Reading Journal Holocaust

How does the poem opening the work affect how you read the main body of
the text?

The poem sets the tone for the entire piece. It tells the reader that while reading, he or she should keep in mind that they are sitting in safety and comfort. It is meant to help separate the reader from their daily lives and truly feel the horrors that people went through during the Holocaust. The poem helped me understand.

Sum up what the poem is saying in one sentence.

Be thankful for the gifts that have been given to you, for at any moment they may dissolve into the lowest beast of humanity.

What are the key characteristics of the narrator which Levi chooses to present in this work; how would you describe the narrator?

The narrator is an optimist. He is always asking how the women are doing, or how he can get water. He never accepts death, although many around him have. He gets into the rhythm of the camp, and he maintains the rhythm for his own survival. He cares for his comrades, but he puts himself first. This is why he is a survivor.

Does this add to or take away from your ability to sympathize with the narrator?

This absolutely adds to my ability to sympathize with him. He is a fighter against insurmountable odds. He is David in the face of Goliath. How can any human being not sympathize with the poor souls who were forced to experience the worst conditions to ever be experienced by man. I have nothing but sympathy for him.

Which moment(s) in the text stand out or make the strongest impact on you? Why?

“Sooner or later in life everyone discovers that perfect happiness is unrealizable, but there are few who pause to consider the antithesis: that perfect unhappiness is equally unattainable.” Pg. 23 This quote really stood out to me, because it can give hope to anyone who seeks it. We all spend so much time seeking happiness and dealing with the crushing defeats of life, but no one ever stops to consider the good things. In other words, no one gives thanks for the strength of their legs unless they have lost that strength. If we could all just realize how lucky we really are, life seems a whole lot greener, even in the worst of times.