Thursday, April 1, 2010
Sunflower
Each day after we meet in groups, one member of each group is responsible for posting a summary of your group’s conversation. We want to hear about specific topics and themes that were discussed; major questions pondered, and key “take-aways” from your discussion. Your post should be free of grammatical and spelling errors and be at least one healthy paragraph.
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ReplyDeleteThe book is called, “The sunflower,” and within the pages of 13-23 as a group we have began to discover the meaning of the sunflower. The sunflower represents life and happiness, which many Jews are skeptical of having on top of their grave. This is like the Jews receiving a certificate, without the day of their death even carrying the star of David around. Our group thought of it as a relation to the Jews with slavery in the 1800’s, not knowing their birthdays and separating from their families living through a horrific life every day and suffering from beatings. This was very similar to slavery and both very tragic were millions of innocent people who died because of who/what they are. Subsequently, we talked about, “day without Jews,” also known as anti-Semites, in Schools like segregation. We put ourselves in their shoes and how we would I have felt going through the same situation and being discriminated. We would have all felt excluded and will be in shame, pity and in lack of dignity of are beliefs and appearance because of others stereotyping us. What was it that they didn’t have? We should not hide who we are because of what others think. This still happens today, being judge for what we are and being excluded/bullied from our communities/world, it happens even in our school.
ReplyDeleteWe have each found these beginning pages interesting especially reading about a fiction novel, and how hard it must have been for the Jews and real live situations they went through.
- Blog written by:Christaly
Through the pages 73-83, our group as learned on how to look things from different perspectives and people with different opinions/voices can still be right. There were a few different situations when this happened, such as on page 74 the nurse told the Jew to take his belongings, Was it the right thing to do? Would you want to take the possessions of a “German,” who killed your family/friends. We would not want their belongings for this same reason, having the possessions of a SS man is very scary and you must be cautious doing this. It might have been a good idea because it would not constantly remind be of this episode, but on the other hand others that have not live through this would have taken it not knowing if it is the right/wrong thing to do. Another situation dealing with perspectives was when he spoke to the Catholic priest, Bolek, who came from Auschwitz. Bolek take was quite interesting because he is a man with strong faith and he believes that even though the SS man asked for forgiveness, he still died in peace knowing that his confessions have been told to someone who was not a priest. Even though the Jew thought it was not right to forgive him looking at the priest perspective it is right as well because he I regained his faith and died in peace, which is what we would all I want. As we look at it through both perspectives it was hard to choose, which side to go one because there are certainly both right, but forgiveness takes time and as we all say everything happens for a reason. This might have been a life lesson for the Jew and to start to look things/forgiveness in different ways even though we felt pity for this SS man. It is a question that we must all ask ourselves, which is What would you do? This is a question we kept relating back to because in a way they are both right, but what is it we should do; is it what our heart/faith tells us to believe or what others think of our decision.
ReplyDeleteLastly, we spoke on the death of Josek, Adam and Aurthur. Even though it was compelling to read we learned that not having a family in the concentration camp, there is some one who they need to talk to. But at the end we realized that they never know when there time is up like the Jew who was sent to Block 6( Death Chamber at Mauthausen), they all stand alone. Going through this situation as well in life it was not a good idea to dependent on someone else, but yourself.
As we finished the final pages of the first compelling story, we learned a critical question, which was, What would I do? For instance when the Nurse handed the SS man possessions to the Jew, would you accept them? We will not take it, because if he is already having nightmares about forgiving him how will he ever move from this episode of his life. Also, after the SS man has done so many harsh things to these Jews why would you not only the carry memories with you but his possessions? Subsequently ,we spoke if we will tell the SS man, mother about what his son was actually cruel instead of her thinking he was a good man. As we looked at this through both ways, some will tell her because it is better to tell the truth instead of keeping the truth to yourself. This will show that not all Germans, will good such as her son. She has to know the truth and know that her son did not die in a war, but in a room confronting a Jew. But, others felt pity for what she is going through and will not tell and will just console her instead of telling her about her son flaws, guilt and sins.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand We touched based on the moral of the story, forgiveness. We said that it is easier to forgive than to forget these memories the will torture them from the rest of the like just like slavery. They can all forgive, but the one who is still suffering at the end are these victims. This is a line that Jews or slaves will not come across and will have to live with in their lives. These episode that occur in these people lives, changes them and who they are as well as their future. But we must first look at it all different perspective, which is why we look forward on reading the hews, themselves perspectives and what they would have done.
My group has now been exposed to the second half of the book, "The Sunflower." These few first pages of the second half of the book are even more compelling then the first half of the book. The second half is about people answering the question, of whether or not they would forgive a Nazi. The answers that they gave us were even more compelling than the question.
ReplyDeleteThe second half is consist of forgiveness. People are giving their own opinion of whether or not they would forgive a Nazi. When we first asked each other, we all answered no. While none of us are Jews, we have read through the horrible experiences Jews have gone through because people don't accept them. With all the harsh things we have read and studied from Jews, we were all positive that are answers would be no. We while not be willing to forgive a Nazi.
Like are answer, Sven Alkalaj answered the same. While we both agree that we would not forgive a Nazi, one striking response that Sven Alkalaj said, was, “Nobody who hasn't bodily gone through what we went through will ever be able to understand fully." (Page 102) While some agree others disagree. I, being a person who disagrees, support my disagreement because you don't just have to feel or go through something, just to know of how to response to it. I understand that the more you experience it, the better your response can be. But while also learning about what has happened, such as the Holocaust, you can also response to the question. As I studied the Holocaust, we heard lots of things, such as people dying, and people being treated like animals. I feel as if I can respond to the question, whether or not you experienced it. But then again, I do agree that if you experience something, it's much easier to answer the question.
The beginning of these compelling pages engages us to continue reading, so that we can have these wonderful and productive discussions.
Thorough responses!
ReplyDelete