I didn't particularly enjoy either of these author's writing styles. They tell a very fluid and well built story but I find that it was too much of a narrative for me. Each book simply stated what happened in the story, and what the main character was thinking occasionally. I enjoy novels that dwell on the actions of the story, extending beyond the thoughts of the character and diving into complex ideas and how they affect the characters. For example, in Of Mice and Men, I would have appreciated a section of the introduction be devoted to defining George and Lennie's relationship, who benefits from what parts of it, how it formed, etc. While these things could be gleaned from intense literary analysis, I find that it makes for a better story if it is built directly into the novel.
One of the things I found interesting about both of these novels is the length of the book. Both books barely top 100 pages each, yet they are extremely famous novels and are considered classics. I used to think that for a book to be a classic, it had to be very long and cover absolutely everything about the story, such as War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. However, a book like War and Peace explains absolutely everything in the novel. Books like Night and Of Mice and Men, however, leave the interpretation to you. Depending on how deep of a literary analysis you perform, Of Mice and Men could be about friendship, dealing with mental disabilities, or even the dueling idealogies of logic and spirit. Night could be about surviving hardships, determination, adolescence, or the false hope of putting faith in religion. These books could be all these things and more. On the surface, Of Mice and Men is about a farmhand and his mentally disabled friend. Night is about a boy and his father surviving the holocaust. But they transcend these simple stories and become so much more. This is what a true classic is defined as.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The Results of Time
Compare and contrast for Night and Of Mice and Men: Post 4
Jon, in our past posts, we have talked quite a lot about things such as freedom and discrimination, and I feel that these things are closely associated with the time period in which they take place. It is true that the desire to be independent and the concept of bullying can occur anytime and anywhere, yet there is something about the way our minds work that relates the ideas people develope to the era in which they live. You have talked much about how the places where these two books are set impact the main characters, but I want to mention how the time aspect of the settings impact the thoughts of our "villains."
Both the stories we have read for this project take place in the past, and even if they are not too far back, they still are impacted very much by their settings. As the world progresses in technology and such, there is more for the general public to access so that it can learn about the significant impacts the small actions they take can have on the world. After the time of Night, there was a sense of knowing what was happening to the Jews of Europe around the world, and the access to real life stories of dispair and pleas for help is what ignited that very sense. "We had forgotten everything--death, fatigue, our natural needs. Stronger than cold or hunger, stronger than the shots and the desire to die, condemned and wandering, mere numbers, we were the only men on earth." (Wiesel, 83). If this book and its events were to have taken place further back in history, it would have been harder for others to acknowledge that killing due to religion was wrong since there would be nothing a person could see or do that would send that message. This is what happens within Of Mice and Men with Lennie; others gang up on him and accuse him of doing things because they really have no way of knowing that it is wrong. For instance, when George asks Curley to have mercy on Lennie for accidentally killing his wife, Curley replies with: "'Don't shoot 'im?' Curley cried. 'He got Carlson's Luger. 'Course we'll shoot 'im.'" (Steinbeck, 95). With modern times comes modern technology that can help people view the world from the point of view of another that is suffering, and that can often save lives by manifesting into realization.
The time period of a story is important due to the fact that people can often be immune to the traditional ways of the past, and therefore, be hooked to many regulations that don't fit into a modern world. Night and Of Mice and Men are both similar in the way that they both contain people (major characters even) who are hooked onto the ideas from the past that no longer would make sense in today's times. Hitler, for example, was swaying in the thought that ultimate control can only be achieved if the "filthy" and "impure" people of the world were somehow removed from proper society. In the same way, Curley was a man who floated in the idea that someone who was not mentally able to contribute to a community should be an outcast since nothing is gained out of him or her. If we think about it, both of these are ideas that have been existing for a long time in history, and a change in the setting of these stories would not have given them the same meaning that can be seen now. There are people that think in similar ways to Hitler and Curley even now, but that is changing as new generations are reestablishing the rules on which societies work.
Overall, the messages and feelings I have received from these two books made me happy that we chose to read them; I hope they have made some impact on you too, Jon.
P.S. Don't worry, Jon. I will read your later posts even though I am done...
Jon, in our past posts, we have talked quite a lot about things such as freedom and discrimination, and I feel that these things are closely associated with the time period in which they take place. It is true that the desire to be independent and the concept of bullying can occur anytime and anywhere, yet there is something about the way our minds work that relates the ideas people develope to the era in which they live. You have talked much about how the places where these two books are set impact the main characters, but I want to mention how the time aspect of the settings impact the thoughts of our "villains."
Both the stories we have read for this project take place in the past, and even if they are not too far back, they still are impacted very much by their settings. As the world progresses in technology and such, there is more for the general public to access so that it can learn about the significant impacts the small actions they take can have on the world. After the time of Night, there was a sense of knowing what was happening to the Jews of Europe around the world, and the access to real life stories of dispair and pleas for help is what ignited that very sense. "We had forgotten everything--death, fatigue, our natural needs. Stronger than cold or hunger, stronger than the shots and the desire to die, condemned and wandering, mere numbers, we were the only men on earth." (Wiesel, 83). If this book and its events were to have taken place further back in history, it would have been harder for others to acknowledge that killing due to religion was wrong since there would be nothing a person could see or do that would send that message. This is what happens within Of Mice and Men with Lennie; others gang up on him and accuse him of doing things because they really have no way of knowing that it is wrong. For instance, when George asks Curley to have mercy on Lennie for accidentally killing his wife, Curley replies with: "'Don't shoot 'im?' Curley cried. 'He got Carlson's Luger. 'Course we'll shoot 'im.'" (Steinbeck, 95). With modern times comes modern technology that can help people view the world from the point of view of another that is suffering, and that can often save lives by manifesting into realization.
The time period of a story is important due to the fact that people can often be immune to the traditional ways of the past, and therefore, be hooked to many regulations that don't fit into a modern world. Night and Of Mice and Men are both similar in the way that they both contain people (major characters even) who are hooked onto the ideas from the past that no longer would make sense in today's times. Hitler, for example, was swaying in the thought that ultimate control can only be achieved if the "filthy" and "impure" people of the world were somehow removed from proper society. In the same way, Curley was a man who floated in the idea that someone who was not mentally able to contribute to a community should be an outcast since nothing is gained out of him or her. If we think about it, both of these are ideas that have been existing for a long time in history, and a change in the setting of these stories would not have given them the same meaning that can be seen now. There are people that think in similar ways to Hitler and Curley even now, but that is changing as new generations are reestablishing the rules on which societies work.
Overall, the messages and feelings I have received from these two books made me happy that we chose to read them; I hope they have made some impact on you too, Jon.
P.S. Don't worry, Jon. I will read your later posts even though I am done...
The Impacts of Writing Style
Compare and contrast for Night and Of Mice and Men: Post 3
Jon, I can totally see the point you made about how much the settings of these two books affect what the main characters have to deal with and what they get out of those experiences. I was also happy to see that you thought the way I did about the fact that Elie and Lennie could be seen as extremely different individuals due to their learning processes. In books such as Night, there is not only one person that is affected by the setting, yet I have developed a sympathy for Elie's sufferings, and this makes it seem like he went through more than anyone else did in the Holocaust (while we both know that is most likely not true). As for Of Mice and Men, Lennie's disability to learn why he was treated so differently made it hard for him to adapt to the setting of his book, and this made the setting a big problem for him. Even though plots can be described as moving the entire story along, they make the most impact on the main characters of books, and this means that Elie and Lennie/George went through significant change from the beginnings to the ends of these books.
In this post, I want to focus mostly on the differences between the writing styles of Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Steinbeck because there are many that can be noticed. Mr. Wiesel wrote Night from personal experience, and this was able to create a dark and realistic tone for it, and while Of Mice and Men might be an earthly book, it is nothing like Mr. Wiesel's book when it comes to voice. The most noticeable difference between these two writing styles is that Night was written in first-person while Mr. Steinbeck wrote in a third-person fashion. Usually, a first-person fashion puts the reader into the shoes of the main character, making the events of the story more powerful, and while Of Mice and Men wasn't entirely hard to connect to, Night's style succeeded in pulling the reader towards it. There is a sense of the innocence of a boy going through pain in Mr. Wiesel's writing, and it gives the reader and opportunity to be that boy for a short while. "When they withdrew, next to me were two corpses, side by side, the father and the son. I was fifteen years old." (Wiesel, 96). Although a third-person style is not the best form of writing, many stories are written perfectly for it, and this makes them interesting all on their own; Mr. Steinbeck's novel wouldn't have been at all the same if written from either the view of Lennie or George since both of their views can be seen in this specific fashion. Mr. Steinbeck had a choice for the tone he gave to his book, and he chose one that would present multiple aspects of his society to the reader, making Of Mice and Men all the more unique and interesting. For example, Crooks can be given action-descriptions to tell things about his character, something that can often be difficult in first-person: "The room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man." (Steinbeck, 66). On the other hand, Mr. Wiesel didn't really have an option for writing style since his own experiences would most likely get in the way of his imagination if he tried to write something other than a memoir.
Both books bring with them reality, whether written about real events or merely drawn from instances in the real world, and this is something that connects them, no matter how different their writing style. Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Steinbeck both found ways in which to get the reader attached to the characters within Night and Of Mice and Men, making sure to incorporate huge amounts of feeling into their writing so that the reader could go through the same emotions they felt while writing. Whether first-person or third, whether real or imaginary, whether one main character or two, both of these men wrote with such intensity that it inspires those who read their work to make a difference in the world.
What style did you like to read more, Jon? What story was enhanced more due to how it was written in your opinion?
