.
Chapter 12 : The Events of the Summer
This chapter explains the values of time and one's identity to the readers. While time can be gold, we try to use our time wisely in order to achieve our goals. In the camps, however, time is just a matter of schedule. Time is a painful factor that continuosly goes on to torment the prisoners for another day of hard labor. As time passed by in the camps, Primo survived the camp for five months, and he is now a veteran of the camp. Levi is fully in the concentration camp world which was very different from the real world outside. The outside world is all but gone meaning that all confines of the outside world are likewise gone. He does not have the things that he once had, like freedom. In fact, he does not have any attatchment from the outside world that are considered important. Integrity, honesty and bathing which are taken for granted by other people outside of the camps are all but forgotten. In other words, Levi considers himself as a dead man and the people outside as living.
Under such dark thoughts, however, a man named Lorenzo seems to give hope to Levi. Lorenzo is a man who constantly portrays goodness in his characte, even when he is physically struggling. Even though everything that mattered in the outside world didn't matter in Auschwitz, Lorenzo's behavior made prisoners think once again that just still existed outside their own. Since prisoners were so exhausted just by the fact of trying to survive, they were getting dirty on the outside, and well as in the inside. Lorenzo was the one who helped the prisoners that goodness actually still existed, and that it did matter. I think Lorenzo's good soul helped prisoners to have hope once again, and motivated them to care for others also and not be so egoistic.
Journal Entry #11
Journal Entry #11
Chapter 11 : The Canto of Ulysses
Chapter 11 is quite different from the previous chapters becaues it contains dialouges that are somewhat light-hearted, humorous, and humane. Unlike the previous chapters that were dark, and dominated by despair, this chapter was significant since it showed that Primo still had some humane values in him left even after he experienced all the curelty of the camp. Also, it showed how Primo loved his country, Italy very much. Even though Primo was betrayed by his own country's government, we can see in this chapter that he is fascinated by the beauty of Italian language. When Primo tries to teach his French inmate, Pikolo, by translating the Canto of Ulysses originally written by Dante. As Levi recites it, we can see that he is stunned by the beauty of the Italian language. While the camp was filled with foul dialouges like cuss words, or other brutal words in German that they couldn't understand, this was the first time that Primo actually had some good conversation with someone else. Also, the process of trying to teach Pikolo Italian enabled him to reminisce the good times that he had back in home. Primo, not just a "prisoner," nor just a jew, was able to express his original self through his dialouges with Pikolo. This shows that Primo is still somewhat civilized, and that he is capable of having sympathy. It shows that the Germans had failed turning Primo into a complete beast.
Chapter 11 : The Canto of Ulysses
Chapter 11 is quite different from the previous chapters becaues it contains dialouges that are somewhat light-hearted, humorous, and humane. Unlike the previous chapters that were dark, and dominated by despair, this chapter was significant since it showed that Primo still had some humane values in him left even after he experienced all the curelty of the camp. Also, it showed how Primo loved his country, Italy very much. Even though Primo was betrayed by his own country's government, we can see in this chapter that he is fascinated by the beauty of Italian language. When Primo tries to teach his French inmate, Pikolo, by translating the Canto of Ulysses originally written by Dante. As Levi recites it, we can see that he is stunned by the beauty of the Italian language. While the camp was filled with foul dialouges like cuss words, or other brutal words in German that they couldn't understand, this was the first time that Primo actually had some good conversation with someone else. Also, the process of trying to teach Pikolo Italian enabled him to reminisce the good times that he had back in home. Primo, not just a "prisoner," nor just a jew, was able to express his original self through his dialouges with Pikolo. This shows that Primo is still somewhat civilized, and that he is capable of having sympathy. It shows that the Germans had failed turning Primo into a complete beast.
Journal Entry #10
Journal Entry #10
Chapter 10 : Chemical Examination
This chapter describes the process of the chemical examination where officers choose the talented and educated ones to work on a privelaged workspace. If one is qualified and chosen, they can be exempted from harsh physical labor, but can work using their brains. This chapter may seem boring and pointless, but I think that this chapter sets the turning point for Primo since he finds a glimpse of hope from the job that he earns. Chapters before Primo was accepted in the lab talked about how brutal the work was, and how he had no hope of surviving the camp. Primo's acceptance in this chapter, however, sets off the turning point for Primo to start having hope again.
