Blog Feb. 23, 2015

Prompt: How do Elie's experiences during the Holocaust change him as a person?

Night by Elie Wiesel

            One way Wiesel changed throughout the book is his belief in God. Toward the beginning of the book Wiesel was very pious. Toward the end of the book he started to question God's existence. The book states, "For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the universe, the All-Powerful no Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?" Page 31. This shows that Wiesel had nothing to thank God for, because what was going on was so terrible. At this point in his life he questioned God's existence, because if God was really looking after him then these things that happened to innocent people couldn't have happened. The memoir also states,"Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God..." This shows that from Wiesel witnessing these horrid events, he felt as if God wasn't doing anything to help. This made Elie's belief for God pretty much dead. It also made Wiesel feel like God has failed him.

Another way Wiesel changed throughout the book was the way he saw himself. In the beginning of the book Wiesel was still human. This meaning that he was still very healthy, and has not yet experienced tragic life changing events. In the book it states, "Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust." Page 32. This shows that because the events he witnessed were so terrible, his soul was gone and he was a different person. Toward the end of the book Wiesel talks about how he looked in the mirror and saw himself as a corpse. This shows that he didn't even see himself as human anymore. Also he said in the book that once he was free they did not think about family at all, but food instead. This shows how the Holocaust changed his life, because he was acting as is he was an animal, and saw his soul as someone who was dead.

Another way Wiesel changed throughout the book is his relationship with his father. The beginning of the the book showed how he was scared to be apart from his father. He was so afraid that him and his father would be separated from each other, because then he would be all alone. This showed that he really was dependent on his father to make him feel safe. Also at this time his father was the only one in his family who survived, and he didn't want to lose his whole family so soon. Near the end of the book he still deeply cared for his father and his father's health, but he felt as if he was only dragging him down. Since Wiesel's father was on the verge of dying Wiesel often felt as if the roles had switched, and now he was the one taking charge and trying his best to keep his father alive. Wiesel even prayed to not become like Rabbi's son who left his father so he could have a better chance of surviving. In the end he almost did turn out like him even though it seemed like he didn't want to admit it. When his father died he was upset, but Wiesel says that he didn't cry. This shows that at that moment family didn't matter as much as getting healthier, and being glad that he was finally free.

Blog Feb. 17, 2016

Night by Elie Wiese

Prompts: Why do you think the author wrote this?

What are two emotions the main character has felt? What made the main character feel that way?

            I think the author wrote this book to show the readers what horrid things went on in the camps and how it changed people's lives. I have always heard stories about how the holocaust scared people's life's and how this event really shaped the person they are today. From reading this book, I can now clearly see the process in which people's lives changed. A lot of the things that the Nazis did to the people in the camps are displayed in the book, and we can learn how people responded to the things the German were doing. It has shocked me to see how many people did not stand up and say what they think, because they were so afraid of what could have happened to them if they did. As I'm reading this book I can see how Elie has been changing. Elie and his family have always been very religious, but ever since they were put in the first camp he has lost hope for God. As Elie's journey continues throughout the book I think he will change even more and will have less hope for getting out from seeing what has happened to innocent souls. This book shows the readers all of the fear the people had through this tough time. 

            One emotion that Elie has faced in this book is fear. He has been fearful for a various amount of reasons, because of what he has seen what the German were capable of. I think the first time he has been afraid during this time was when he was separated from his mother and sister. As they were separated he had no clue on what was happening or if they would ever reunite. He was also scared if he would be separated from his father. He seemed to be worried about not being able to be with his father, because that would mean he would be all alone with strangers. Another time he has been afraid is when he saw the children being thrown in the ovens alive. I think this would have terrified me the most as well. Knowing that he lied about his age, and was still young would make me very scared of what would ever happen if they found out. Elie witnessed many people being killed right in front of his eyes. He has been scared now that he knows what the Nazis are capable to doing to anyone. 

            Another emotion that Elie has felt is mournfulness. Since he has been separated from his mother and sister and put to work he has seemed miserable and dismal. He has felt upset of all of the innocent children dying. He knew that one of those children could have easily been him. Elie has also felt bad for all of the people he saw get hanged. He has lost almost all of his hope for God or for anything in general. He also has no reaction to when his father is beat. You can see how bad the camps affected people by the way Elie didn't feel any emotion watching his father get beaten up right in front of him. It's difficult for him to keep on believing that his sister and mother are perfectly fine. His religious devotion has even went down dramatically so quickly. All of the sadness that was in these people's lives from the camps have been stuck with them to the point where it hurt them so much they only really think of themselves having to survive. 

Blog Feb 12, 2016

Holocaust AOW Impressions

Prompt: Take a moment to reflect upon your impressions of what you have learned from the array of article in at least two well written paragraphs, using evidence from your graphic organizer. 

            One thing I learned from the Holocaust article gallery walk is how different people who lived though the concentration camps had different thoughts and actions toward the Nazis and other people. One article talked about how a man didn't have any hate towards the Nazis even though he witnessed harsh events. His reason for this is because he didn't want to be a hypocrite. The Nazis loathed the Jews, and if he felt the same way toward them it would make him feel the same way the German felt about the Jews, and he knew that wasn't right. Another group of people wanted to help Syrian refugees, because they didn't want those people to experience a similar situation. When these holocaust survivors saw a dead baby on the beach they knew they had to help. The holocaust survivors probably witnesses seeing their loved ones die, and didn't want to see other people having to deal with the same problem. As I was learning about all of these articles I could see that some people had different actions and thoughts after surviving the Holocaust. 