Jon, I can totally see the point you made about how much the settings of these two books affect what the main characters have to deal with and what they get out of those experiences. I was also happy to see that you thought the way I did about the fact that Elie and Lennie could be seen as extremely different individuals due to their learning processes. In books such as Night, there is not only one person that is affected by the setting, yet I have developed a sympathy for Elie's sufferings, and this makes it seem like he went through more than anyone else did in the Holocaust (while we both know that is most likely not true). As for Of Mice and Men, Lennie's disability to learn why he was treated so differently made it hard for him to adapt to the setting of his book, and this made the setting a big problem for him. Even though plots can be described as moving the entire story along, they make the most impact on the main characters of books, and this means that Elie and Lennie/George went through significant change from the beginnings to the ends of these books.
In this post, I want to focus mostly on the differences between the writing styles of Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Steinbeck because there are many that can be noticed. Mr. Wiesel wrote Night from personal experience, and this was able to create a dark and realistic tone for it, and while Of Mice and Men might be an earthly book, it is nothing like Mr. Wiesel's book when it comes to voice. The most noticeable difference between these two writing styles is that Night was written in first-person while Mr. Steinbeck wrote in a third-person fashion. Usually, a first-person fashion puts the reader into the shoes of the main character, making the events of the story more powerful, and while Of Mice and Men wasn't entirely hard to connect to, Night's style succeeded in pulling the reader towards it. There is a sense of the innocence of a boy going through pain in Mr. Wiesel's writing, and it gives the reader and opportunity to be that boy for a short while. "When they withdrew, next to me were two corpses, side by side, the father and the son. I was fifteen years old." (Wiesel, 96). Although a third-person style is not the best form of writing, many stories are written perfectly for it, and this makes them interesting all on their own; Mr. Steinbeck's novel wouldn't have been at all the same if written from either the view of Lennie or George since both of their views can be seen in this specific fashion. Mr. Steinbeck had a choice for the tone he gave to his book, and he chose one that would present multiple aspects of his society to the reader, making Of Mice and Men all the more unique and interesting. For example, Crooks can be given action-descriptions to tell things about his character, something that can often be difficult in first-person: "The room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man." (Steinbeck, 66). On the other hand, Mr. Wiesel didn't really have an option for writing style since his own experiences would most likely get in the way of his imagination if he tried to write something other than a memoir.
Both books bring with them reality, whether written about real events or merely drawn from instances in the real world, and this is something that connects them, no matter how different their writing style. Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Steinbeck both found ways in which to get the reader attached to the characters within Night and Of Mice and Men, making sure to incorporate huge amounts of feeling into their writing so that the reader could go through the same emotions they felt while writing. Whether first-person or third, whether real or imaginary, whether one main character or two, both of these men wrote with such intensity that it inspires those who read their work to make a difference in the world.
What style did you like to read more, Jon? What story was enhanced more due to how it was written in your opinion?
Compare and Contrast Post 2: Effects of the Plot and Setting
Surbhi, I feel that Elie and Lennie are pretty different people. Yes, they were both victims of discrimination, and they both reacted with confusion to their unfair treatment, but I feel that is where the similarities end. Lennie is mentally disabled, and I think this changes his aspect on the world greatly. When Elie is discriminated against for being Jewish, he knows why the Nazis are doing this to him. He may not understand their reason, but he understands that they have a reason. Lennie, however, does not understand the reasons people are angry at him. He does not have the mental capacity to think from their point of view, and imagine their reaction to his actions.
I think that the surroundings of the characters and what happens in each story really shapes them and who they are in each novel. Elie, who slowlys becomes emotionally callused and stolid as the book progresses, has to develop these personality traits in order to retain his sanity in the concentration camps. He would not develop these if the story was set in, say, a small town in the US. That's a very strange example, but it's a place where a person doesn't have to emotionally guard themselves against a genocide going on around them. Lennie and George, two nomadic farmhands who pick up work where they can, develop scavenger-like instincts that are prevalent especially in the beginning of the book to help them find work, supplies, anything they need. They wouldn't develop these skills if Lennie and George were instead working on urban farms close to present-day cities, not sparse, distant fields scattered across the midwestern US during the Great Depression.
Each character's surroundings shape him into a different person as the story progresses. Elie becomes emotionally stolid and indifferent to death. Lennie becomes more conscious of his actions. George questions his choice in friends. These are all direct results of the setting and specific events in the story.
Who do you think was most impacted by the setting of each novel? Who was most impacted by plots within the story?
I think that the surroundings of the characters and what happens in each story really shapes them and who they are in each novel. Elie, who slowlys becomes emotionally callused and stolid as the book progresses, has to develop these personality traits in order to retain his sanity in the concentration camps. He would not develop these if the story was set in, say, a small town in the US. That's a very strange example, but it's a place where a person doesn't have to emotionally guard themselves against a genocide going on around them. Lennie and George, two nomadic farmhands who pick up work where they can, develop scavenger-like instincts that are prevalent especially in the beginning of the book to help them find work, supplies, anything they need. They wouldn't develop these skills if Lennie and George were instead working on urban farms close to present-day cities, not sparse, distant fields scattered across the midwestern US during the Great Depression.
Each character's surroundings shape him into a different person as the story progresses. Elie becomes emotionally stolid and indifferent to death. Lennie becomes more conscious of his actions. George questions his choice in friends. These are all direct results of the setting and specific events in the story.
Who do you think was most impacted by the setting of each novel? Who was most impacted by plots within the story?
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Elie vs. Lennie: Understanding the World
Compare and contrast of Night and Of Mice and Men: Post 2
Jon, I am incredibly relieved that you thought Night showed a stronger level of discrimination in it since that story is based off of horrible events that actually happened in history. I agree with you that even though both books show a desire for freedom, Elie's want to be free is much more noticeable than that of George or Lennie's, and this creates a dramatic amount of empathy within a reader. I feel that everyone who was able to think straight after experiencing the trauma from the Holocaust wanted to achieve freedom as much as Elie, while other minorities in Mr. Steinbeck's story wished for the independence George and Lennie wanted to have, showing us that these main characters were never the only ones to think of having equal rights to those who were "superior" to them.
Although the themes within Night and Of Mice and Men are very important to know about, I want to focus mostly on the main characters for this post. Specifically, I want to compare Elie and Lennie since they were the two who were most often the targets of discrimination, and we could actually hear and analyze what they thought when others bullied them. Elie, for one, was a boy when he was taken to concentration camps, and therefore, he had a much harder time understanding exactly why he was experiencing such events than the adults that surrounded him. Lennie could be described as being even less capable than Elie when it came to learning about how the world works because of his mental state, and his lack of sensibility made him seem more childish that of Night's young protagonist. Due to the differences in the mental states of these two characters, it is crystal clear that Elie began to take in the happenings around him pretty fast and adapted to his new environment much quicker than Lennie was able to realize the mistakes he repeatedly made. "The morning star was shining in the sky. I too had become a completely different person. The student of the Talmud, the child that I was, had been consumed in the flames." (Wiesel, 34). Although both Elie and Lennie went through forms of discrimination and hoped for a better life, the differences in how they saw the world and its people created varying options for the two, whether they were becoming determined to create a bright future or thinking about how not to kill one's next pet.
In the end, one can say that Lennie's mental state is what killed him, because Elie was very young when he experienced the Holocaust, yet he survived since he could notice things and use his observations to learn from them. Lennie, even being a fully grown man, could not grasp many general concepts of life throughout Mr. Steinbeck's entire novel, and his innocence is what caused him to kill Curley's wife. It was in no way Lennie's fault that he had a hard time adapting to new environments, yet it is more that this poor character can be seen suffering his entire life because of something so uncontrollable. Elie and Lennie were not different because of Lennie's disability, but more so because of how they saw everything with such different points of view. Elie learned how bitter the world can be and what one needs to do for survival from what he witnessed, while Lennie was continuously stuck on the idea of being sheltered by George for the rest of his life (until his death). "'George gonna come back,' Lennie reassured himself in a frightened voice. 'Maybe George come back already. Maybe I better go see.'" (Steinbeck, 71).
Jon, do you think that Elie and Lennie are more similar because of their life experiences, or more different because of their various coping strategies? Do you think George is more like either one of them?
Jon, I am incredibly relieved that you thought Night showed a stronger level of discrimination in it since that story is based off of horrible events that actually happened in history. I agree with you that even though both books show a desire for freedom, Elie's want to be free is much more noticeable than that of George or Lennie's, and this creates a dramatic amount of empathy within a reader. I feel that everyone who was able to think straight after experiencing the trauma from the Holocaust wanted to achieve freedom as much as Elie, while other minorities in Mr. Steinbeck's story wished for the independence George and Lennie wanted to have, showing us that these main characters were never the only ones to think of having equal rights to those who were "superior" to them.
Although the themes within Night and Of Mice and Men are very important to know about, I want to focus mostly on the main characters for this post. Specifically, I want to compare Elie and Lennie since they were the two who were most often the targets of discrimination, and we could actually hear and analyze what they thought when others bullied them. Elie, for one, was a boy when he was taken to concentration camps, and therefore, he had a much harder time understanding exactly why he was experiencing such events than the adults that surrounded him. Lennie could be described as being even less capable than Elie when it came to learning about how the world works because of his mental state, and his lack of sensibility made him seem more childish that of Night's young protagonist. Due to the differences in the mental states of these two characters, it is crystal clear that Elie began to take in the happenings around him pretty fast and adapted to his new environment much quicker than Lennie was able to realize the mistakes he repeatedly made. "The morning star was shining in the sky. I too had become a completely different person. The student of the Talmud, the child that I was, had been consumed in the flames." (Wiesel, 34). Although both Elie and Lennie went through forms of discrimination and hoped for a better life, the differences in how they saw the world and its people created varying options for the two, whether they were becoming determined to create a bright future or thinking about how not to kill one's next pet.