While reading this chapter, I thought that knowledge was a great tool for people. Knowledge can be obtained by work and studying, and those who try harder will gain greater knowledge. I say that knowledge is a great tool since knowledge can save lives. However, knowledge can be dangerous since it can also kill lives. Like Hitler, his knowledge helped him organize camps and genocide the Jews. For Primo, his knowledge helped him save his own life by being accepted as a chemist. The concentration camp's life, however, was so primitive that it seemed like Primo forgot he had such knowledge. Since life in the camp was a struggle for survival and constant pain, they didn't have time to think about subjects like chemistry or any type of knowledge except for the knowledge of survival.
Because of the chemical examination, Primo gains hope and realizes that his learnings were useful.
Chapter 10 : Chemical Examination
This chapter describes the process of the chemical examination where officers choose the talented and educated ones to work on a privelaged workspace. If one is qualified and chosen, they can be exempted from harsh physical labor, but can work using their brains. This chapter may seem boring and pointless, but I think that this chapter sets the turning point for Primo since he finds a glimpse of hope from the job that he earns. Chapters before Primo was accepted in the lab talked about how brutal the work was, and how he had no hope of surviving the camp. Primo's acceptance in this chapter, however, sets off the turning point for Primo to start having hope again.
While reading this chapter, I thought that knowledge was a great tool for people. Knowledge can be obtained by work and studying, and those who try harder will gain greater knowledge. I say that knowledge is a great tool since knowledge can save lives. However, knowledge can be dangerous since it can also kill lives. Like Hitler, his knowledge helped him organize camps and genocide the Jews. For Primo, his knowledge helped him save his own life by being accepted as a chemist. The concentration camp's life, however, was so primitive that it seemed like Primo forgot he had such knowledge. Since life in the camp was a struggle for survival and constant pain, they didn't have time to think about subjects like chemistry or any type of knowledge except for the knowledge of survival.
Because of the chemical examination, Primo gains hope and realizes that his learnings were useful.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Journal Entry #9
Journal Entry #9
Chapter 9 : The Drowned and the Saved
Survival is an instinct, survival is a "must," and survival has no other choice. Alfred, Alias, and Schepschel were all examples of survivors that were somewhat selfish and self-centered. They had no other choice but being self-centered since there was no time for anyone to take care of another person. Some people in the camps cling on to their dignity, and some throw their humane side away in order to survive. Is it better to cling on one's humanity and morals, or is it better to become a beast? In my opinion, I think becoming a beast would be more helpful for surviving such a harsh condition.
Also, when people are in a desperate situation, the inner beast comes out which helps them to push the extra step for survival. Selfishness is not something looked down upon in Auschwitz. Selfishness, beast-like characteristics, and survival is the only choice in Auschwitz. Primo Levi's tone, however, seemed to be criticizing of those who were so self centered in the camp. Even though Primo knew himself that survival and being self-centered was a "must" in Auschwitz, Primo seems to be more caring of others since he had the chance to walk out of Auschwitz. At that time, Primo himself may have been self-centered, but looking back from the time when he was writing the book, it seems that he thought a little bit of care and looking out for each other was necessary also. Even though people were beasts in Auschwitz and there were no distinguishment of good and evil, Primo seems to reconsider man's nature of egoism to be beneficial or negative.
Chapter 9 : The Drowned and the Saved
Survival is an instinct, survival is a "must," and survival has no other choice. Alfred, Alias, and Schepschel were all examples of survivors that were somewhat selfish and self-centered. They had no other choice but being self-centered since there was no time for anyone to take care of another person. Some people in the camps cling on to their dignity, and some throw their humane side away in order to survive. Is it better to cling on one's humanity and morals, or is it better to become a beast? In my opinion, I think becoming a beast would be more helpful for surviving such a harsh condition.