            Another thing I learned from the holocaust AOW gallery walk is how much the Holocaust affected people. Holocaust survivors have a high chance of developing schizophrenia, because of past events. People who faced the Holocaust are more likely to develop schizophrenia than people who were indirectly affected. The people who had been born into the Holocaust have had the highest rates of schizophrenia among all of the Holocuat survivors. People who were indirectly exposed to the Holocaust have a 27% chance of being diagnosed of schizophrenia than the people who actually faced the holocaust. People who were directly exposed to the holocaust have a 41% higher chance than the people who indirectly faced the holocaust. Holocaust survivors have been traumatized with this event. They have seen their loved ones killed in front of them, and had everything taken away from them. From this event people have been dealing with it it many different ways.

Butterfly Project Thinglink

Preparing For The Commission's Visit by Helga Weissová

. . . The commission, because of which a transport left and the three layer bunks were torn down, has departed, and I believe they were satisfied. They didn't see through very much, stayed scarcely a half day, but that seems to have been only a rehearsal. The camp command issued new orders about the "beautifying campaign" that must be finished on two months.

     It's ridiculous, but it seems that Terezín is to be changed into a sort of spa. I don't know why I was reminded of the fairy tale "Table. Set. Yourself!" But that is how everything seems to me. The orders are received in the evening, and in the morning everyone's eyes are staring with wonder, where did this or that thing come from? For three years it never occurred to anyone that streets might be named anything but Q and L. . . But all of a sudden the Germans had an idea, and overnight signs had to be put on every corner house with the name of the street, and at crossroads arrows pointed: To the Park, To the Bath, etc. . . . 

     The school building that had served as hospital up to today was cleared out overnight and the patients put elsewhere while the whole building was repainted, scrubbed up, school benches brought in, and in the morning a sign could be seen afar: "Boys' and Girls' School." It really looks fine, like a real school, only the pupils and teachers are missing. That shortcoming is adjusted by a small note on the door: "Holidays." On the square the newly sown grass is coming up, the center is adorned by a big rose plot, and the paths, covered with clean, yellow sand, are lined with two rows of newly painted benches. The boards we wondered about for so many days, trying to puzzle out what they were for, tuned into a music pavilion. We even have a café with a fine sign "Coffeehouse." 

     . . . They have already got quite far in painting the houses. . . . In two of the barracks some bunks and shelves were painted yellow and they got blue curtains. In the park in front of the Infants' Home they put up a luxury pavilion with cribs and light blue, quilted covers. In one room there are toys, a carved rocking horse, and so on. None of us can explain why they are doing all of this. Are they so concerned about that commission? Perhaps we don't even know how good the situation is.

I commented on Mia's, Evie's, James', Rebecca's, and Nick's blog.

Blog Feb. 3, 2016

Based on our Berlin Memorial Activity today in class, take a moment to reflect on what you learned about the Jewish decrees established during the Hitler years.

Prompts:

1 - What did you learn?

2 - Why do you think this monument was built?

3 - What did you notice about the number of laws passed in certain years?

4 - Which restrictions do you think you would do have the most trouble dealing with and why?

            While learning about the Berlin Memorial, I learned that Jews ended up losing most of their rights that they had before. Most of the Jewish people were forced to lose their jobs, because of new laws that had passed. I also learned that the laws the Jews were forced to follow had gotten worse as time passed. The laws went from losing their jobs, to going into forced labor, to have Jews relocated into concentration camps to get killed. As learning all of this I understood the struggle that Jews had to live through. These people lost families, pets, and their own lives just because people didn't like them. The Jews were treated very unfairly from the laws, and it caused many people to lose their lives because of it. 

            I think the Berlin Memorial was built to remember all of the people who had lived through the Nuremberg Laws. When people see that memorial they can look back at all of the tough times the Jews had to go through. It reminds people of how many people were affected by these cruel laws. Many Jews died during that time, and I think the memorial was built to bring awareness of the people who had lived through it. I also think the Berlin memorial was built to remember this tragic historical event. This memorial shows people who are unaware of this event of how many people were killed from this. It also shows that these people who lost their lives shouldn't be forgotten. The many lives that have been killed and are remembered in this memorial shows that we shouldn't repeat history, because it will affect, and even kill many people just like this event. 

            The number of laws passed in certain years varied from year to year. Some years there were only a few, while others there were more. The laws also seemed to be getting more hurtful to the Jews as the years passed. Comparing 1937 to 1938, a lot more laws were passed in 1938. In some years there were a lot of laws passed like in 1942. In other years only a few passed like 1934. Through the years 1933 - 1939 it seemed as if most of the laws focused on entertainment and occupations. A lot of the Jews couldn't have their jobs anymore, because of these laws. In the years 1940 - 1942 the Jews started to lose most of their freedom. There were laws such as, they couldn't be outside at a certain time, they were limited to their food rations, they were forced to wear certain clothing, and had to preform forced labor. We can clearly see that as the years passed the worse the laws became for the Jews, and the less freedom they had. 

             The restriction that I would have the most trouble dealing with would be not being able to have a pet and not being able to go to school anymore. If you have a pet at home you know that they become part of the family. My family loves our pet, and I know we would all be heartbroken if it was taken away from us. A lot of people get so attached to animals, it's hard to let go of them. In this situation Jews were forced to not have any pets. Pets also give us entertainment, and a loving friendship sometimes. I couldn't imagine how hurt my family would be at the time if we were forced to give our animal away. I would also have trouble dealing with not being able to school. Most kids complain about going to school everyday, including me sometimes. Then you realize that school is where all of your friends are, and the place where you laugh. Without an education (especially at this age) you would have a hard time to find work.