In the end, one can say that Lennie's mental state is what killed him, because Elie was very young when he experienced the Holocaust, yet he survived since he could notice things and use his observations to learn from them. Lennie, even being a fully grown man, could not grasp many general concepts of life throughout Mr. Steinbeck's entire novel, and his innocence is what caused him to kill Curley's wife. It was in no way Lennie's fault that he had a hard time adapting to new environments, yet it is more that this poor character can be seen suffering his entire life because of something so uncontrollable. Elie and Lennie were not different because of Lennie's disability, but more so because of how they saw everything with such different points of view. Elie learned how bitter the world can be and what one needs to do for survival from what he witnessed, while Lennie was continuously stuck on the idea of being sheltered by George for the rest of his life (until his death). "'George gonna come back,' Lennie reassured himself in a frightened voice. 'Maybe George come back already. Maybe I better go see.'" (Steinbeck, 71).
Jon, do you think that Elie and Lennie are more similar because of their life experiences, or more different because of their various coping strategies? Do you think George is more like either one of them?
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Compare and Contrast Post 1: Freedom
I think that Night definitely had more discrimination in it. After all, this is a book about the Holocaust, the largest attempted genocide in human history. Everything that happens to Elie in the book is a direct result of discrimination towards his religion, while discrimination in Of Mice and Men is occasional and on a much smaller scale.
I find the idea of freedom in both of these books to be interesting. In Night, Elie constantly thinks about why he is being oppressed, and copes with it differently at different sections of the book. He dwells on losing his freedom, and how his life has changed since then. Unlike George and Lennie, he has to accept being imprisoned possibly indefinitely. George and Lennie willingly give up some freedoms in order to make money, so they accept having less freedom. Elie gets no say in the matter. Elie is also treated much worse. Elie's loss of freedom is forced on him, while George and Lennie give it up as part of a deal, so they gain something in exchange.
I find it interesting that the characters in both stories have to live in bunkhouses and do daily manual labor. However, except for that and the idea of less freedom, that is where the similarities stop. Elie is imprisoned for his religion, while George and Lennie opt to agree to such a structured and controlled life in exchange for pay. Elie is also physically forced to stay in the camps, while George and Lennie stay since they want to make money. They are not physically forced to stay, but morally forced, if you will. This also brings into question how much each person valued their freedom beforehand.
George and Lennie, two broke farmhands wandering the country looking for work, are completely willing to give up some things to make money, during the Great Depression no less. Before being sent to a camp, Elie lived in a middle-to high-class household with a loving family and lots of friends. Upon losing these things and being forced to work in the camps, his life has gotten significantly worse. George and Lennie's lives barely changed, so they could accept it much more easily.
Surbhi, what do you think about the idea of freedom in these two books? How prevalent is it in each book, and do only the main characters experience a loss of freedom, or does it affect more people in the story?
I find the idea of freedom in both of these books to be interesting. In Night, Elie constantly thinks about why he is being oppressed, and copes with it differently at different sections of the book. He dwells on losing his freedom, and how his life has changed since then. Unlike George and Lennie, he has to accept being imprisoned possibly indefinitely. George and Lennie willingly give up some freedoms in order to make money, so they accept having less freedom. Elie gets no say in the matter. Elie is also treated much worse. Elie's loss of freedom is forced on him, while George and Lennie give it up as part of a deal, so they gain something in exchange.
I find it interesting that the characters in both stories have to live in bunkhouses and do daily manual labor. However, except for that and the idea of less freedom, that is where the similarities stop. Elie is imprisoned for his religion, while George and Lennie opt to agree to such a structured and controlled life in exchange for pay. Elie is also physically forced to stay in the camps, while George and Lennie stay since they want to make money. They are not physically forced to stay, but morally forced, if you will. This also brings into question how much each person valued their freedom beforehand.
George and Lennie, two broke farmhands wandering the country looking for work, are completely willing to give up some things to make money, during the Great Depression no less. Before being sent to a camp, Elie lived in a middle-to high-class household with a loving family and lots of friends. Upon losing these things and being forced to work in the camps, his life has gotten significantly worse. George and Lennie's lives barely changed, so they could accept it much more easily.
Surbhi, what do you think about the idea of freedom in these two books? How prevalent is it in each book, and do only the main characters experience a loss of freedom, or does it affect more people in the story?
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Of Mice and Men Chapter 6: Lennie's Death
Upon finishing the book, I found Lennie's death deeply saddening, but I also thought of the deep symbolism behind his passing. I find it very fitting that George kills Lennie in the end. It's a very sad ending to the book, but it carries deep symbolism. I sort of viewed Lennie as being every man's crazy dream in life. All he wants to do is go live on a farm and tend the rabbits. This idea, of course, is crazy, since this is in the middle of the Great Depression and they are simply farm workers. However, Lennie pursues it constantly. Simply put, they are like two parts of the mind. George represents reason and logic, he is the set of values rooted in knowledge, common sense, and reason. Lennie, however, represents creativity, hopes, and dreams. Lennie lives in a life filled with fun, while George constantly works through every day, very systematically thinking of his future. George has to constantly control Lennie's impulses, and keep him sensible and under control. Lennie lets them have fun and enjoy life occasionally. But, if the creative side grows too strong and endangers both individuals, as Lennie did by killing Curley's wife, then the sensible side silences it permanently. George does this by killing Lennie.
Monday, March 26, 2012
A Reoccurring Theme of Discrimination...
Compare and contrast for Night and Of Mice and Men: Post One
Jon, I don't find it too surprising that both of these books have the common theme of discrimination in them, considering that they take place somewhat in the past and are based off of times and events in which racial and other judgments were common things. Throughout Night and Of Mice and Men, one can see that those who are different are treated horribly by those who believe they are superior to minorities. Elie, Lennie, and Crooks are all considered lowlifes by other characters due to their religion, mental state, or race. Even though Night can be said to take place much further in the future than Mr. Steinbeck's novel, there is just as much, if not more, discrimination that can be detected within it.
Night is based off of an event caused by the intolerance of differences in people, while Of Mice and Men is a book in which much of the story is shaped by the rude behaviors of people who are unwilling to accept that everyone is different. "He backed until he was against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face. Lennie's hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself." (Steinbeck, 61-62). Both Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Steinbeck did a great job of taking two very different settings and incorporating within them the idea of discrimination in order to get their morals across to the reader. These are both very realistic stories, in fact, Night is a memoir, and this makes one wonder about the reality of our societies and communities around the world. Recognizing the horrible ways in which different people were and are treated in real life is something that these authors help a reader do; their writing not only entertains, but it also inspires one to change the ways of majority rule. "'I've got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He's the only one who's kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people.'" (Wiesel, 77). Just because a person is of Jewish decent or is not as mentally capable as others, doesn't mean that he or she needs to be treated abnormally, and this is something that still needs to be realized.
Mr. Wiesel recalls how his religious background got him in trouble, and that kind of discrimination can be seen today between the Hindus and Muslims of India. Mr. Steinbeck told about the burdens a mad man would have had to carry in the past through his words, and this can also be seen today in the ways that groups of people all over the world consider mentally unstable individuals burdens, even with such modernization in thinking nowadays.
Of course, the ways in which the discrimination for both stories takes place are not at all the same since religious intolerance and ability intolerance are very diverse topics, but discrimination in any form can be seen as bad by how the writers creatively show its negative effects in society. Religion is something that can be changed no matter how hard that is to do, and while mental disabilities cannot, one should not have to compromise with religious beliefs because of what others think. Mr. Wiesel uses a weaker branch of discrimination in his writing, yet the level of hatred against his beliefs in his story make his argument seem even more devastating than the one found in Mr. Steinbeck's story.
What do you think about this Jon? Whose story do you feel holds the stronger discrimination in it?
Jon, I don't find it too surprising that both of these books have the common theme of discrimination in them, considering that they take place somewhat in the past and are based off of times and events in which racial and other judgments were common things. Throughout Night and Of Mice and Men, one can see that those who are different are treated horribly by those who believe they are superior to minorities. Elie, Lennie, and Crooks are all considered lowlifes by other characters due to their religion, mental state, or race. Even though Night can be said to take place much further in the future than Mr. Steinbeck's novel, there is just as much, if not more, discrimination that can be detected within it.
Night is based off of an event caused by the intolerance of differences in people, while Of Mice and Men is a book in which much of the story is shaped by the rude behaviors of people who are unwilling to accept that everyone is different. "He backed until he was against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face. Lennie's hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself." (Steinbeck, 61-62). Both Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Steinbeck did a great job of taking two very different settings and incorporating within them the idea of discrimination in order to get their morals across to the reader. These are both very realistic stories, in fact, Night is a memoir, and this makes one wonder about the reality of our societies and communities around the world. Recognizing the horrible ways in which different people were and are treated in real life is something that these authors help a reader do; their writing not only entertains, but it also inspires one to change the ways of majority rule. "'I've got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He's the only one who's kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people.'" (Wiesel, 77). Just because a person is of Jewish decent or is not as mentally capable as others, doesn't mean that he or she needs to be treated abnormally, and this is something that still needs to be realized.
Mr. Wiesel recalls how his religious background got him in trouble, and that kind of discrimination can be seen today between the Hindus and Muslims of India. Mr. Steinbeck told about the burdens a mad man would have had to carry in the past through his words, and this can also be seen today in the ways that groups of people all over the world consider mentally unstable individuals burdens, even with such modernization in thinking nowadays.
