final one!

I liked the my book it was very interesting to me and that’s good because I really don’t like sad kinda boring things not being mean its just that they seem kinda boring to me. I like the ending too because she survived and is going to get a better life because she moves to New York with her family as in her brother and her mother but her dad died. I was about to cry when it said that.But I'm also happy because her brother and mom lived I don’t think I would be able to live without my mom.I think she was very lucky most of the time because she was able to get out of every problem she was in i'm not saying its a bad thing no it’s very good and i’m happy she was very lucky. Overall it was a good book and it wasn't boring.I think one major theme in my book is human nature, human nature is when you change because of your surrounding. The reasons I think it’s human nature because Eli the main character changed a lot when is was in the camp she felt that was tougher and more like do whatever it takes to survive. And her mom kind of broke down when he was the one who was more positive and strong. But they all changed because they were in the camp and her mom couldn't take it so she broke down but Eli got strong because her mom wasn't the strong one anymore.

The overall project was fun at times because I got to read and I like to read a lot I learned that we are some very bad cruel people sometimes and, we shouldn't repeat this ever!I got to  write my opinions and people who commented thought what I thought and agreed with me. I've learned from blogging that we have a lot of connections from then and now and its nice to put what you think out there so people can look and comment. I think its good that we did this project because we learned so many things and more teenagers should do this and learn about it. So we won’t make the same mistakes again because we are the future we are going to take charge. And we can’t make dumb mistakes or repeat really bad things like the Holocaust. I want to give thanks to all of the people who commented to me and viewed what I had to say. Thank you for taking the time to look and give your opinions I really appreciate it.          

Final Blog Post!

When I read the ending of the book I had mixed emotions first was very shocked at how it ended so briefly but at the same time I liked the ending because of how they had all showed their freedom and individuality. Elli didn't mention anything about how her life was going in America. I think that if Elli had included her life in America readers would gain knowledge about how people recovered from the Holocaust and how they had moved on to continue life before the Holocaust. Also I thought it was strange how the Russians just came and plainly said, “The war is over, you’re free.” I had just pictured them being freed differently, I thought it would be more of a happy time but people weren't running around like crazy, they were staying by their dead and injured family. I also was surprised by the fact that the Russians just left them there, I thought they would have helped out at least a little bit. Going back to my mixed emotions and how I partially liked the end. After Elli and her family had moved to New York some people including them had gathered around the statue of liberty and they sung their anthems in all different languages. In my opinion the overall theme of this unit would have to be man’s inhumanity to man. I would say this because if you were to tell me practically anything from the Holocaust I’m pretty confident that I would be able to tell you why man’s inhumanity to man ties in to that piece of information. Man’s inhumanity to man was seen when Jewish people were viewed as insuperior and when  antisemitism was present. Antisemitism was present EVERYWHERE throughout the period of the Holocaust and even before then. Basically the Holocaust was a big mass murder and mass murdering shows man’s inhumanity to man, so what I’m trying to is is the Holocaust is one big hodgepodge of man;s inhumanity to man. An old soldier who had come through the second world war and had been in some of the most bloody engagements in that war said, "In the course of this war I have seen things on both sides that made me ashamed to be a human being.On the other hand i have seen men of both sides do things that for one glorious moment made me proud to be a member of the human race.We should remember that mankind is not as civilized as we like to think, we are slowly groping our way up from the primeval mud towards a civilized society and we still have a very long way to go.” I couldn't agree more with this man, I think he said everything I am trying to say, he read my mind. I believe that there is a point where we should look back and actually be ashamed of ourselves that we ever let this happen. We need to know that something like this will NEVER happen again.

Just from learning about the Holocaust in social studies, reading the book, and blogging about it I feel like I understand so much more and I feel like I will always look at things differently/ more seriously(in depth). The Holocaust has taught me about all of the bad things that I thought could never happen were real. When we would watch videos in social studies I would turn away at the gross parts and I could never imagine that happening to real people. I can’t get over the fact that this actually happened and how people were like scarred for life. This project is very important to teach teenagers because it is important that we learn what happened and also because we are going to be making all of the big decisions because we are the future generation and that is scary to think because we make so many mistakes now I’m scared for the future also. Here’s a big thanks to all of the contributors! I really like what you commented on my blog, it really helped me enhance my learning, so thanks!

Wrinkles Already

 

“Sixty? I am fourteen. Fourteen years old.” Page 205 I Have Live a Thousand Years

This quote kind of gave me the chills because this German lady thought that this teenage girl was an old woman! I’ve never heard of anybody mistake a pre teen for sixty year old woman. I also thought about how beaten up and weak Elli must look, because I know they have been starved and beaten and abused but I never would have pictured them being in that harsh of a condition. I was taken aback when I realized this lady had no clue what had happened to these Jews. That makes me wonder were most Germans clueless? Also if more Germans had been notified would that make them stick up for the Jews/help in the final solution?