Also, when people are in a desperate situation, the inner beast comes out which helps them to push the extra step for survival. Selfishness is not something looked down upon in Auschwitz. Selfishness, beast-like characteristics, and survival is the only choice in Auschwitz. Primo Levi's tone, however, seemed to be criticizing of those who were so self centered in the camp. Even though Primo knew himself that survival and being self-centered was a "must" in Auschwitz, Primo seems to be more caring of others since he had the chance to walk out of Auschwitz. At that time, Primo himself may have been self-centered, but looking back from the time when he was writing the book, it seems that he thought a little bit of care and looking out for each other was necessary also. Even though people were beasts in Auschwitz and there were no distinguishment of good and evil, Primo seems to reconsider man's nature of egoism to be beneficial or negative.
Journal Entry #8
Journal Entry #8
Chapter 8 : This Side of Good and Evil
The black market is a market where people trade forbidden items at a high value, or even trade off items in order to gain something that they cant' get legally. The black market in today's world is nortorious since trade in black markets may lead to terrorist activities or other catastrophe that may destroy many lives. The black market, however, was not created for such cruel intentions when it was first established. The black market was first established for people's needs, with no cruel intention.
This is similar to Auschwitz's black market. The black market in Auschiwitz was created for the same intentions for the primitive black markets. People traded food, clothes, spoons, and other daily needs that we consider as something so obvious. However, trading these items meant life and death to these prisoners. This shows how bad conditions were in Auschwitz, since people were trading off necessities of life in order to survive. While people these days trade weapons, extravagant items, or items in order to please them, the black market in Auschwitz was for mere survival.
In such a desperate condition, prisoners cry out for just a little bit of food, but what do we cry out for?
Chapter 8 : This Side of Good and Evil
The black market is a market where people trade forbidden items at a high value, or even trade off items in order to gain something that they cant' get legally. The black market in today's world is nortorious since trade in black markets may lead to terrorist activities or other catastrophe that may destroy many lives. The black market, however, was not created for such cruel intentions when it was first established. The black market was first established for people's needs, with no cruel intention.
This is similar to Auschwitz's black market. The black market in Auschiwitz was created for the same intentions for the primitive black markets. People traded food, clothes, spoons, and other daily needs that we consider as something so obvious. However, trading these items meant life and death to these prisoners. This shows how bad conditions were in Auschwitz, since people were trading off necessities of life in order to survive. While people these days trade weapons, extravagant items, or items in order to please them, the black market in Auschwitz was for mere survival.
In such a desperate condition, prisoners cry out for just a little bit of food, but what do we cry out for?
Journal Entry #7
Journal Entry #7
Chapter 7 : A Good Day
The sun is vital to all living organisms in the Earth. The sun gives light, energy, and most importantly, hope. The sun is a symbol of a new start, hope, and an anticipation for a better tomorrow. Many people in Auschwitz find hope and happiness in the sun because it represents their better life before they came to Auschwitz. Everything has changed since they arrived in Auschwitz, but there is one thing that didn't change at all, which is the sun. People smile and reminisce gazing at the sun, but there is something ironic about this. As stated above, the sun is a symbol of a new start, and an anticipation of a better tomorrow when night comes. The prisoners, however, seem to travel back in time to the better days while looking at the sun.
"Today is a good day. We look around like blind people who have recovered their sight, and we look at each other. We have never seen each other in sunlight : someone smiles."(73)
This quote shows that the prisoners felt alive underneath the sun, and for once, they were able to look at a brightside of each other underneath the sun's magnificent radience. To us, the sun may be just something bright that lightens our day, but the sun to them was a symbol of bright memories.
Chapter 7 : A Good Day
The sun is vital to all living organisms in the Earth. The sun gives light, energy, and most importantly, hope. The sun is a symbol of a new start, hope, and an anticipation for a better tomorrow. Many people in Auschwitz find hope and happiness in the sun because it represents their better life before they came to Auschwitz. Everything has changed since they arrived in Auschwitz, but there is one thing that didn't change at all, which is the sun. People smile and reminisce gazing at the sun, but there is something ironic about this. As stated above, the sun is a symbol of a new start, and an anticipation of a better tomorrow when night comes. The prisoners, however, seem to travel back in time to the better days while looking at the sun.
"Today is a good day. We look around like blind people who have recovered their sight, and we look at each other. We have never seen each other in sunlight : someone smiles."(73)
This quote shows that the prisoners felt alive underneath the sun, and for once, they were able to look at a brightside of each other underneath the sun's magnificent radience. To us, the sun may be just something bright that lightens our day, but the sun to them was a symbol of bright memories.