Of course, the ways in which the discrimination for both stories takes place are not at all the same since religious intolerance and ability intolerance are very diverse topics, but discrimination in any form can be seen as bad by how the writers creatively show its negative effects in society. Religion is something that can be changed no matter how hard that is to do, and while mental disabilities cannot, one should not have to compromise with religious beliefs because of what others think. Mr. Wiesel uses a weaker branch of discrimination in his writing, yet the level of hatred against his beliefs in his story make his argument seem even more devastating than the one found in Mr. Steinbeck's story.
What do you think about this Jon? Whose story do you feel holds the stronger discrimination in it?
Sunday, March 25, 2012
An Ending of Grief
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Chapter 6
Jon, I unfortunately agreed with your statement about the book not ending well for Lennie when I read your post, and I am sad to say that we were both absolutely right about that. The ending of this story was very surprising to me, for it was neither Curley nor his workers who caused Lennie more pain in this chapter. I think that we both saw the events that took place now coming from afar after comparing our posts, but it is just that I didn't realize what was about to happen until it did.
Mr. Steinbeck was able to create a strong relationship between George and Lennie in this story, showing it to us through the smallest actions or events, and this is what made his ending a bit of a shocker. This book was written so that a reader could experience the unique bond that these two characters shared with each other, and to witness that the sweetness and love of this bond is what took Lennie's life was something that gave me mixed emotions about how it ended (the bond and the book). When the author took us back into the context of the beginning, a beautiful and lively landscape, the tragedy that was about to occur became something out of the blue, something that I certainly didn't expect. The comfort and acceptance George gave to Lennie when they began to talk gave the indication that George would never turn on Lennie and that he would stay as Lennie's protection as long as he lived. "'No,' said George, 'No, Lennie. I ain't mad. I never been mad, an' I ain't now. That's a thing I want ya to know.'" (pg. 103). Yet, the complete opposite happened. George became the attacker, and Lennie the target.
The most visible reason why George would have murdered his own companion is that there was love hidden in the bullet he put through Lennie's head. George wanted to keep his mentally disabled partner away from a brutal death by the hands of Curley and the others as well as keep himself away from the guilt he would feel by letting Lennie go through all of that pain. Shooting Lennie would have been one of the hardest things for George to ever do, yet it was a vital action if he wanted to end Lennie's suffering. "Slim said, 'You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.'" (pg. 104). Giving Lennie a quiet and unexpected death was something that George was compelled to do due to his affection for Lennie, and the grief that came across his features after he did it showed just how much he had come to care for the one who had caused him so much trouble in the past.
Jon, I unfortunately agreed with your statement about the book not ending well for Lennie when I read your post, and I am sad to say that we were both absolutely right about that. The ending of this story was very surprising to me, for it was neither Curley nor his workers who caused Lennie more pain in this chapter. I think that we both saw the events that took place now coming from afar after comparing our posts, but it is just that I didn't realize what was about to happen until it did.
Mr. Steinbeck was able to create a strong relationship between George and Lennie in this story, showing it to us through the smallest actions or events, and this is what made his ending a bit of a shocker. This book was written so that a reader could experience the unique bond that these two characters shared with each other, and to witness that the sweetness and love of this bond is what took Lennie's life was something that gave me mixed emotions about how it ended (the bond and the book). When the author took us back into the context of the beginning, a beautiful and lively landscape, the tragedy that was about to occur became something out of the blue, something that I certainly didn't expect. The comfort and acceptance George gave to Lennie when they began to talk gave the indication that George would never turn on Lennie and that he would stay as Lennie's protection as long as he lived. "'No,' said George, 'No, Lennie. I ain't mad. I never been mad, an' I ain't now. That's a thing I want ya to know.'" (pg. 103). Yet, the complete opposite happened. George became the attacker, and Lennie the target.
The most visible reason why George would have murdered his own companion is that there was love hidden in the bullet he put through Lennie's head. George wanted to keep his mentally disabled partner away from a brutal death by the hands of Curley and the others as well as keep himself away from the guilt he would feel by letting Lennie go through all of that pain. Shooting Lennie would have been one of the hardest things for George to ever do, yet it was a vital action if he wanted to end Lennie's suffering. "Slim said, 'You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.'" (pg. 104). Giving Lennie a quiet and unexpected death was something that George was compelled to do due to his affection for Lennie, and the grief that came across his features after he did it showed just how much he had come to care for the one who had caused him so much trouble in the past.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Of Mice and Men Chapter 5:Curley's Ignorance
I definitely agree with you. Curley is a very self-centered, cruel individual, and I too hope something bad happens to him at the end of the book. I found it very sad when Lennie killed Curley's wife. I didn't feel especially bad for Curley's wife, since she purposefully caused trouble with Lennie, but for Lennie. Lennie is such an innocent character at heart, although his actions do not immediately describe him as such. But now he was done the unforgivable, and killed another person. Even if you did know Lennie very closely, as George did, it is very difficult to forgive him for that. Some crimes are so serious that they extend beyond the range of forgivability due to mental illness. I also feel especially bad since Lennie killed Curley's wife. Curley is the one man who hates Lennie the most out of everybody on the ranch. Curley, in his blind ignorance, cannot see the fact that Lennie is disabled. Instead, Curley sees a large, stupid man who broke his hand and flirts with his wife. Instead, Lennie is a kind, mentally disabled individual who can get angry sometimes, but mostly simply is kind to people and wants others to return the favor. I fear that this novel will not end well for Lennie, since Curley will spread his ideas of the man to all his workers, and they will listen to him since he is their boss.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Not Weak, Yet Vulnerable
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Chapter 5
Jon, it is interesting that you saw George and Lennie's relationship as being one of benefits, but it makes complete sense. I always thought George simply felt like he was Lennie's family and that was why they stayed together, but the fact that Lennie can get work and other necessities for George also comes into play here. Of course, I still believe George has come to care for Lennie, but your post has made me consider a part of the relationship between these two men that I hadn't realized was present before now.
One thing that has become extremely obvious in this chapter is that a person with the kind of mental disability Lennie has should never be left without someone who can properly take care of him or her. Without George, Lennie got himself into a heap of trouble by killing Curley's wife (although she did ask for it), and he was not even able to fully understand the severity of what he did. "For a moment he seemed bewildered. And then he whispered in fright, 'I done a bad thing. I done another bad thing.'" (pg. 89). It is not at all true that people with mental disabilities need to be treated as if they cannot do things, but some of them do need to be kept under a watchful eye so that they don't feel alone or cause chaos. Lennie never did anything on purpose, but his mental disability kept him from defending himself. Lennie's state of mind is not a weakness in my point-of-view, yet it is something that makes him less able to understand the ways of the world, and therefore, he is a very vulnerable target to things such as mobs and accusations.
Curley, on the other hand, seems to be the one creating problems for our main characters. This man is too full of himself to see that he will gain nothing by bullying Lennie and that, in fact, doing so just makes him a cowardly being. Curley's wife might have been a very odd character, but she was right about Curley being such an awful husband, considering that he looks like a really mean man in general. "'I don't like Curley. He ain't a nice fella.'" (pg. 86). Part of me is currently hoping something bad will happen to the main villain of our second novel.
Jon, it is interesting that you saw George and Lennie's relationship as being one of benefits, but it makes complete sense. I always thought George simply felt like he was Lennie's family and that was why they stayed together, but the fact that Lennie can get work and other necessities for George also comes into play here. Of course, I still believe George has come to care for Lennie, but your post has made me consider a part of the relationship between these two men that I hadn't realized was present before now.
One thing that has become extremely obvious in this chapter is that a person with the kind of mental disability Lennie has should never be left without someone who can properly take care of him or her. Without George, Lennie got himself into a heap of trouble by killing Curley's wife (although she did ask for it), and he was not even able to fully understand the severity of what he did. "For a moment he seemed bewildered. And then he whispered in fright, 'I done a bad thing. I done another bad thing.'" (pg. 89). It is not at all true that people with mental disabilities need to be treated as if they cannot do things, but some of them do need to be kept under a watchful eye so that they don't feel alone or cause chaos. Lennie never did anything on purpose, but his mental disability kept him from defending himself. Lennie's state of mind is not a weakness in my point-of-view, yet it is something that makes him less able to understand the ways of the world, and therefore, he is a very vulnerable target to things such as mobs and accusations.
Curley, on the other hand, seems to be the one creating problems for our main characters. This man is too full of himself to see that he will gain nothing by bullying Lennie and that, in fact, doing so just makes him a cowardly being. Curley's wife might have been a very odd character, but she was right about Curley being such an awful husband, considering that he looks like a really mean man in general. "'I don't like Curley. He ain't a nice fella.'" (pg. 86). Part of me is currently hoping something bad will happen to the main villain of our second novel.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Of Mice and Men Chapters 3-4: Lennie and George Part 2
On the rubric for this project, it says you may pick one central theme and write about it for every post, so I have decided to write about Lennie and George's relationship for all of my posts. I believe that this is a very important and central theme to the entire plot.
Prior to this point in the story, it wasn't exactly clear why George continued to stick around with Lennie, besides pure pity out of leaving a mentally challenged man to fend for himself in the Great Depression. Now, it is slightly more clear. Physically, Lennie is an extremely strong man. This means that he is able to work very difficult and laborious jobs, while exerting only a portion of the effort. Because of this, people love to have him work for them. He is very agreeable, mostly due to his mental disability, and willing to do difficult work. Working with Lennie very beneficial to George. For example, if there is a very high paying job open at a ranch, then the head of the ranch will want Lennie to work there. However, Lennie won't accept the job unless George can work there as well. So essentially, George can get jobs at places that he wouldn't be able to otherwise. Lennie has many reasons to want to stay with George, such as how much he helps him and how nice he is to him. Their friendship is defined differently by each person. For Lennie, it is moral support and help with living a normal working life. For George, it is out of pity and economic benefit.
