For years now I have been meaning to finally sit down and watch this movie. I've always had a love for WWII genre movies, starting when I was little and my mom watched "The Great Escape" and "U-571" with me. I used to pour through autobiographies in the library, written by survivors, as well as avidly watch video interviews. So I am not entirely sure why I didn't want to watch TBitSP, maybe because it was exciting knowing I had a good movie I could look forward to seeing...anyway...
I have a love of shocking movie/book endings, and wow, this one was extremely emotional and impacting. It left me with a pit in my stomach, and yet the satisfaction of knowing that it caused Rolf extreme pain. This was an amazing stance to take on the Holocaust. With so many movies such as "Schindler's List", "The Pianist", and "Sophie's Choice" where the victims are the main focus, it's fascinating seeing the other side. Not to say it's a sympathetic view, but it does shine light on how many people who might technically be classified as Nazis, had no idea what was happening under their noses. It would be wrong to classify Bruno as anything other than a victim. His father may be responsible, but he is naive and entirely innocent of anything other than being a curious child. Showing Gretal slowly be brainwashed also gives a softer example of propaganda, and how easily some people are taken into it.
Aside from "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas", I've really enjoyed "The Pianist" and "Empire of the Sun". Empire of the Sun bases itself in Japan during WWII, and follows the son of wealthy British socialites as he is rounded up and placed in camps with other fellow upperclass society. The main character Jaime, shares so many personality traits with Bruno, and is heartbreaking watching their innocence be completely tarnished through wartime.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Thursday, July 17, 2014
The Reader
Discus the following question: Does Schlink try to absolve the generation of his parents, the perpetrator generation, from their guilt by giving Hanna an excuse for her actions?
If anything, Schlink tries to prove some were guilty. He proves that a perpetrator is labeled as so, depending on who, what, where, and when. It is so different for each person. Michael sees Hanna as a victim, but fails to think about Hanna's failure to say no. She may be illiterate, but she knew what was going on, she was physically committing these crimes, and she could easily have stopped. She could have taught herself to read before, and worked in a different profession. Sometimes pride needs to step aside.
If anything, Schlink tries to prove some were guilty. He proves that a perpetrator is labeled as so, depending on who, what, where, and when. It is so different for each person. Michael sees Hanna as a victim, but fails to think about Hanna's failure to say no. She may be illiterate, but she knew what was going on, she was physically committing these crimes, and she could easily have stopped. She could have taught herself to read before, and worked in a different profession. Sometimes pride needs to step aside.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Memorials
-Trying to upload again, maybe this time the wi-fi will be mature about this...-
I first visited the Auschwitz website, and was unfortunately unable to get the virtual tours to work properly, but did get a good look at the still images. Auschwitz is primarily a walking, in person memorial. As opposed to ones such as the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C, it is the real thing. What better, more appropriate place to remember the history, than where it actually happened? For tourists and viewers who want a more emotional effect, Auschwitz would be the place to go. The original barracks and base have been kept renovated, as well as the Arbeit Macht Frei gate. Memorials have been placed within the area, to give names to the dead. Visiting the actual site has to give some sort of very surreal feeling to the visitor; the Holocaust is already so difficult to fathom, that standing in a death camp decades later has to feel odd.
In comparison, rather than seeing the buildings that cremated bodies, there is the Topf und Söhne building that looks into the history and creation of these ovens, and how they came to exist in camps.
Topf und Söhne's website features an at-a-glance look into their current exhibitions. They feature remnants of old building foundations, as well as models and pictures of the ovens. This is a sterile environment, away from the actual historical site. So if one were take into consideration Young's perspective on memorials, they might choose to go to the Topf und Söhne building, rather than the actual camp. He mentioned his opposition to tourists specifically visiting concentration camp sites, as it deteriorates from the memory and horror. I personally disagree, though I do see a point. But I can't think of a stronger way for someone to feel emotionally attached to the event other than to visit in perso.
I first visited the Auschwitz website, and was unfortunately unable to get the virtual tours to work properly, but did get a good look at the still images. Auschwitz is primarily a walking, in person memorial. As opposed to ones such as the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C, it is the real thing. What better, more appropriate place to remember the history, than where it actually happened? For tourists and viewers who want a more emotional effect, Auschwitz would be the place to go. The original barracks and base have been kept renovated, as well as the Arbeit Macht Frei gate. Memorials have been placed within the area, to give names to the dead. Visiting the actual site has to give some sort of very surreal feeling to the visitor; the Holocaust is already so difficult to fathom, that standing in a death camp decades later has to feel odd.
