What really caught my attention and it seems like many of my peers above as well is the puzzling dynamic of Mala and Vladek's relationship, as well as, Mala and Art's relationship. Mala and Vladek although having a similar history to share, the Holocaust, had two very distinct experiences. Vladek being part of a wealthier Jewish family was able to finagle himself out of various life threatening situations using his riches, where as Mala had to clean filth out of the four apartment prison in order to smuggle her mother away. This poses a double edged sword as their relationship, they need this similar history in order to understand the everyday trials they must go through with all the horrific memories of their past trailing along, the only basis for a relationship after such a tragedy but this in turn leads them to fickle emotional stability and the constant stirring up of what is in their past, such as how Mala will never live up to Anja. Then there is the strained relationship we see between Art and Mala. Since Art is in the process of learning about his mother, I felt he got up and walked away as Mala was sharing her past with him because he felt he needed the story of his own bloodline first to fulfill himself and didn't want any distraction with Mala's story getting mixed up in his own record. He is selfishly preserving his experience for only his immediate family's story seeking first to feel closer from those accounts, before opening up to a secondary family member. -NicoleB
@Matthew C: At this point in the book, money is almost worthless. What, then, has value to the Jews? To the Germans?…That is a very good question Matt and the way I see it is, what both sides have left to value is not letting the other side win. Let me explain this more. For the Jews that would look like not dying in vain, because then the German's would have gotten into their psyche, but rather dying for something, for trying to save another or stealing bread for ones family, and on their own terms and not in fear (honor killings). To the German's what they have left to value is their conviction in what they are doing, at this point there is no turing back, no admitting that they have gone to far they can only uphold that they are carrying out their duties.
I think that at this point in the book, the reality of what is going on in the concentration/work camps is finally hitting the characters. They are seeing the severity of their situation, especially Vladek and Anna, and are realizing how helpless they truly are against the Nazis. The discussion favors the idea that as the Holocaust continues unfolding their instincts change to protect others around them, and I agree with this point. Naturally, before the war, Vladek and his family were able to worry about other things that took precedence, or at least appeared to take precedence, over family life and now that that is all they have left to live for and rely on family becomes the most important and burdening thing in their lives. It is also clear that the Jews have to make some high intensity and high pressure decisions not just for themselves but for their families and loved ones, and as Zach asked, there has to be a point at which these decisions lose their value and are simply foolish choices. Of course, it is easy to look back and judge the choices made but it seems like as the war becomes a real problem for the Jews and the possibility of being sent to a camp looms over them, they make decisions that aren't rooted in the best judgement.
What really caught my attention and it seems like many of my peers above as well is the puzzling dynamic of Mala and Vladek's relationship, as well as, Mala and Art's relationship. Mala and Vladek although having a similar history to share, the Holocaust, had two very distinct experiences. Vladek being part of a wealthier Jewish family was able to finagle himself out of various life threatening situations using his riches, where as Mala had to clean filth out of the four apartment prison in order to smuggle her mother away. This poses a double edged sword as their relationship, they need this similar history in order to understand the everyday trials they must go through with all the horrific memories of their past trailing along, the only basis for a relationship after such a tragedy but this in turn leads them to fickle emotional stability and the constant stirring up of what is in their past, such as how Mala will never live up to Anja. Then there is the strained relationship we see between Art and Mala. Since Art is in the process of learning about his mother, I felt he got up and walked away as Mala was sharing her past with him because he felt he needed the story of his own bloodline first to fulfill himself and didn't want any distraction with Mala's story getting mixed up in his own record. He is selfishly preserving his experience for only his immediate family's story seeking first to feel closer from those accounts, before opening up to a secondary family member.
ReplyDelete-NicoleB
@Matthew C: At this point in the book, money is almost worthless. What, then, has value to the Jews? To the Germans?…That is a very good question Matt and the way I see it is, what both sides have left to value is not letting the other side win. Let me explain this more. For the Jews that would look like not dying in vain, because then the German's would have gotten into their psyche, but rather dying for something, for trying to save another or stealing bread for ones family, and on their own terms and not in fear (honor killings). To the German's what they have left to value is their conviction in what they are doing, at this point there is no turing back, no admitting that they have gone to far they can only uphold that they are carrying out their duties.
ReplyDeleteI think that at this point in the book, the reality of what is going on in the concentration/work camps is finally hitting the characters. They are seeing the severity of their situation, especially Vladek and Anna, and are realizing how helpless they truly are against the Nazis. The discussion favors the idea that as the Holocaust continues unfolding their instincts change to protect others around them, and I agree with this point. Naturally, before the war, Vladek and his family were able to worry about other things that took precedence, or at least appeared to take precedence, over family life and now that that is all they have left to live for and rely on family becomes the most important and burdening thing in their lives. It is also clear that the Jews have to make some high intensity and high pressure decisions not just for themselves but for their families and loved ones, and as Zach asked, there has to be a point at which these decisions lose their value and are simply foolish choices. Of course, it is easy to look back and judge the choices made but it seems like as the war becomes a real problem for the Jews and the possibility of being sent to a camp looms over them, they make decisions that aren't rooted in the best judgement.
ReplyDelete