As the duo begin working at the ranch, they meet many new people. Lennie, being a friendly person, begins talking to people and making new friends. However, George cautions him against this. I find this interesting, but very important and a useful safeguard for George to implement. If Lennie becomes too friendly with people, he could grow more comfortable around them, and eventually make serious mistakes like he did by grabbing the ladie's dress. It is better for everybody to keep their distance from him, and give him less of an opportunity to create problems.
At this point in their story, Lennie and George's relationship is fairly consistent, but I feel that it will change soon. As is with Lennie, problems will probably arise that affect their relationship.
Prior to this point in the story, it wasn't exactly clear why George continued to stick around with Lennie, besides pure pity out of leaving a mentally challenged man to fend for himself in the Great Depression. Now, it is slightly more clear. Physically, Lennie is an extremely strong man. This means that he is able to work very difficult and laborious jobs, while exerting only a portion of the effort. Because of this, people love to have him work for them. He is very agreeable, mostly due to his mental disability, and willing to do difficult work. Working with Lennie very beneficial to George. For example, if there is a very high paying job open at a ranch, then the head of the ranch will want Lennie to work there. However, Lennie won't accept the job unless George can work there as well. So essentially, George can get jobs at places that he wouldn't be able to otherwise. Lennie has many reasons to want to stay with George, such as how much he helps him and how nice he is to him. Their friendship is defined differently by each person. For Lennie, it is moral support and help with living a normal working life. For George, it is out of pity and economic benefit.
As the duo begin working at the ranch, they meet many new people. Lennie, being a friendly person, begins talking to people and making new friends. However, George cautions him against this. I find this interesting, but very important and a useful safeguard for George to implement. If Lennie becomes too friendly with people, he could grow more comfortable around them, and eventually make serious mistakes like he did by grabbing the ladie's dress. It is better for everybody to keep their distance from him, and give him less of an opportunity to create problems.
At this point in their story, Lennie and George's relationship is fairly consistent, but I feel that it will change soon. As is with Lennie, problems will probably arise that affect their relationship.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Likes of an Unjust Society
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Chapters 3 through 4...
Jon, I feel like it was very good for you to research in order to find out what kind of mental disability Lennie might have in this story. When I started this book, I was pretty sure that it was some form of autism, and your research has almost confirmed that idea. So far, this book has given a lot of different reasons to believe that being autistic or having a mental disability is a disadvantage, while it is really not so due to the fact that one only needs others to understand his or her situation. Like you said before, these kind of people only need some sort of support, and Lennie has two forms of it with George and his mice.
Although mice cannot stay with Lennie for long because of his tendency of killing them, George does stick up for his companion as often as he can, yet sometimes he falls short or isn't there to protect him. More can be seen about this older society and its ways when Curley starts to beat up Lennie just so that he can vent out his anger on someone too weak to fight back. Although George is here to protect Lennie this time, and he does it very well, the protector cannot always hover around the one he protects forever. For example, Lennie becomes a quick target for Curley's wife's taunts when George is not with him, and he has no way to really defend himself because he knows no better. "Lennie whined, 'I wisht George was here. I wisht George was here.'" (pg. 79). This shows that those thought to be weaker were bullied back then in an even worse fashion than it is done now, and that just reflects on how society worked then compared to how it works now in the West.
Older thinking can also be seen in the way most of these characters treat Crooks' because he is black, and a connection between the two targets of these tragedies blooms almost immediately when they associate with one another. The only people that really even dare to talk to the stable-hand as if he was a normal person are Lennie and Candy, and this is only because neither of them really have a choice or know any better about what society may think. Curley's wife soon made all three men realize what the people of that time really thought of blacks and the mentally unstable when she talked to them in a harsh manner. "She turned to him in scorn. 'Listen, Nigger,' she said. 'You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?'" (pg. 78). This woman showed the men present just how much authority she had, yet she still confided in them to tell her tale of treachery since she knew they wouldn't dare reveal her secrets. The times in which this story takes place did not have much respect for different people, and although people may have mostly changed by now, many examples of such treatment can still be found, here and all around the world.
Jon, I feel like it was very good for you to research in order to find out what kind of mental disability Lennie might have in this story. When I started this book, I was pretty sure that it was some form of autism, and your research has almost confirmed that idea. So far, this book has given a lot of different reasons to believe that being autistic or having a mental disability is a disadvantage, while it is really not so due to the fact that one only needs others to understand his or her situation. Like you said before, these kind of people only need some sort of support, and Lennie has two forms of it with George and his mice.
Although mice cannot stay with Lennie for long because of his tendency of killing them, George does stick up for his companion as often as he can, yet sometimes he falls short or isn't there to protect him. More can be seen about this older society and its ways when Curley starts to beat up Lennie just so that he can vent out his anger on someone too weak to fight back. Although George is here to protect Lennie this time, and he does it very well, the protector cannot always hover around the one he protects forever. For example, Lennie becomes a quick target for Curley's wife's taunts when George is not with him, and he has no way to really defend himself because he knows no better. "Lennie whined, 'I wisht George was here. I wisht George was here.'" (pg. 79). This shows that those thought to be weaker were bullied back then in an even worse fashion than it is done now, and that just reflects on how society worked then compared to how it works now in the West.
Older thinking can also be seen in the way most of these characters treat Crooks' because he is black, and a connection between the two targets of these tragedies blooms almost immediately when they associate with one another. The only people that really even dare to talk to the stable-hand as if he was a normal person are Lennie and Candy, and this is only because neither of them really have a choice or know any better about what society may think. Curley's wife soon made all three men realize what the people of that time really thought of blacks and the mentally unstable when she talked to them in a harsh manner. "She turned to him in scorn. 'Listen, Nigger,' she said. 'You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?'" (pg. 78). This woman showed the men present just how much authority she had, yet she still confided in them to tell her tale of treachery since she knew they wouldn't dare reveal her secrets. The times in which this story takes place did not have much respect for different people, and although people may have mostly changed by now, many examples of such treatment can still be found, here and all around the world.
Of Mice and Men chapters 1-2: Lennie and George
Since this is the beginning of the novel, the relationship between Lennie and George is not very clearly defined yet. It is very obvious that Lennie has some form of mental retardation, but the severity of said handicap is not yet apparent. This definitely has a large impact on their relationship.
"When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts. I never get no peace." (Men, 13) Lennie is clearly a burden on George in more than a few ways. George and Lennie consider themselves ranchers, moving form one location to the other, slowly building up a 'stake', spending it all in a local town, and moving on to the next ranch. They never live anywhere for very long. George partially attributes this to Lennie and the number of mistakes he makes. "You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get. An' that ain't the worst. You get me in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out." (Men, 12) Lennie's mental problems cause him to make major mistakes at his job and lose it, so he has to keep travelling. Apparently he also gets in a lot of trouble, since he is not informed of some basic social graces. "Jus' wanted to feel that girl's dress-jus' wanted to pet it like it was a mouse- Well, how the hell did she know you jus' wanted to feel her dress?" (Men, 12)
He thoroughly enjoys kinesthetic feedback, such as touching different materials. Lennie specifically enjoys petting mice, considering how soft they are. I did a little outside research and found that Lennie displays many of the symptoms of adult autism. (webmd.com) Some significant symptoms Lennie displays include obsessive habits, significant problems developing nonverbal communication skills, and relying on others heavily.
"When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts. I never get no peace." (Men, 13) Lennie is clearly a burden on George in more than a few ways. George and Lennie consider themselves ranchers, moving form one location to the other, slowly building up a 'stake', spending it all in a local town, and moving on to the next ranch. They never live anywhere for very long. George partially attributes this to Lennie and the number of mistakes he makes. "You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get. An' that ain't the worst. You get me in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out." (Men, 12) Lennie's mental problems cause him to make major mistakes at his job and lose it, so he has to keep travelling. Apparently he also gets in a lot of trouble, since he is not informed of some basic social graces. "Jus' wanted to feel that girl's dress-jus' wanted to pet it like it was a mouse- Well, how the hell did she know you jus' wanted to feel her dress?" (Men, 12)
He thoroughly enjoys kinesthetic feedback, such as touching different materials. Lennie specifically enjoys petting mice, considering how soft they are. I did a little outside research and found that Lennie displays many of the symptoms of adult autism. (webmd.com) Some significant symptoms Lennie displays include obsessive habits, significant problems developing nonverbal communication skills, and relying on others heavily.
"Autism-Symptoms." Web MD. 12 Apr. 2010. Web.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Night Chapters 7-9: Family Implications
At this point in the story, Elie's father is close to death. Elie is undergoing a moral conflict of how to treat his father. In his last days, Elie's father refuses food and asks only of water, which aggravates his sever dysentery. If I were in Elie's shoes, it would be very difficult for me to decide how to treat my father.
On one side, I could deny him all food and accelerate his path to inevitable death. This gives me more food and increases my chances of survival since I'm taking his ration as well. He will also appreciate not having to suffer as long in a life that will end soon no matter what he does. "It's too late to save your old father, I said to myself. You ought to be having two rations of bread, two rations of soup..." (Night, 105)
On the other side, I could continue feeding and caring for my father. After all, he is my only remaining family member, one who has faithfully stayed by me throughout everything we have endured. It only seems wrong for me to abandon him in the moment he needs me most, when he is on the brink of death. "I knew that he must not drink. But he pleaded with me for so long that I gave in. Water was the worst poison he could have, but what could I do for him? With water, without water, it would all be over soon anyway..." (Night, 104)
Elie chose to stay by his father's side, and I don't blame him for his decision. Even if it seems short-sighted to continue providing sustenance for a man doomed to die, Elie could not mentally accept abandoning his father.
