40 Book Challenge 03.07.16

The Year of The Hangman by Gary Blackwood

Prompt: 

- Describe the main character

- What has been the most interesting part of your reading?

        The main character is Creighton Brown. He is a fifteen year-old Brit. He has gotten in trouble with the law many times in England. He sneaks out late at night to go gamble with men, even though he is becoming poor. Creighton's mother sends him off to the colonies so he may be disciplined by his uncle. He must act as a servant for a "cover" because they don't like the English. I know that he is very stubborn, conceited, arrogant, and rude because he can't even handle pretending to be a servant. He also has grown up to see death as entertainment, which shows his character. Overall he is very rebellious. 

        One thing I found interesting was how the author described Benjamin Franklin. Since he was a real person it is nice to hear from a different view rather than all these facts. He is viewed as a respected American Patriot. They even call him Dr. Franklin. He has a lot of knowledge and has made many  useful inventions, which is why he is called Dr. Franklin. another character stated how Dr. Franklin knows a lot and tells how a certain item came to be, which is why he is great in his business. One thing I found funny about Dr, Franklin was he was at his desk naked because he says "it allows the body to breath."

        Considering that I have never read a historical fiction book, I really enjoy it. Rather it being a nonfiction book with just facts you get a plot, which personally makes it more interesting. You get a different approach with the characters, that are real. I was never into social studies or history class, but I am interested into historical fiction now. I find it very interesting that I still can make connections with this genre. A connection I had was how Creighton behaves, he is rebellious. He is a teenager. Every teenager relates to another. 

"Life is Beautiful" and "Night"

-What connections can be made between Life is Beautiful and our reading? 

-What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different?

-What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces? 

-How is life shown as beautiful throughout the film. Pull out at least two examples from different parts of the film and explain your rationale.

Between “Life is Beautiful” and the memoir Night there are many connections that can be made. One connection is the father and son relationship shown throughout both pieces. In the film, Guido goes the extra mile for his son and does absolutely anything to help him. One of the things he did for him was when they reached the concentration camp. Guido does everything in his power to prove to his son that the Holocaust is all a game. Guido "translates" the rules of the "game", however everyone knew that he was just making up things as he went along. 

       On the other hand, the book Night shows the father and son relationship differently. In the memoir, it is the son that does everything possible to help his father. Wiesel, the author, would always try to keep his father alive. He did this even though he father was sometimes a burden to his survival. In the memoir there were a couple times when sons betrayed their fathers during the Holocaust. One of the times was when Rabbi Eliahu’s son betrayed his father. Wiesel thought a lot of this and thought, “What if he wanted to be rid of his father?... had this thought of separation to free himself of a burden that could diminish his own chance of survival” (91). After thinking about this, Wiesel felt the need to say a prayer. Wiesel prayed to promise himself to always help his father in this time of need.He also asked for “‘the strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahu’s son has done’” (91). In both the memoir and film, in the father and son relationship, one sacrificed themselves for the others' well being. 

      There are many events, scenes, or situations that are similar or different in the novel and film. In both, they have love as a common theme. The main characters both do everything they can do for their family. Guido risks his life to help save Joshua's and Dora's lives. He risks his life when he went up to ‘translate’ orders for the German officer. He was actually making his son think that the officer was explaining the rules of the game, but he wasn't. Had he been caught, he most likely would have been killed. Which is obviously a huge risk to take for his son. In the memoir, Elie motivates his father to keep trying and moving forward. During the death march, they stopped at a small resting place. When soldiers go around collecting dead bodies, they were going to take Wiesel's dad because they thought he was dead. Wiesel explains having to, “hit him harder and harder. At last, my father half opened his eyes" (99). This saved his father’s life. In order to make these risks for your family, you need a lot of love for your family, especially during the Holocaust. 

        There are also events that are similar between the the memoir and film. An event that was similar was that both Guido and Elie were not educated while in the concentration camps. They were not aware of what would actually happen in the camps. Guido was forcing his son to take a bath when actually he would have been killed. With Elie and his father they had to lie about their age to not be placed in the gas chambers. They didn't understand why they were told to lie until later. A mother huge similarity was that both Guido and Elie's father died close to a few days before they camp the camp was liberated.