Journal Entry #6
Journal Entry #6
Chapter 6 : The Work
Chapter 6 is full of ironic yet humorous explanations of what "work" is in the camp. Carrying heavly loads, receiving blows, and dragging their feet back and forth is probably what people think of as hard "work" in the concentration camps. Ironically, hard "work" in the camp is avoiding such work. For example, going to the latrine, finding a physically fit partner, and staying around pairs are all types of "work" that people do in order to save energy.
"The latrine is an oasis of peace" (68) is how Primo describes the bathroom to be. It is funny how a bathroom can be an oasis of peace, but in the camps, the bathroom may have been the place of peace since no one was there to give him blows or orders to work. Forcing people to work, however, didn't work out so well. This is same for some communist countries in the past. For instance, Stalin established a totalitarian government ordering people to work, while their profit was taken away. When people are forced to do something against their will, it seems like people have a nature to rebel. Same for the prisoners, they didn't work hard as they could, and tried to kill time by going to the latrine, hanging around the pairs, and any sort of activity that was able to exempt them from working.
Even though the Kapo's new what was going on, they didn't do much about it since beating or scolding the prisoners to work hard wouldn't make any difference. Since the prisoners had nothing much to lose, and they knew in their hearts that they were eventually going to die, beating them was probably not an answer to such revolt. In fact, some Kapo's were kind, and they still had humanity in them since they were not stripped away from them. The Kapo's didn't experience the pain that the Jews went through, but I think that they were going through some pain just by watching, and they probably didn't want to do anything more to make the life of the Jew's more miserable.
Chapter 6 : The Work
Chapter 6 is full of ironic yet humorous explanations of what "work" is in the camp. Carrying heavly loads, receiving blows, and dragging their feet back and forth is probably what people think of as hard "work" in the concentration camps. Ironically, hard "work" in the camp is avoiding such work. For example, going to the latrine, finding a physically fit partner, and staying around pairs are all types of "work" that people do in order to save energy.
"The latrine is an oasis of peace" (68) is how Primo describes the bathroom to be. It is funny how a bathroom can be an oasis of peace, but in the camps, the bathroom may have been the place of peace since no one was there to give him blows or orders to work. Forcing people to work, however, didn't work out so well. This is same for some communist countries in the past. For instance, Stalin established a totalitarian government ordering people to work, while their profit was taken away. When people are forced to do something against their will, it seems like people have a nature to rebel. Same for the prisoners, they didn't work hard as they could, and tried to kill time by going to the latrine, hanging around the pairs, and any sort of activity that was able to exempt them from working.
Even though the Kapo's new what was going on, they didn't do much about it since beating or scolding the prisoners to work hard wouldn't make any difference. Since the prisoners had nothing much to lose, and they knew in their hearts that they were eventually going to die, beating them was probably not an answer to such revolt. In fact, some Kapo's were kind, and they still had humanity in them since they were not stripped away from them. The Kapo's didn't experience the pain that the Jews went through, but I think that they were going through some pain just by watching, and they probably didn't want to do anything more to make the life of the Jew's more miserable.
Journal Entry #5
Journal Entry #5
Chapter 5 : Our Nights
As Levi had to move into a new environment, Levi sounded as if he was moving into a nightmare. Of course, moving to a new environment in the camp meant new danger factors, or new faces, but why was he so horrified by the move? It wasn't that he was accustomed to his older environment or that he enjoyed his original place, but why fear moving? Even though Primo didn't like the idea of moving, he needed to adjust to his new place or else it would mean death.
Even though Primo had several reasons for not wanting to move, I think the biggest reason was the voices that he had to deal with when he went to the new environment. Voices of pain and agony were constant in the concentration camp just like hell. This didn't mean that Primo enjoyed the voices in his original place, but at least he was somewhat used to it. The voices which haunted him, and which weakened him was what he was scared of.