However, his father's demise seemed especially graphic to me. After surviving constant starvation and overworking, his death was caused by his skull caving in from a nazi's truncheon. If his father had remained quiet and quelled his madness, he could have survived for maybe another day. But his madness ultimately killed him.
Not being able to accept his father's death left indelible effects on Elie's mental state. "Bending over him, I stayed gazing at him for over an hour, engraving into myself the picture of his blood-stained face, his shattered skull." (Night, 106) He simply had no more energy to show emotion. At some point prior to his physical death, Elie's father died in spirit. Elie accepted this and moved on, blindly caring for him out of natural compassion towards his father. I find this to be an extremely selfless act, one that few people could display in such difficult times.
On one side, I could deny him all food and accelerate his path to inevitable death. This gives me more food and increases my chances of survival since I'm taking his ration as well. He will also appreciate not having to suffer as long in a life that will end soon no matter what he does. "It's too late to save your old father, I said to myself. You ought to be having two rations of bread, two rations of soup..." (Night, 105)
On the other side, I could continue feeding and caring for my father. After all, he is my only remaining family member, one who has faithfully stayed by me throughout everything we have endured. It only seems wrong for me to abandon him in the moment he needs me most, when he is on the brink of death. "I knew that he must not drink. But he pleaded with me for so long that I gave in. Water was the worst poison he could have, but what could I do for him? With water, without water, it would all be over soon anyway..." (Night, 104)
Elie chose to stay by his father's side, and I don't blame him for his decision. Even if it seems short-sighted to continue providing sustenance for a man doomed to die, Elie could not mentally accept abandoning his father.
However, his father's demise seemed especially graphic to me. After surviving constant starvation and overworking, his death was caused by his skull caving in from a nazi's truncheon. If his father had remained quiet and quelled his madness, he could have survived for maybe another day. But his madness ultimately killed him.
Not being able to accept his father's death left indelible effects on Elie's mental state. "Bending over him, I stayed gazing at him for over an hour, engraving into myself the picture of his blood-stained face, his shattered skull." (Night, 106) He simply had no more energy to show emotion. At some point prior to his physical death, Elie's father died in spirit. Elie accepted this and moved on, blindly caring for him out of natural compassion towards his father. I find this to be an extremely selfless act, one that few people could display in such difficult times.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Night Chapters 5-6: Elie's Life
After spending a significant amount of time in the camps, I find that Elie's daily life has become fairly routine. Earlier in the book, when he was first taken to the camps, the book was filled with sections about how Elie is scared and worried. Now, after living in the camps for a while, none of this is present. This is especially significant, considering he is going through harder things now than he was then. A natural order has worked its way into his life, and he has been exposed to so much death and misery that it has less of an effect on him. In the beginning of chapter 6, Elie feels no fear at the words of the SS. "The SS made us increase our pace. 'Faster, you swine, you filthy sons of bitches!' Why not? The movement warmed us up a little." Elie has even progressed to the point where he sees the positive aspects of doing the grueling tasks assigned to him in the camps. He has crossed over the mental boundary that causes fear and worry; He knows and accepts that worrying will not make him live longer.
However, there is still one thing that he worries constantly about. His father, in his old age, is a prime target for the weekly selections that weed out weak or old people that can no longer work effectively. Elie's father is his only remaining link to his past life. He loves his father deeply, and to lose him would have a large effect on his morale and will to survive.
Strangely, Elie does not think too highly of the value of friends. They are important to him, yes, but in times like this, people tend to form bonds stronger than most normal friendships due to the terrible things they have to go through. However, he still is as close to his friends in the camps as he was at home.
I think Elie's distance from his friends might be due to his other focuses at this time. He spends a lot of time questioning the actions of his god and interacting with his father.
At this point in the book, Elie is essentially looking past the difficulty of his work and high chance of death, and is instead spending time with his father and dwelling on his faith in religion.
However, there is still one thing that he worries constantly about. His father, in his old age, is a prime target for the weekly selections that weed out weak or old people that can no longer work effectively. Elie's father is his only remaining link to his past life. He loves his father deeply, and to lose him would have a large effect on his morale and will to survive.
Strangely, Elie does not think too highly of the value of friends. They are important to him, yes, but in times like this, people tend to form bonds stronger than most normal friendships due to the terrible things they have to go through. However, he still is as close to his friends in the camps as he was at home.
I think Elie's distance from his friends might be due to his other focuses at this time. He spends a lot of time questioning the actions of his god and interacting with his father.
At this point in the book, Elie is essentially looking past the difficulty of his work and high chance of death, and is instead spending time with his father and dwelling on his faith in religion.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Patience is the Key
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Chapters 1 through 2...
Jon, I feel that discussing how experiences can change a person dramatically, for bad or for good, was a great way to end Mr. Wiesel's book since there is much contrast between the character Elie used to be before he went through those events and what he became after them. I am very glad that you agreed with me on this, and by using Elie's religious beliefs to illustrate the situation, it can be clearly distinguished just how much Night was able to show us about human nature. This new book that we are starting can also be seen to teach the reader about the things humans do when faced with obstacles, and the relationship between George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men is a very unique one that is experienced by many people in real life.
Today, I want to talk about the patience it takes when handling a person that is mentally unstable, especially since Lennie is a character that has to be watched closely because of his disabilities. George seems to get very annoyed when Lennie cannot understand certain concepts of the world, and this is a key reaction of a human dealing with someone that is ignorant of things that may seem easy for normal people to understand. From what can be told so far, George has to deal with Lennie everyday by babysitting his every move, and Lennie has now become sort of a burden on him. With this kind of situation, patience is really needed, because although it might feel like the babysitter is the one that has to deal with taking care of two people, it is often the person with the disability that suffers most. George may sometimes be rough on Lennie for his own benefit, but it can be noticed that George really cares since most of the things that he yells at Lennie about would make life easier for both of them if improved on. Human nature makes it so that George feels the pressures of taking care of Lennie, and this upsets him often, but the truth is really that George hasn't given up on his companion yet. "George said, 'I want you to stay with me, Lennie. Jesus Christ, somebody'd shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself. No, you stay with me. Your Aunt Clara wouldn't like you running off by yourself, even if she is dead.'" (pg. 14). Although George may deny that he is fond of Lennie because of the trouble he has caused, he also doesn't make it clear that he still stays with the man due to only responsibilities.
Just like learning from the past, denying as a sign of looking stronger is also something humans tend to do when faced with situations that make them rethink their life experiences. George is a character that may now be rude and bossy, but it is easily predictable that his true feelings towards watching over his partner will come out sooner or later. Jon, do you think that their relationship will deepen over time, or that more obstacles will separate the two men as the book goes on?
Jon, I feel that discussing how experiences can change a person dramatically, for bad or for good, was a great way to end Mr. Wiesel's book since there is much contrast between the character Elie used to be before he went through those events and what he became after them. I am very glad that you agreed with me on this, and by using Elie's religious beliefs to illustrate the situation, it can be clearly distinguished just how much Night was able to show us about human nature. This new book that we are starting can also be seen to teach the reader about the things humans do when faced with obstacles, and the relationship between George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men is a very unique one that is experienced by many people in real life.
Today, I want to talk about the patience it takes when handling a person that is mentally unstable, especially since Lennie is a character that has to be watched closely because of his disabilities. George seems to get very annoyed when Lennie cannot understand certain concepts of the world, and this is a key reaction of a human dealing with someone that is ignorant of things that may seem easy for normal people to understand. From what can be told so far, George has to deal with Lennie everyday by babysitting his every move, and Lennie has now become sort of a burden on him. With this kind of situation, patience is really needed, because although it might feel like the babysitter is the one that has to deal with taking care of two people, it is often the person with the disability that suffers most. George may sometimes be rough on Lennie for his own benefit, but it can be noticed that George really cares since most of the things that he yells at Lennie about would make life easier for both of them if improved on. Human nature makes it so that George feels the pressures of taking care of Lennie, and this upsets him often, but the truth is really that George hasn't given up on his companion yet. "George said, 'I want you to stay with me, Lennie. Jesus Christ, somebody'd shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself. No, you stay with me. Your Aunt Clara wouldn't like you running off by yourself, even if she is dead.'" (pg. 14). Although George may deny that he is fond of Lennie because of the trouble he has caused, he also doesn't make it clear that he still stays with the man due to only responsibilities.
Just like learning from the past, denying as a sign of looking stronger is also something humans tend to do when faced with situations that make them rethink their life experiences. George is a character that may now be rude and bossy, but it is easily predictable that his true feelings towards watching over his partner will come out sooner or later. Jon, do you think that their relationship will deepen over time, or that more obstacles will separate the two men as the book goes on?
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Night Chapters 3-4: a Lack of Faith
First of all, I apologize for not being able to post in a while. As a response to your last post, I completely agree with your last paragraph. After being submitted to such dramatic events like Elie was, significant events no longer carry any positive or negative meaning. It is simply another great wave that your boat is braving in the stormy happenings of your life. That's a bit of a broad metaphor, but I mean to say that you simply absorb things that happen and do not dwell on them, simply understand that they exist.
