Literary Check #1

1.

a. In this book the author, Elie Wiesel, sets up the story in a way that contrasts different perspectives of the Jews while they were going through this whole thing. In the beginning when the race to death began, the German officers arrested leaders of the Jewish community, kept everyone trapped in their homes for three days on pain of death, and took away all gold, jewels, and valuables from the Jews. After this had happened, people like Eliezers mother went on to her daily duties as if everything was normal although you could still tell in her eyes that she was worried and afraid. His father had done the same. People of the town came up to him and asked him what he thought about the situation and he stated, "The yellow star? Oh well, what of it? You don't die of it..." Events such as these showed how optimistic and positive the Jews were. As you continue to read on, you see that fear starts to cripple up on them. After being positive this whole time, a line in the book says, "How avid we were at that moment for one word of confidence, one sentence to say that there were no grounds for fear,.." I think this was the authors way of showing how the Jews were as a whole. It seemed as if they were people of positive mindsets and people of great strength. After reading about how they always tried to reassure themselves and adjust to new infringements, I could automatically see that these Jews were nothing but optimistic and positive no matter what had come their way and what was there in their face then. 

2.

a.

Quote #1: "From that moment, everything happened very quickly. The race toward death had begun. The first step: Jews would not be allowed to leave their houses for three days -- on pain of death."

Explanation: I feel that this quote is very important and has a big role in how this all started. The specific words of "the race toward death" becomes very intense because this really was the moment where things changed and the pin point of when everything started to go down hill for the Jews. 

Quote #2: "The night before, we had the traditional Friday evening meal. We said the customary grace for the bread and wine and swallowed our food without word. We were, we felt, gathered for the last time round the family table. I spent the night turning over thoughts and memories in my mind, unable to find sleep."

Explanation: This quote from the book had a huge affect on me when he said "gathered for the last time round the family table" I felt that this quote was important to the story especially because of the fact that many families were split apart. Not only that but they also wouldn't be able to do their normal routines or be a normal family once they entered the concentration camps. Family was no longer a value and this moment of having the last meal around the family table was a huge 'wow' moment for me. 

Quote #3: "From this moment, you come under the authority of the Germany army. Those of you who still have gold, silver, or watches in your possession must give them up now. Anyone who is later found to have kept anything will be shot on the spot. Secondly, anyone who feels I'll may go to the hospital car. That's all"

Explanation: This was their first major instruction when they reached the concentration camp and this was the pivotal moment when they officially became under the ruling and authority of the German Army. I feel like it was a very drastic and important time for them. Also very hard to accept reality. 

Quote #4: ""Do you see that chimney over there? See it? Do you see those flames? (yes, we did see the flames.) Over there -- that's where you're going to be taken. That's your grave, over there. Haven't you realized it yet? You dumb bastards, don't you understand anything? You're going to be burned. Frizzled away. Turned into ashes.""

Explanation: This quote was important because even in history in general, it was crucial to the whole holocaust. In every concentration camp, they were threatened with a fiery furnace if they disobeyed and even for mass genocides because of the hate and resentment the Germans had against the Jews. 

Quote #5: "How could it be possible for them to burn people, children, and for the world to keep silent? No, none of this could be true. It was a nightmare..."

Explanation: They were very cruel to the Jews and this was an important quote that I found in the book because it had great significance to how inhumane they were treating them and how they were being treated. It's crazy that such things actually happened once upon a time.