A part that I was able to relate with was how the prisoner's fell asleep and woke up. Rushing to fall asleep to get a little bit of more sleep in order to evade fatigueness, and rushing to get up in order to finish my task. This may sound ordinary and plain to us, but I can't imagine how every day was tormenting to the prisoners. Of course, all of us sleep and wake up, but it is probably not even half the pain the prisoner's went through
Chapter 5 : Our Nights
As Levi had to move into a new environment, Levi sounded as if he was moving into a nightmare. Of course, moving to a new environment in the camp meant new danger factors, or new faces, but why was he so horrified by the move? It wasn't that he was accustomed to his older environment or that he enjoyed his original place, but why fear moving? Even though Primo didn't like the idea of moving, he needed to adjust to his new place or else it would mean death.
Even though Primo had several reasons for not wanting to move, I think the biggest reason was the voices that he had to deal with when he went to the new environment. Voices of pain and agony were constant in the concentration camp just like hell. This didn't mean that Primo enjoyed the voices in his original place, but at least he was somewhat used to it. The voices which haunted him, and which weakened him was what he was scared of.
A part that I was able to relate with was how the prisoner's fell asleep and woke up. Rushing to fall asleep to get a little bit of more sleep in order to evade fatigueness, and rushing to get up in order to finish my task. This may sound ordinary and plain to us, but I can't imagine how every day was tormenting to the prisoners. Of course, all of us sleep and wake up, but it is probably not even half the pain the prisoner's went through
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Journal Entry #4
Journal Entry #4
Chapter 4 : Ka-Be
Levi experiences strenuous work day after day, but he finally gets a chance to rest at the Ka-Be because of his illness. Ka-Be, which is the German word for infirmary, is known as a place of rest and rejevunation these days, but was the Ka-Be in the concentration camps a place for rest also?
"Ka-Be is the Lager without its physical discomforts. So that, whoever still has some seeds of conscience, feels his conscience re-awaken; and in the long empty days, one speaks of other things than hunger and work and one begins to consider what they have made us become, how much they have taken away from us, what this life is." (55)
This quote shows that though people were exempted from work when they were in the Ka-Be, it was still as horrific as they were out in the field working. The people in the Ka-Be can't feel the physical pain, but the emotional and psychological pain is greater than ever in the Ka-Be. The memories that were once hidden rise from the inner side, and they start questioning themselves why they were there, and why it was them that had to suffer. The only answer to these questions, however, result in one same answer which is death. The reason why the Ka-Be is as painful as labor, is because hope and memories that they aren't supposed to have keep circling their minds. People in the camps were becoming beasts, throwing their dignity and morals away in order to survive. The Ka-Be, however, was a place where the beasts were able to drag their most precious but painful memory also.
In some ways, the Jews might be looked upon as weak, since they were suffering from only "memories." However, imagine us being in that spot. If I were one of the prisoners working or in the Ka-Be, I would probably die from the physical pain, or go crazy from the psychological pain. In my opinion, the survivors of the camp were strong. Strong enough to survive through such pain, and inform the world about the genocide of their own people.
Chapter 4 : Ka-Be
Levi experiences strenuous work day after day, but he finally gets a chance to rest at the Ka-Be because of his illness. Ka-Be, which is the German word for infirmary, is known as a place of rest and rejevunation these days, but was the Ka-Be in the concentration camps a place for rest also?
"Ka-Be is the Lager without its physical discomforts. So that, whoever still has some seeds of conscience, feels his conscience re-awaken; and in the long empty days, one speaks of other things than hunger and work and one begins to consider what they have made us become, how much they have taken away from us, what this life is." (55)
This quote shows that though people were exempted from work when they were in the Ka-Be, it was still as horrific as they were out in the field working. The people in the Ka-Be can't feel the physical pain, but the emotional and psychological pain is greater than ever in the Ka-Be. The memories that were once hidden rise from the inner side, and they start questioning themselves why they were there, and why it was them that had to suffer. The only answer to these questions, however, result in one same answer which is death. The reason why the Ka-Be is as painful as labor, is because hope and memories that they aren't supposed to have keep circling their minds. People in the camps were becoming beasts, throwing their dignity and morals away in order to survive. The Ka-Be, however, was a place where the beasts were able to drag their most precious but painful memory also.
In some ways, the Jews might be looked upon as weak, since they were suffering from only "memories." However, imagine us being in that spot. If I were one of the prisoners working or in the Ka-Be, I would probably die from the physical pain, or go crazy from the psychological pain. In my opinion, the survivors of the camp were strong. Strong enough to survive through such pain, and inform the world about the genocide of their own people.
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