In this post, I would like to talk about how Elie's religious beliefs begin to waver. Immediately after his family gets of the train is when he first begins to doubt his god. Through all the confusion, death, and mayhem around him, he simply cannot imagine that a god, the same god that was supposedly kind and omnipotent, could allow such terrible things to happen. He interprets it as a lie, something that disproves the power of his god.
He no doubt continues to believe in his religion, after living in such a religious household all his life with highly religious family members, but he does not believe it quite as strongly. Being such heavily indoctrinated with faith cannot be easily removed by any means, in any circumstances. Disbelief is not being questioned here; Instead, it is simply a lack of absolute power. "But I had ceased to pray. How I sympathized with Job! I did not deny God's existence, but I doubted his absolute justice." (Night, 42)
In this post, I would like to talk about how Elie's religious beliefs begin to waver. Immediately after his family gets of the train is when he first begins to doubt his god. Through all the confusion, death, and mayhem around him, he simply cannot imagine that a god, the same god that was supposedly kind and omnipotent, could allow such terrible things to happen. He interprets it as a lie, something that disproves the power of his god.
He no doubt continues to believe in his religion, after living in such a religious household all his life with highly religious family members, but he does not believe it quite as strongly. Being such heavily indoctrinated with faith cannot be easily removed by any means, in any circumstances. Disbelief is not being questioned here; Instead, it is simply a lack of absolute power. "But I had ceased to pray. How I sympathized with Job! I did not deny God's existence, but I doubted his absolute justice." (Night, 42)
Monday, February 20, 2012
What Desperation Can Do
Night by Elie Wiesel Chapters 7 through 9
Jon, since you haven't been able to post in a while, I will continue to discuss the topic of hate that you talked about in your first post, especially since it can be seen even at this point in the book. Although hate is usually thought of as against the Jews by the Nazis during the time of the Holocaust, the story told from the point of a Jewish prisoner shows many other aspects of the topic. Of course, the hate Hitler had for the Jewish people, or the discrimination in his mind against them in that case, was a HUGE factor for bringing the story to where it is, but there are trivial fights that come in when people are fighting for survival and life is a race, and these fights can change a lot in a situation.
A drastic example of trivial matters turning into major events that occurs is that Eliezer's father is beaten by his camp mates for his food while he is ill and dying. Maybe this can be seen as just for the other men in Elie's father's cabin who thought that stealing from a dying man to stay alive themselves would not be a bad thing, but one most likely only thinks that way only when his or her own life is in danger. By depriving the Jewish people of food and their homes, the Nazis have succeeded in turning them against each other without really even trying to do so, and this has turned into a hate for survival. There are many times when Elie himself feels that he should abandon his dying father so that he can save food for himself and loosen his burdens, and to even think about leaving your father proves that desperation brings with it selfishness and hate that can separate you from everyone else or simply make you an exact replica of the people around you. Even though Elie decides to stick with his father throughout, the death of his father is something that makes him wish he had left when he had the chance so that he would not have had to hold onto his burden. "But I had no more tears. And, in the depths of my being, in the recesses of my weakened conscience, could I have searched it, I might have found something like-free at last!" (pg. 106). Selfishness and desperation go hand-in-hand when it feels like there is nothing left to fight for but life, and they can both make one turn on his or her own kind, and to an extant, make him or her hate those he or she has to face to live.
As for how this book turns out, it is not enough to say that experience changes a person, for good or for bad, but to also point out that change is very big. When Elie learns he is saved, at a time when one should be exploding with relief, this boy has nothing to go home to, and the only thing that sums up his whole ordeal is this frail body he sees when he looks into the mirror.
Jon, since you haven't been able to post in a while, I will continue to discuss the topic of hate that you talked about in your first post, especially since it can be seen even at this point in the book. Although hate is usually thought of as against the Jews by the Nazis during the time of the Holocaust, the story told from the point of a Jewish prisoner shows many other aspects of the topic. Of course, the hate Hitler had for the Jewish people, or the discrimination in his mind against them in that case, was a HUGE factor for bringing the story to where it is, but there are trivial fights that come in when people are fighting for survival and life is a race, and these fights can change a lot in a situation.
A drastic example of trivial matters turning into major events that occurs is that Eliezer's father is beaten by his camp mates for his food while he is ill and dying. Maybe this can be seen as just for the other men in Elie's father's cabin who thought that stealing from a dying man to stay alive themselves would not be a bad thing, but one most likely only thinks that way only when his or her own life is in danger. By depriving the Jewish people of food and their homes, the Nazis have succeeded in turning them against each other without really even trying to do so, and this has turned into a hate for survival. There are many times when Elie himself feels that he should abandon his dying father so that he can save food for himself and loosen his burdens, and to even think about leaving your father proves that desperation brings with it selfishness and hate that can separate you from everyone else or simply make you an exact replica of the people around you. Even though Elie decides to stick with his father throughout, the death of his father is something that makes him wish he had left when he had the chance so that he would not have had to hold onto his burden. "But I had no more tears. And, in the depths of my being, in the recesses of my weakened conscience, could I have searched it, I might have found something like-free at last!" (pg. 106). Selfishness and desperation go hand-in-hand when it feels like there is nothing left to fight for but life, and they can both make one turn on his or her own kind, and to an extant, make him or her hate those he or she has to face to live.
As for how this book turns out, it is not enough to say that experience changes a person, for good or for bad, but to also point out that change is very big. When Elie learns he is saved, at a time when one should be exploding with relief, this boy has nothing to go home to, and the only thing that sums up his whole ordeal is this frail body he sees when he looks into the mirror.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Sticking to One's Beliefs Until the End
Night by Elie Wiesel Chapters 5 through 6...
Jon, even though in your last post you said hatred would be a very big theme in this book and it has been seen in and against the Jewish community before, these chapters show a bit more hope for the Jewish spirit. The hatred of the Nazis is not able to take away the beliefs of their Jewish prisoners, and this shows when the Jewish community comes together in the end for the celebration of the Jewish New Year. The will-power of the prisoners in these camps inspires the reader to know that discrimination against one's values is not something that should compel one to change his or her beliefs. It is good to be different as well as an individual right to follow through with your beliefs, and to see that a power such as the Nazis is not able to suppress a group of people from following through with their religion is exciting. One should never back-down from what he or she thinks is right just because someone is threatening him or her.
The theme of holding onto one's values through thick and thin can be illustrated at an even deeper level since the choices of the main character affects how the reader may see this theme. Eliezer starts to think during the time of Jewish celebrations that nothing is true about the Jewish people being "God's chosen" since he has experienced so much hatred for his fellow Jewish. The young boy has been through so much, and he has started to lose hope for ever being free again, meaning that it won't be long until a lot of the other prisoners begin to drift away from their values as well. In fact, there are many within the camps already that say things which have made Elie doubt his beliefs in the first place, although these few haven't been abundant enough to stop the fasting of Yom Kippur. Elie's life becomes more and more lifeless as he starts to drift away from the idea of God, and he soon can be portrayed as a boy who expects nothing good to happen to him; his life drags on with nothing for him to look forward to but more torture, "Yet another last night. The last night at home, the last night in the ghetto, the last night in the train, and, now, the last night in Buna. How much longer were our lives to be dragged out from one 'last night' to another?" (pg. 79). Even though it is not yet said in these chapters, Elie's changing beliefs are most likely what makes his experience within the camps even worse since he has nothing to look forward to anymore. Even though people can argue that diminishing values are what keep the young boy's feet stuck to the ground, they may also turn out to be the reason he expects to die throughout his experiences in the camps. Elie dropped the thing that had gotten him stuck within the Nazi camps, and this is something that most would do, but those who fight until the end are the ones who die for a true cause, and Elie was not even able to stand up for his people as a living boy by separating with his religion because of the pain it had caused him.
Jon, even though in your last post you said hatred would be a very big theme in this book and it has been seen in and against the Jewish community before, these chapters show a bit more hope for the Jewish spirit. The hatred of the Nazis is not able to take away the beliefs of their Jewish prisoners, and this shows when the Jewish community comes together in the end for the celebration of the Jewish New Year. The will-power of the prisoners in these camps inspires the reader to know that discrimination against one's values is not something that should compel one to change his or her beliefs. It is good to be different as well as an individual right to follow through with your beliefs, and to see that a power such as the Nazis is not able to suppress a group of people from following through with their religion is exciting. One should never back-down from what he or she thinks is right just because someone is threatening him or her.
The theme of holding onto one's values through thick and thin can be illustrated at an even deeper level since the choices of the main character affects how the reader may see this theme. Eliezer starts to think during the time of Jewish celebrations that nothing is true about the Jewish people being "God's chosen" since he has experienced so much hatred for his fellow Jewish. The young boy has been through so much, and he has started to lose hope for ever being free again, meaning that it won't be long until a lot of the other prisoners begin to drift away from their values as well. In fact, there are many within the camps already that say things which have made Elie doubt his beliefs in the first place, although these few haven't been abundant enough to stop the fasting of Yom Kippur. Elie's life becomes more and more lifeless as he starts to drift away from the idea of God, and he soon can be portrayed as a boy who expects nothing good to happen to him; his life drags on with nothing for him to look forward to but more torture, "Yet another last night. The last night at home, the last night in the ghetto, the last night in the train, and, now, the last night in Buna. How much longer were our lives to be dragged out from one 'last night' to another?" (pg. 79). Even though it is not yet said in these chapters, Elie's changing beliefs are most likely what makes his experience within the camps even worse since he has nothing to look forward to anymore. Even though people can argue that diminishing values are what keep the young boy's feet stuck to the ground, they may also turn out to be the reason he expects to die throughout his experiences in the camps. Elie dropped the thing that had gotten him stuck within the Nazi camps, and this is something that most would do, but those who fight until the end are the ones who die for a true cause, and Elie was not even able to stand up for his people as a living boy by separating with his religion because of the pain it had caused him.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Holocaust's Horrific Judgments
Night by Elie Weisel Chapters 3 through 4...
