Please respond to one (or both, if you are an overachiever) of the two questions below in response to the novel. Feel free as well to make other comments related to the novel.
1. It has often been said that major historical events provide an opportunity to see humanity's darkest side, as well as humanity's best side. What examples from the novel illustrate both points? Can you think of historical events from your lifetime that can be explained from each perspective? Give some examples.
2. There were so many instances in the text when someone did something that seemed insignificant for Gerda, yet it affected her strongly. Name some of those things and discuss how they had such an impact on her. Are there things that happen in your own life that might seem insignificant to others, yet are very encouraging to you?
7 comments:
I think that one very large example of seeing humanity's darker side in this book is how at the end of the book everyone that Mrs. Klein had ever been close to had died. The people that she cared about and loved and that was there for her were gone and she was left with no one.
The novel shows humanity's brighter side be showing that there were actually Nazis who acted like human beings and who actually had conciences. In this novel, there was always a strong point that was stressed whenever something good happened in her life, like for instance, her birthday.
Nothing significant as the holocaust has happened in my life. But there have been small moments when you can see humanity's dark side and bright side. Like when you are having a bad day and every time you turn around things keep getting worse and worse. That would be life's cruel joke. Or when you have that great day where everything goes your way. That would be humanitys brighter side.
In my opinion, the "dark side" of the book was the hopelessness that Gerda felt as an effect of the adandonment and cruelty she had to face. Her family and friends were everything to her, and as tightly as she tried to hold onto them, she was left alone and broken in the end. When I used to think about the Holocaust, I never considered the possibility that there could be a "lighter side" to such a tragedy. This class has shown me that even during humanity's darkest moments, there's always a spark of positivity buried somewhere deep inside. In "All But My Life", Gerda experienced the better side through the officer who stopped her on her way home from school and let her go with only a warning not to study English. Frau Kugler also showed Gerda a fondness that was severely lacking during that time.
It's strange how you start to connect with a character so deeply that you also begin to find joy in the things the character does. For instance, getting an orange as a birthday present would seem ridiculous to children these days. Gerda was so blessed to receive such a present from her parents because she knew the situation at hand might hinder her from getting anything at all on her birthday. Towards the end of the book when Kurt brought flowers to Gerda in the hospital, I could feel how precious the gift was to her. For me, the small things have the biggest impact on me.
I loved this book so much, even though I cried (a lot, actually). Mrs. Klein's story is so inspiring and it made me connect with her in a very strong way.
The most obvious darker side of humanity in this novel is the Nazi regime. In the book, and real life, they murdered millions of innocent people. I think the lighter side in the book was in Gerda and characters like herself. They were the foils to the German soldiers because they were the innocent victims. In the book, Gerda is a very sweet young girl who desperately wants to be with her family again. There isn't anything in the book that would suggest to me that she even had a dark side.
1. I think that one of humanity's dark sides shows up when the Commandant with the signet ring, ripped the face of the girl in the line to take a shower. I also think that one of the dark sides is when the people greeted the Nazi's with open arms forsaking their country, and when the neighbors wanted to destroy the symbol of their country to make a Nazi Flag.
I think that examples for humanity's best side, is when the officer let Gerda go without punishment. He could have punished her and been commended for it!
Instead he let her go.
Nothing really in my lifetime, but I do know about the Soviet Union, and the Berlin Wall, and the Berlin Airlift.
2. When she got news about anyone, like her brother, her uncle, her friends, Abek this affected her greatly. These gave her hope.
The pictures she got and took care of, these gave her happiness.
The gifts she got from her friends on her birthday, these gave her happiness.
One of the intangible things that affect me is history. It can bring me happiness and joy, and it can also bring me sorrow and anger.
(Usually anger, except for the Depression, Inquisition, Holocaust, Renascence, and Space Race.)
This book was awesome and I liked it. I'm mainly a war book guy, but this was pretty good. I did want to yell at the people greeting the Nazi's... those idiots.
I think that two of the darkest sides of humanity, in Gerda's book, are the separation of her family and, like Ashley said, the death of her friends and her loved ones.
Imagine this for a moment, if you will.
One day your family is all gathered together, having the time of your lives! You are all laughing, joking around, and all in a joyful mood. You sleep without fear. The next day you hear, "BANG! BANG! BANG!" at your door. The police are knocking violently at your door. They tell you that you must be separated and go in different directions. A few hours later, you are snatched away from your family. The ones you love most. The ones you go to in times of trouble. The ones who raised you. The ones who you laugh with and live with! You now sleep with fear. You now live with the suffering and agony of the decreasing beat of your heart that was once full of happiness. You now lack hope because you long to be with your mom. You long to be with your dad. You long to be with your brother(s)/sister(s)
Tearing families away like that is unjust! No one should ever have to endure that. We will never fully understand what Gerda, and what thousands of Shoah survivors, had to face when it came to the ripping apart of families. That in my opinion is the darkest humanity was in Gerda’s situation because she so longed to be with her brother and with her parents.
On the brighter side of humanity, in this novel, we have love. Yes you heard correctly. Love. Gerda had been through so much pain and suffering until she met Mr. Klein. Mr. Klein was Gerda’s liberator and future husband. Mr. Klein would always check to see how Gerda was doing, while she was in the hospital. He would always try to find the time to go see her. See, he didn’t have to do those things. He didn’t have to show her kindness or respect. He didn’t have to do those things, but he did.
I agree with Ashley, “Nothing significant as the holocaust has happened in my life.” I have seen one of the dark sides of humanity. That would be the atrocities are going on right now in Darfur and other areas in Africa. The genocide must end!
The brighter side of humanity in my lifetime has to be people caring for others. Just caring for someone shows them your love and that you will help them out in times of trouble and sorrow. When I see people building houses for people who really need them, I smile. Why? I smile because they are caring for each other. Why can’t people care for others all the time? That is something I can not grasp completely. Are they of no compassion?
-Josh
One example of humanity's dark side in this book was that the Nazis and the others who were involved in carrying out the Holocaust even had the heart to do such cruel things to innocent people. Humanity's best side is displayed when Gerda still remains true to her faith, even when it would have been very easy for her to give up. One event in my lifetime that displays these points is 9/11. The dark side being that so many innocent lives were lost. The brighter side being that the policemen, firefighters, and other servicemen that lost their lives that day, died with dignity and honor.
I would have to say that I agree with Allison. The darkside of the book is definitely all of the abandonment and tragedy she has to endure. Especially when she loses her family. The darkside of humanity in general is the fact that the SS soldiers were doing all of these things, like what Harry said the scene in the shower where the soldier mauls the girls face. That image was imprinted into my mind after reading that part. I actually got angry while reading it. I'm sure the first couple of times they killed an innocent person they felt bad but it just keeps getting easier. I just finished Europa Europa, and it's not as dark as some of the other things we've read or watched but I'd just like to bring up a question and ask people what they thought about the decisions he made. I personally think that what he did was extremely smart and if I was in that certain situation I would've done the same thing. I was just bringing up the point that one could argue that what he did was in no way justified and was actually a betrayal of his people. On a different note, I loved the irony with his dream of Hitler in the closet hiding with him telling him not to tell anyone he was Jewish. And also, I tried to post a comment on your blog about Shakespeare and I know what you mean about talking in Shakespearian language I was trying to write a song the other day and I was saying things like doth, thine, and alas. And yeah for the most part I'd say that my classmates and I will succeed. At least i'd like to think so.
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