When I read this I immediately started thinking about how naive this lady was and identity loss, like how she had no clue about reality, about what was really going on in the outside world. Identity plays a role in this quote because neither the German or Elli could recognize her. I can relate to this because once I was at a housewarming party and there was this one lady who asked what grade I was in and I told her eighth and she was so surprised and she said that she thought I was in fourth grade! I was questioning myself and other people and looking in the mirror to see if I really looked that young. I can also connect to being naive because I rarely watch the news and when a really big current event popped up everybody was talking about it and I was clueless, I was completely naive because I had no idea what was going on in this current event. Many people during the time of the Holocaust were very naive, which surprises me because the Nazis crimes were very public. But at the same time this does not surprise me because the Nazis wanted to keep their actions hidden from the public but the obviously did NOT do a good job. Even though most of the time you don’t want to be naive, there is still always that one time that something is so horrible you just want to be away from it and not know anything about it, like the Holocaust.

Peace Of Mind

What do you imagine some of the survivors’ fears were after liberation?  The phrase “Return to Life” is often used in connection with the period immediately following liberation.  What do you think were the first things the survivors needed in order to “Return to Life”?  Do you think the phrase “Return to Life” accurately captures the Jewish experience at this time?  Explain your thinking.

I think that some of the fears that the survivors encountered were antisemitism and the trauma that they have faced. This could have prevented the survivors from going back to their home after the war another reason they might not have gone back could have been because the pain and memories were too deep.  I think that the first thing that the survivors need to “Return to Life” is their peace of mind. Survivors could attain peace of mind by talking to someone about their problems or even by just trying to let go of the past and relax. Also survivors can attain their peace of mind by finding their friends or relatives that have also survived the war because that would help them be able to move on and also to be more comfortable because they would have company.  I would say this because during the war so much was going on that it was so unbearably scary and the survivors were probably very disturbed by it and it would never leave their mind. So if they were to have peace of mind then they would be able to carry on with everyday life and activities.

A Little Good in Everyone

In her diary, Anne Frank wrote that she believed “most people are good.”  Do you agree with Anne?  If so, why, and if not, why not?   (Echoes and Reflections)

Yes I agree with Anne Frank because I believe that everybody is good because we all have a little good in us, there’s always that one part of us that want to do the right thing, the part of you that makes you second guess your choices. We all know right from wrong and yes we are all going to make mistakes but that doesn't mean we are bad people. When we chose bad choices it doesn't make us bad, just our actions which can be forgiven over time. When people commit a crime and are punished, most of the time those people learn from their mistakes and the good part of them opens up and it’s like they’re a whole new person. So no I don’t believe in bad people, only good people with bad decisions.

Anonymous

“Leah Kohn’s coat is no longer a source of delight for me. It has become an agonizing burden. And so has the pretty pink dress of a nameless owner.” Page 161 I Have Lived a Thousand Years

This quote really stuck out to me because I never thought of the coat and dress belonging to someone else. I was very surprised that Elli didn’t want to wear the dress or the coat again because she was in love with them until she found out that it was someone else’s belongings. I think what really made her not want to wear it is the thought of how this  Jewish woman died. Also I think that Elli was spooked by the fact that this woman could still be alive and shivering in the cold while Elli was warm in luxury of the coat. Elli was thinking about of how the woman could have died from the gas chambers, starvation, being shot, natural causes  etc.  It also would creep me out if I was in Elli’s situation  and had to wear another stranger’s possession. If you were in Elli’s position, what would you do?

Changed

“In these seven-a-half weeks I have changed. I have grown into a concentration-camp inmate. I have learned to live with fear and hunger and abuse. I have learned to swallow dirt, and live worms. I learned to endure cold, pain, long hours of hard physical labor. I have learned to live with waning hope and cling to reality born of pretenses. I have learned to wait . . . and wait . . . and wait . . . and wait.”- PLASZOW, JULY 20-AUSCHWITZ, AUGUST 8, 1944, pg. 115-116, I Have Lived a Thousand Years

I kinda like this paragraph because you can change so fast when it comes to really bad situations like that. But I also don't like it because nobody should be in that situation EVER no matter what! You can't learn to eat worms and dirt and think its yummy. But everyone can learn to have hope everyday because hope is stronger that fear, and hope always wins! What does she mean by wait. . . And wait? Does she mean for someone to do something to help them or does she mean for something bad to happen?

I think that this passage is saying that at any time in moment you can change like that!... Either in a good way or a bad way. But it also depends on the situation like if you were in the Holocaust then you would probably be like Elli. But in a way that's good because you aren't weak or delicate. You are stronger and you won't let anyone put you down anymore. This reminds me of the book/movie Holes. The characters Stanley Yelnats and Hector Zeroni were treated really badly and were doing a lot of physical labor while they were in jail or something like that. And in a way, Jews were  imprisoned at the camps working really hard just to get killed! Also the guys in Holes kinda escaped from where they were, just like some Jews tried to escape from the camps. Both the characters in Holes and the Jews are in the same situation because after they escaped they didn't know what to do or who would help them. They didn't know who they could trust to save them.