Jon, I totally agree with you that hate is a major theme in this book, especially since its story is based off of an event caused by discrimination. It never really occured to me before that the Jewish people hated each other during the time of the Holocaust bacause of the fact that they couldn't do anything for each other without endangering themselves. It is hard to imagine wanting to help someone but not being able to because of the danger it put one in, and in turn not only gaining guilt from that, but also the hatred of the person one let suffer. Hate is one of the many sad truths of life, and a person has to eventually except that it happens, but it is also something that only blossoms if given the opportunity to do so.
A theme seen very much in this book that can be associated with hatred and discrimination is that of judging a book by its cover, especially within the context of killing those that don't look handy. Upon entering the Nazi camps, many Jewish people were sent away and separated from family just because they appeared to be weak and of no use to the officials there. Eliminating the most frail looking people was a way to narrow down the population of the camps to the toughest ones that wouldn't need as much to live off of while at the same time could get a lot of labor work done. The theme stated comes into play here since the officials of the camps don't really even have time to associate with the prisoners, or in that case couldn't care less, and so appearance is all they can judge by, even though there may be many prisoners killed that could have performed better quality work than those who were spared. It is still very bad to kill anyone nonetheless, but to get rid of one because of the body is not only a loss to the person pushed out of the way, but can be very costly to the one that got rid of him or her in the first place since intelligence, compassion, or physical strength could be at stake for both parties.
Usually, the theme of judging a book by its cover is so that it makes the life of the one with the bad appearance easier, but accepting this theme is significantly important in this situation since both the judge and the judged loose something, especially when it comes to life or esteem. Women are thought to be weak just because of gender, and this theme applies here because taking the life of someone because gender would make her useless is plain wrong. Inequality because of gender is something that can be seen when the men and women of the Nazi camps are separated from one another, and this week's theme applies directly to this situation, the situation in which young Elie had to loose his mom because she was a woman. "'Men to the left! Women to the right!' Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight short, simple words. Yet that was the moment when I parted from my mother." (pg. 27).
Jon, I totally agree with you that hate is a major theme in this book, especially since its story is based off of an event caused by discrimination. It never really occured to me before that the Jewish people hated each other during the time of the Holocaust bacause of the fact that they couldn't do anything for each other without endangering themselves. It is hard to imagine wanting to help someone but not being able to because of the danger it put one in, and in turn not only gaining guilt from that, but also the hatred of the person one let suffer. Hate is one of the many sad truths of life, and a person has to eventually except that it happens, but it is also something that only blossoms if given the opportunity to do so.
A theme seen very much in this book that can be associated with hatred and discrimination is that of judging a book by its cover, especially within the context of killing those that don't look handy. Upon entering the Nazi camps, many Jewish people were sent away and separated from family just because they appeared to be weak and of no use to the officials there. Eliminating the most frail looking people was a way to narrow down the population of the camps to the toughest ones that wouldn't need as much to live off of while at the same time could get a lot of labor work done. The theme stated comes into play here since the officials of the camps don't really even have time to associate with the prisoners, or in that case couldn't care less, and so appearance is all they can judge by, even though there may be many prisoners killed that could have performed better quality work than those who were spared. It is still very bad to kill anyone nonetheless, but to get rid of one because of the body is not only a loss to the person pushed out of the way, but can be very costly to the one that got rid of him or her in the first place since intelligence, compassion, or physical strength could be at stake for both parties.
Usually, the theme of judging a book by its cover is so that it makes the life of the one with the bad appearance easier, but accepting this theme is significantly important in this situation since both the judge and the judged loose something, especially when it comes to life or esteem. Women are thought to be weak just because of gender, and this theme applies here because taking the life of someone because gender would make her useless is plain wrong. Inequality because of gender is something that can be seen when the men and women of the Nazi camps are separated from one another, and this week's theme applies directly to this situation, the situation in which young Elie had to loose his mom because she was a woman. "'Men to the left! Women to the right!' Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight short, simple words. Yet that was the moment when I parted from my mother." (pg. 27).
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Night Post #1- Hatred
From the very beginning of this novel, I've found that hatred is going to be a very large element within the story. Not only Nazi hatred of the Jews, but Jewish hatred of the Nazis. Once the Jews begin being deported from their countries, it seems like each group starts hating each other for different reasons. Jews hated Nazis for the terrible acts committed unto themselves, Nazis hated Jews for being supposed swine and scum of the Earth, and Jews hated their countrymen for standing by while they are rounded up like cattle and shipped off to work until their gruesome death. In such dire and terrible circumstances, it is no surprise to me that the different groups begin to hate each other. "It was from that moment that I began to hate them, and my hate is still the only link between us today. They were our first oppressors. They were the first of the faces of hell and death." (pg. 17)
However, within the Jewish population working at the camps, people grew closer and closer together. It is interesting how these two emotions played such a huge part in people's lives during this time period.
However, within the Jewish population working at the camps, people grew closer and closer together. It is interesting how these two emotions played such a huge part in people's lives during this time period.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
A Tragic Truth of History
Night by Elie Wiesel Chapters 1 through 2...
I have constantly heard about the unpleasing events that take place within this book, and the things I have been told seem to be true this far into the story. It is very hard for me to imagine having to leave everything behind to go to an unknown place just because of differences in religion with the people who are in charge. The United States is a place where freedom of religion is a right for the people, and this is why being discriminated against because of faith seems immoral. This is a real life experience for Mr. Elie Wiesel, so his motive for writing this book was most likely to share his experiences with the rest of the world so that we can know the kinds of events that such a young boy had to go through. The more people know about history, the less likely it is for history to repeat itself.
It feels as if a major theme that Mr. Wiesel wanted to include in his work was that the words of a person should never be underestimated because anyone can be right. He wants to show by using characters such as Moshe and Madame Schachter that a person should not be dismissed just because what he or she says seems unlikely to happen. Mr. Wiesel himself had made the mistake in the past of not believing something because everyone else said it is wrong, but an individual should never be ignored, especially if the message is for well-being of those he or she is informing. By labeling Moshe as a fool to be saying that Jews were being compelled to kill themselves once he escaped from enslavement, the community made a bad choice. "No, I wanted to come back, and to warn you. And see how it is, no one will listen to me." (pg. 5). If the people had used the information they got and had believed it, then they could have done something to avoid what was coming. Everyone has a voice that should be heard, and those who don't listen are the ones that are in for a loss. The realization of how wrong his family was not to listen to Moshe comes to young Eliezer and the others only when they see how much pain and suffering waits for them on the cattle cars, but then it is too late to do anything.
Thinking about how these people were treated and how much they had to suffer just this far into the book is wounding, especially imagining events such as Madame Schachter being beaten in front of her child. I can't stop reading this book, but it seems to get more disastrous by the minute, and I am not sure if I will be able to talk too much about the gruesome things it contains in the future. What do you think Jon? Is this book really that bad, or am I being too girly? Is my theme a reasonable one to see at this point?
I have constantly heard about the unpleasing events that take place within this book, and the things I have been told seem to be true this far into the story. It is very hard for me to imagine having to leave everything behind to go to an unknown place just because of differences in religion with the people who are in charge. The United States is a place where freedom of religion is a right for the people, and this is why being discriminated against because of faith seems immoral. This is a real life experience for Mr. Elie Wiesel, so his motive for writing this book was most likely to share his experiences with the rest of the world so that we can know the kinds of events that such a young boy had to go through. The more people know about history, the less likely it is for history to repeat itself.
It feels as if a major theme that Mr. Wiesel wanted to include in his work was that the words of a person should never be underestimated because anyone can be right. He wants to show by using characters such as Moshe and Madame Schachter that a person should not be dismissed just because what he or she says seems unlikely to happen. Mr. Wiesel himself had made the mistake in the past of not believing something because everyone else said it is wrong, but an individual should never be ignored, especially if the message is for well-being of those he or she is informing. By labeling Moshe as a fool to be saying that Jews were being compelled to kill themselves once he escaped from enslavement, the community made a bad choice. "No, I wanted to come back, and to warn you. And see how it is, no one will listen to me." (pg. 5). If the people had used the information they got and had believed it, then they could have done something to avoid what was coming. Everyone has a voice that should be heard, and those who don't listen are the ones that are in for a loss. The realization of how wrong his family was not to listen to Moshe comes to young Eliezer and the others only when they see how much pain and suffering waits for them on the cattle cars, but then it is too late to do anything.
Thinking about how these people were treated and how much they had to suffer just this far into the book is wounding, especially imagining events such as Madame Schachter being beaten in front of her child. I can't stop reading this book, but it seems to get more disastrous by the minute, and I am not sure if I will be able to talk too much about the gruesome things it contains in the future. What do you think Jon? Is this book really that bad, or am I being too girly? Is my theme a reasonable one to see at this point?
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Posting and Reading Schedule
Surbhi Ghadia and Jon Abramson will be working together for this project on the books Night by Elie Wiesel and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. We have chosen to read Night first; our plan is to read two chapters a week for Weeks 1 through 3, and three chapters in the last week in order to finish all nine chapters at the end of Week 4. After that, we will read Mr. Steinbeck's book at a rate of two chapters for Weeks 5 and 6, and one chapter each for Weeks 7 and 8 so that we can finish all six chapters of the book in time. We will post once every week through Week 8, then we will post two times a week during Weeks 9 and 10 for comparison between the books.
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