        There are many similarities and differences having to do with the mood or tone in the novel and the film. In the novel the tone is tragic and very depressing. Wiesel describes more of the hardships while he was in the concentration camp. One of the hardships he faced was finding out about the crematorium. When entering the camp for the first time he describes the smell and states, “In the air, the smell of burning flesh” (28). This brought a negative tone upon the memoir. It made it a lot more gloomy. On the other hand, the film's tone had a happy portrayal and some humor added in. Guido's reactions towards horrible situations makes you see happiness in everything. When the evacuation of the camp was happening, he hid his son and told him to stay in the hiding place. After saying goodbye for one last time, he gets caught by an officer and had a gun pressed up against him. He pretended not to be scared and marched in a goofy way. He showed his son that everything is fine. He does everything he can for anyone that matters to him. 

        There are many ways in which life is shown as beautiful in the film. One way is when Dora basically sacrifices herself to be with her family. That shows that even though she was not Jewish she would risk her life to be with her family. That personally brings light into my eyes. It shows that there are people that live their families so much they would put their life on the line for them. Another way in which life is shown as in beautiful in the film is how Guido does everything to protect his son from the truth. When he translates the "rules" of the "game" to his son was a huge risk because he didn't even speak German. Also, when the guard took Guido to kill him he exaggerated his march with a smile on his face to show to his son that he had no fear. He hid him from the horrible truth. Risking your life for the people you love, now that is what is beautiful.

"Night" Blog Two

        Throughout the story Elie's experiences during the Holocaust change him as a person spiritually. Elie was thirteen years old when he met Moishe the Beadle, "By day I studied Talmud and by night I would run to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the Temple." He devoted himself to studying Talmud and one day he wanted to study Kabbalah. In the beginning of his life he had faith and innocence. Throughout the story, Elie changes his views on God. He questioned God many times in the camps, "Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?" (31). He questioned God because he thought why would God let these horrible things happen to innocent people. Elie and the prisoners worked long hours, were given small rations of food, and overall they were exhausted. He gave up on God more and more throughout his experiences in the Holocaust.

        Elie's experiences during the Holocaust change him emotionally too. Elie's family arrived at Auschwitz and they were separated, "I didn't know that this moment in time and the place where I was leaving my mother and Tzipora forever." (29). When you're separated from your family than you are unstable. They have always been with you, and for Elie to not know it would be the last time they were all together emotionally changes a person. They weren't even allowed to say goodbye to each other.

        Another experience Elie went through changed him emotionally and mentally. Elie's father had asked a Gypsy were the bathroom was located, "... he slapped my father with such force that he fell down and then crawled back to his place on all fours... My father had just been struck, in front of me, and I had not even blinked. I had watched and kept silent. Only yesterday, I would have dug my nails into this criminal's flesh. Had I changed that much? So Fast?" (39). Elie had watched his dad getting slapped just for a simple question, and Elie didn't act on it. He had changed because before, like he said, he would have hurt the person that has hurt his father. That is a lot of change, especially in one day at Auschawitz.

      Wiesel's experiences also changed him not only on the inside, but n the outside. Elie and the prisoners had to face the heat and thirst while on the train ride to the concentration camp, Auschawitz. Also, the hard labor and starvation at the camps, the prisoners were given rations of food that were small. Most importantly, nature's fierce elements and long marching when he was being evacuated. He also was injured on his foot, and he still had to keep marching otherwise he would die.

"Night" Blog

Night by Elie Wiesel

Prompt:

- Explain how you have been surprised by what you are reading.

- How has the main character changed from the beginning of the story to the point you are at now?

        I have been surprised by what I am reading because of the crazy things the author describes that happened to him and the people around him in the camp. Yes, I already know how horrible the Holocaust is from learning git in school. Honestly, it is totally different from a survivors point of view. They tell you what happened to them, what they had to go through. Elie and the other people in the camp had to watch the three hangings that were taken place. Especially the child that was hung was horrible, it took him about an hour to die. All the people in the camp were forced to watch, that really could hurt someone emotionally.