In comparison, rather than seeing the buildings that cremated bodies, there is the Topf und Söhne building that looks into the history and creation of these ovens, and how they came to exist in camps.
Topf und Söhne's website features an at-a-glance look into their current exhibitions. They feature remnants of old building foundations, as well as models and pictures of the ovens. This is a sterile environment, away from the actual historical site. So if one were take into consideration Young's perspective on memorials, they might choose to go to the Topf und Söhne building, rather than the actual camp. He mentioned his opposition to tourists specifically visiting concentration camp sites, as it deteriorates from the memory and horror. I personally disagree, though I do see a point. But I can't think of a stronger way for someone to feel emotionally attached to the event other than to visit in perso.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Death Fugue
At first, Death Fugue, appears to be a long poem, but after reading I realized it has several repeating phrases.
"Black milk of daybreak" is such a disturbing opening line. Milk is supposed to be a white, healthy, creamy liquid that the drinker enjoys. Black indicates it has been horribly soiled, perhaps going as far to say that ashes have darkened it. For me this recurring phrase was the most cryptic. When Celan began describing the man in the house, that became a bit more straightforward. He is in charge of the working Jews in the camps, and commands them to dig graves for each other, and dance for his entertainment.
He plays with "the serpents", which could be representative of fellow Nazis, or serpents maybe representing the evil ideas that the Nazis stood for. His writing to the "golden hair Margarete" is a personification of Germany as a person of perfect Aryan race. This is made more clear when Celan then describes "your ashen hair Shulamith", a representation of a Jewish member of Germany. The golden hair, and ashen hair juxtapose each other, and create the emotion that Nazis obviously held toward Jews. Ashen is such a harsh word compared to golden, and goes along with the use of "black milk", while "eyes are blue" is another description of the perfect Aryan race.
"Black milk of daybreak" is such a disturbing opening line. Milk is supposed to be a white, healthy, creamy liquid that the drinker enjoys. Black indicates it has been horribly soiled, perhaps going as far to say that ashes have darkened it. For me this recurring phrase was the most cryptic. When Celan began describing the man in the house, that became a bit more straightforward. He is in charge of the working Jews in the camps, and commands them to dig graves for each other, and dance for his entertainment.
He plays with "the serpents", which could be representative of fellow Nazis, or serpents maybe representing the evil ideas that the Nazis stood for. His writing to the "golden hair Margarete" is a personification of Germany as a person of perfect Aryan race. This is made more clear when Celan then describes "your ashen hair Shulamith", a representation of a Jewish member of Germany. The golden hair, and ashen hair juxtapose each other, and create the emotion that Nazis obviously held toward Jews. Ashen is such a harsh word compared to golden, and goes along with the use of "black milk", while "eyes are blue" is another description of the perfect Aryan race.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Comparisons
Nesaule's Account Vs. Video Interview with Luna Kaufman
Oral History Interview with Luna Kaufman, courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Online Catalog
Kaufman
-From Krakow, Poland
-From upperclass family, well educated
-Active in Polish and Jewish life
-"Jews in Poland" as opposed to "Polish Jew"
-Twelve when war broke out (born 1926)
-45 immediate family members died during Holocaust, 45 immediate family survived
-Older sister and father died in Holocaust, Luna and her mother survived
-Very strong Jewish convictions, however Luna has very light features and could easily have used transportation for the "advantaged" people.
-She refused to be identify as a non-Jew
-The anti-sematicsm in East Europe was relatively accepted as a way of life in Kaufman's family as well as many other Jewish families
-To receive a good university they had to go outside of Poland to be accepted into school
-Went to public Catholic School, had a relationship with the teachers and they never forced her to pray with the other children
-Never found conflict with this, and was a faithful Jew.
-One day a man came to teach the students about the Jewish faith, and was a total flop, so Kaufman's father taught her most things at home.
-Saw the brutality start, but kept up the mentality that this had to end soon. Something will stop it before it continues to something worse.
