Dear readers,
As
I venture forward in the book reading about the history of Elie Wiesel and his
journey, I continue to see a declining pattern with the mental strength that
Elie amazingly still has. I do how ever see a difference in the actions that he
takes than from before. It could be from the fact that he and his father were
separated into different blocks. Or it could be from the constant disbelief
that he or the people that he meets will live another day. DO you see any
patters or differences between the new and old Elie? When I read that Elie and
his Dad were going to be separated for possibly ever, made me choke and almost
tear up. I couldn’t imagine leaving my mother and sibling in a concentration
camp, knowing that people are killed everyday and not knowing if it might be them
that are killed. Having all of my possessions including my name taken away from
me. Then building up a huge connection for the last family member I had, just
to have them taken away as well would be emotionally crippling to me. But of
course Elie gets through it and continues with his struggle to survive. It
seamed however that Elie expressed slim to no emotions when he recorded that we
was separated from his father when plainly he says “I was no longer in the same
block as my father. They had transferred me to another Kommando, the
construction one, where twelve hours a day I hauled heavy slabs of stone”
(Wiesel 70) I appears as if he had loss his soul in a way that makes him care
about only himself (“My dad was torn away from me…. we had to do backbreaking
work”). Throughout the entire book I’ve felt nothing but the contrasting
emotions of both sympathy and hatred. This would be a great example of how you
can see why I would feel the two different ways I do. How do you feel when
reading this? The same way I do, or differently?
Towards
the end of the next section of reading, it appeared as if all of the prisoners
of the camp in way started to form a family, to unite as one voice, power, and
struggle. This becomes especially evident when “The Selection” occurs at the
camp. Both the young and the old came together and treated each other as if
they were both made of the same blood and bone. Elie socializes with the other
kids his age and they both decide that it’d be best if they stuck together and
looked out for one another. It was inspiring to read when Elie remembers that
two brothers, Tibbi and Yossi “…came to urge me: ‘Lets stay together. It will
make us stronger” (Wiesel 71) I couldn’t believe this when I read it. At a time
of mass confusion, murder, nervousness and selfishness the complete opposite
happens of what I’m sure you and I both thought. I figured that the people in
the same block as Elie would throw one another back just to get ahead but I
couldn’t have been more wrong. Did you think the same way I did? I certainly
couldn’t believe it. After the selection, all three of the boys survived and
congratulated each other in a way that teammates would after a race. This to me
showed that the Nazis tried to do as much damage to these people that they
could, and yet the spirit and mental strength that these prisoners seem to be
able to hang to is more than enough and they still create relationships that
would get them through the so called “Hell on Earth”. Obviously nobody could
say that they went like something like he did, but has there ever been a
struggle in your life that you though that you couldn’t over come, yet when you
stuck with another person, the unbearable obstacle seemed to simmer down to
just a small issue? If so, what was it?
By,
Nate Brown
Dear Nate,
ReplyDeleteThe struggle that Eliezer is going through is unimaginable and incomparable. Although it is nothing like his struggle, I have had many personal struggles throughout my life. An ongoing personal struggle in my life is individualizing me from my brothers. Constantly, people refer to me as “one of the triplets” or even sometimes “one of the three twins”. When it comes to athletic or academic ability I am often under or overestimated because I am always compared to Matty and Brian. My wish is that people would not compare us. Although we are triplets, we are completely different people with unique characteristics and distant traits from one another. For example, Brian is very interested and active when it comes to landscaping and environmental science related topics. Throughout the summer, you can find him working for hours in my yard or at Evergreen Nursery because he simply enjoys it. You will never find me doing voluntary yard work! Conversely, you will never find Brian just sitting around listening to music or playing musical instruments; something I do every day during the summer because I am very interested in it. As we grow older, we define ourselves more differently. Eventually, there will be a day that I will be known as more than just a Salit I will be Tim Salit! However, for now, I just have to accept the fact and embrace that I am a triplet that will constantly be compared to his brothers.
Something pretty cool about being a triplet is meeting other sets of triplets. It is always interesting to talk to one another and see if they are constantly compared too. Commonly, they have a similar struggle to me. Check out this link: http://tripletconnectionconvention.com/. It is for the national triplet convention, a place I could meet hundreds of other triplets!
Your Friend,
Timmy