        In the beginning of the story Elie was very religious. He would follow Moishe the Beadle and listen to what he had to say, "Man comes closer to God through the questions he asks Him, he liked to say." He really believed in everything Moishe the Beadle had to say because his father was very religious. To become closer to God he listened to Moishe the Beadle all the time. They would pray and talk about god. Then that one day Moishe the Beadle came back to town and tried to warn everyone about what was going to happen. Sadly, no one believe him, even Elie didn't believe him.

        Elie in this point of the story isn't very religious anymore. He doesn't believe in God, he is drifting away from God. Elie stated, “For the first time, I felt anger rising within me. Why should I sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal and terrible Master of the Universe, chose to be silent. What was there to thank Him for?” After all he had seen and been through in the camps he cannot believe in God. He questions him because if their was a God then why would he let all this horrible stuff happen? He slowly continues to not believe in God, and so do the others.

Holocaust AoW Impressions

        My impressions on the Articles of the Weeks about the Holocaust was surprising. One part I thought was very surprising was that Nazis were still being hunted today. I was informed that there was a former SS guard being convicted of 300,000 murders. They barely found the guard that worked at Auschawitz during World War II. I also heard that a famous Nazi hunter found the last Nazi. He caught the last Nazi, the Nazi was a well-known guard at a concentration camp. They found him in New York at 92 years old. I thought why do they continue to look for the Nazis after many many years? I now know that they must pay for what they did, they do not get freedom after what they have did.

        I also found that many survivors of the Holocaust still have a life today. Many of them are making a difference in the United States. One man goes to Middle Schools and teaches the kids about his experiences in the death camps. He most importantly teaches them about hate. He tells them that he does not hate Hitler, otherwise he will become just as low as Hitler and the Nazis. I thought that was a strong message. Overall I notice that the Holocaust still affects us even after many years later, which I find very important.

Butterfly Project - Task Four

"Homesick"

I've lived in the ghetto here more than a year,
In Terezín, in the black town now,
And when I remember my old home so dear,
I can love it more than I did, somehow.

Ah, home, home,
Why did they tear me away?
Here the weak die easy as a feather
And when they die, they die forever.

I'd like to go back home again,
It makes me think of sweet spring flowers.
Before, when I used to live at home,
It never seemed so dear and fair.

I remember now those golden days…
But maybe I'll be going there again soon.

People walk along the street,
You see at once on each you meet
That there's a ghetto here,
A place of evil and of fear.
There's little to eat and much to want,
Where bit by bit, it's horror to live.
no one must give up!
The world turns and times change.

Yet we all hope the time will come
When we'll go home again.
Now I know how dear it is
And often I remember it.

9.3.1943. Anonymous

I commented on Nick's, Mariza's, Siari's, Mia's, and James' Blog.

Berlin Memorial Activity

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 have the most trouble dealing with and why?

        I learned that many of the Jews that lived in Germany were not treated fairly at all. The Jews were first segregated by Hitler, who then got the whole country against them. Germany started passing the Nuremberg Racial Laws over the years, which was against the Jews. They laws started by taking away jobs (so no income) and then no entertainment. Technically these are stuff they could live without, so Germany took away milk and eggs. Which was a huge surprise to me since that is nutrition people need. Germany started of small then grew way larger.

        I think the monument was built to honor all the Jews that have died or survived the Holocaust. The slabs of cement are there to symbolize the deaths of many Jews. The Memorial was built to show the many deaths and t honor them. I also think so history does not repeat itself, but it already has...

        I noticed that throughout the years of the laws being made it started off basic. At first they made sure that Jews could have any jobs, so no income (I expected that). They later then took away their  entertainment like driving, movies, and etc. After that it got more serious like they took away prized jewelry that had been in the family for ages. They then took their pets and Jews couldn't drink milk. The laws just kept piling on and on. I think that because during the later years Germany started expanding so they wanted to be more powerful and make new laws.

        I think that the most trouble to deal with is the laws past in the later years. Personally, one for me would be to get my pet taken away. All the pets I have had have always been apart of the family, and to take that away kills you. Another one would to not be able to go to school. For us we teat it as a luxury, but for many people on the East they aren't able t go to school, which deprives them from learning right from wrong. I also thought that milk being taken away just because they were Jewish is just horrible. It is something that would be hard for me, since I love to drink milk. Overall, all the laws were hard to deal with.