-Her family was kicked out of their home and sent to the suburbs.
-Felt discomfort being with these new types of people who were poorer, and much less educated.
-
Perhaps it's just my personal opinion, but video recounts always have a relatively bigger emotional impact on me. I've read many autobiographies of Holocaust survivors over the years, each emotionally draining, but having to watch the emotion or sometimes, lack of emotion, on the survivor's face makes the story more personal.
Luna Kaufman is now the most fascinating person I've ever had the privilege of listening to. She sits in her seat with poise, elegance, and complete control. She has reached a point where she can look back constructively and verbally work out the reasoning behind much of her history. However her calmness could also be taken negatively. Does her lack of sadness mean that she was completely broken by her past? I don't believe so in this case. Kaufman comes from a well educated and courageous family. At the young age of twelve, she refused to identify as a non-Jew, adamant that it went completely against the way she was raised, and against her religion. Such self sureness is rarely seen in a child. It's just easier for me to follow her story as opposed to Nesaule.
Not to say that they didn't share similar stories. Namely:
-Recounts of the Russian invasion
-Recounts of Russian soldiers raping and killing women
-The relocation from camp to camp
Both turned to public speaking/writing as a way of coping, however Kaufman began a bit sooner. She has published a book, and actively speaks in the US to school children. Kaufman already came from a strong minded family, so finding a burst of strength to share her story had to have been easier than Nesaule's.
I think the main point to address is that Luna lived through these camps almost entirely alone. Her sister and father were dead, and her mother and her were separated on multiple occasions. This would break most people's willpower, but Luna used it to make her stronger.
Oral History Interview with Luna Kaufman, courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Online Catalog
Kaufman
-From Krakow, Poland
-From upperclass family, well educated
-Active in Polish and Jewish life
-"Jews in Poland" as opposed to "Polish Jew"
-Twelve when war broke out (born 1926)
-45 immediate family members died during Holocaust, 45 immediate family survived
-Older sister and father died in Holocaust, Luna and her mother survived
-Very strong Jewish convictions, however Luna has very light features and could easily have used transportation for the "advantaged" people.
-She refused to be identify as a non-Jew
-The anti-sematicsm in East Europe was relatively accepted as a way of life in Kaufman's family as well as many other Jewish families
-To receive a good university they had to go outside of Poland to be accepted into school
-Went to public Catholic School, had a relationship with the teachers and they never forced her to pray with the other children
-Never found conflict with this, and was a faithful Jew.
-One day a man came to teach the students about the Jewish faith, and was a total flop, so Kaufman's father taught her most things at home.
-Saw the brutality start, but kept up the mentality that this had to end soon. Something will stop it before it continues to something worse.
-Her family was kicked out of their home and sent to the suburbs.
-Felt discomfort being with these new types of people who were poorer, and much less educated.
-
Perhaps it's just my personal opinion, but video recounts always have a relatively bigger emotional impact on me. I've read many autobiographies of Holocaust survivors over the years, each emotionally draining, but having to watch the emotion or sometimes, lack of emotion, on the survivor's face makes the story more personal.
Luna Kaufman is now the most fascinating person I've ever had the privilege of listening to. She sits in her seat with poise, elegance, and complete control. She has reached a point where she can look back constructively and verbally work out the reasoning behind much of her history. However her calmness could also be taken negatively. Does her lack of sadness mean that she was completely broken by her past? I don't believe so in this case. Kaufman comes from a well educated and courageous family. At the young age of twelve, she refused to identify as a non-Jew, adamant that it went completely against the way she was raised, and against her religion. Such self sureness is rarely seen in a child. It's just easier for me to follow her story as opposed to Nesaule.
Not to say that they didn't share similar stories. Namely:
-Recounts of the Russian invasion
-Recounts of Russian soldiers raping and killing women
-The relocation from camp to camp
Both turned to public speaking/writing as a way of coping, however Kaufman began a bit sooner. She has published a book, and actively speaks in the US to school children. Kaufman already came from a strong minded family, so finding a burst of strength to share her story had to have been easier than Nesaule's.
I think the main point to address is that Luna lived through these camps almost entirely alone. Her sister and father were dead, and her mother and her were separated on multiple occasions. This would break most people's willpower, but Luna used it to make her stronger.
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