“Then came the march past the victims. The two men were no longer alive. Their tongues were hanging out, swollen and bluish. But the third rope was still moving: the child, too light, was still breathing... And so he remained for more than half an hour,” (pg. 64 and 65)
This quote is very scary and terrifying. It scares me to think this really happened, Two huge men and a young boy, being hung on the gallows. And hanging a child ESPECIALLY was not something you did, even with the already twisted choices of execution the Nazis could choose from. Even the hangman refused to put them to death, so the people in the SS had to bring them to death. It sends the chills up my spine just trying to wrap my mind around it, a child hanging and squirming from the gallow tree. Being hanged was not the only way someone could die in a concentration camp, you could also be shot, gassed, or die from disease. The most common was malnourishment. So you had to watch your step, or the next minute you and your history could be lost forever in a single pull of a trigger or a slow painful death such as the child at the gallows tree.
The themes in this quote to me are bystander and helplessness because everyone didn’t stand up for the helpless boy struggling to breath. People today are a little more of upstanders to their opinions. For example like the bombings in Boston, the Sandy Hook shooting, the Colorado Batman movie shooting. People today help others and stand up more to take charge to help others in need of help, no matter how big or small the need of help is. There are a lot of upstanders, but they all help in a different way. I mean there will always be bystanders, but Mr. Rodger said “ When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me ‘look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Looking from the Holocaust, where everyone was afraid to be upstanders, to people in society today, more people are helping as the can. We have changed so much over the years. What do you think on this idea?
I love the Mr. Rogers quote. In times of disaster or unimaginable terror and oppression, it does give comfort to focus on the good in the world and those that are strong enough to stand up and help. Does your true character only shine through when tested? If you were in march as addressed on pgs. 64-65, would you risk your life to ease the suffering of a child?
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting!
DeleteTo answer your first question, it really just depends on the person. I don't know for me, but for others, there are different types of people with different personalities who show that.
And for your second question, If I were in Eli's position, weak, small, and extremely malnourished, I would most likely not try to help because I would be terrified of being shot or hanged myself. But I would want to take the child down and help them.
I agree with your answer to Trisha's second question! If I were also in his position after going through so much and witnessing so many deaths, i myself would probably be afraid just to move, better yet help someone that is about to die. I would be afraid of all the horrid things that could happen to me that have happened to others. I too would really want to help that poor helpless child but I just don't think I could cause of the fear that was over powering me.
DeleteI agree with you about how horrifying it must have been to witness that stuff, and I've also read that Mr. Rogers quote and love it. I've read many books about the Holocaust but one my 6th grader was reading recently, The Book Thief (very good book), is what comes to mind regarding your thoughts. In that book several of the main characters were in the situation of having to witness things but being afraid to help - and they weren't as afraid in the beginning. They became more and more afraid to call attention to themselves in any way as they learned of very bad things that happened to people that tried to stand up. I can't say what I would do, but as a parent I might have to go along with things if I couldn't find another way, or to bide my time until I could figure out something. When you're a parent one of your greatest fears is that something will happen to you and then you won't be there to protect and take care of your children. I think I would have been one of those families that hid someone, but I'm sad to say that I might not be willing to call attention to myself by intervening in public, especially if it would just get me killed and not help anyone anyway. In our day and age we don't have to worry about getting killed, or our family getting killed, just because we speak out - something I'm extremely thankful for! In our time it's somehow coming to some consensus among the disagreeing groups that causes the most trouble, but at least we can all give our opinions. It's so nice that students like you, as the next generation that will be making decisions, are learning how to think thoughtfully about our society.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for commenting!
DeleteI am glad that your child is learning about this time period in history, they should start learning so these terrible things won't happen again. I would also feel the same as you said about putting your family in danger if you were to help a person. I am also thankful for that freedom to be able to speak my opinions too.
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ReplyDeleteI am enjoying reading your comments and what you are learning from your readings. I agree that more people are voicing their opinions and can do so freely in our country, but there are still countries that treat their people the same way as what you are studying. There are many more people that are voicing their opinions in these countries, but at great risks. It's great to see such bravery. I look forward in hearing more of what you are learning and how it changes some of your own attitudes and opinions and how others treat each other that are doing this project.
ReplyDeleteThank you and I am glad you enjoy our posts and my comments. I agree with you on how other countries are STILL treating their people with the cruel genocides, like in the Holocaust. And I also agree that people are starting to speak up. It is a great risk and takes a lot of bravery for them to do and say what they do.
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