Holocaust Poetry #2

Homeland
Lois E. Olena

It was Christmas eve
and there was no room in the inn,
the Oswiecim inn,
so the Arrow Cross
took the children,
barefooted
and in their nighties,
out to the Danube
and filled their little bellies
not with bread
but bullets
flipping them
like tiddlywinks
into the congealing, icy river below.

It was the Red Danube
that night,
choking on the blood
of orphan Jews
whose little Blue faces
floated downstream
touring even all of Europe
until they washed up
on the shores of Eretz Yisrael (Jewish homeland)
and came back to life,
their little blue and white
bodies
raised high,
flapping in the wind.


How is imagery used in this poem?

Imagery is used in this poem of the common Christmas story of the birth of Jesus and thus changing key parts of this common story. The imagery of the "filling their little belies not with bread but with bullets" creates a strong emotional imagery of children being shot down in cold blood.

Discuss the effect of the simile in this poem.
The simile "flipping them like tiddlywinks into the congealing, icy river below" highlights the fact that the people being murdered were children by comparing the dumping of the bodies to playing tiddlywinks. This simile highlights the German ruthlessness.

How is alliteration used in the poem? What is the effect?
Alliteration is used in this poem in "filled their little bellies not with bread but with bullets" the short sharp 'b' sounds in "bellies ... bread ... bullets" highlights the pain and suddenness of their death.

How does the author juxtapose the innocence of the children to the cruelty they experienced?
The author juxtaposes the innocence of the children to the cruelty they are experience by using childish words such as "bellies ... tiddlywinks" these words highlight their childish innocence.

What is meant by 'touring all of Europe'?The "touring all of Europe" relates to the wars all over Europe and the consequent concentration camps built within Europe. The quote relates to a well known fact that Nazis built concentration camps in numerous areas in Germany.

Boy in the Striped PJ's Chapter 4

(pg 31) How does the author continue to use juxtaposition in regards to the two housing situations? (the Jews and Bruno's family)
The juxtaposition shown from Bruno's family and the Jews in the concentration camp is seen in the description Bruno's house with the "flowers which grew in neat orderly sections in soil that looked as if it was tended very carefully" compared to "a huge wire fence that ran along the length of the house and turned in at the top". These quotes show the drastic differences in the two different lifestyles.
What is it about the children that makes it difficult to understand exactly what they see through the window and just how bad it is?

Both Bruno and Gretel do not see the pain the Jews are experienced because they do not have a full understanding over the recent political events that Germany is facing currently and due to their age they possess some innocence from the atrocities.

Summarise how Gretel describes what she sees.
Gretel describes the concentration camp as being enclosed by a large chain link barbed wire fence with "no greenery anywhere".

What does Gretel attempt to do when she sees the Concentration Camp? How does she attempt to understand what she sees?
Gretel does not see the true reasons of why there were people in the 'camp' and why there were no girls in the camp. She accepts the explanation offered by Bruno for the girls being on another part of the camp. Gretel attempts to understand what she sees by making vague explanations about the situation.

Is her attempt successful? Does she convince Bruno that she understands? What does she eventually give in to? What does she say/or not say? (pg 32)
Gretel's attempt to make an explanation of why this 'camp' was looking so "nasty" is that it must be in the country side. Her attempt is successful in convincing Bruno but she still has some doubts about why they are there. She does not say why the people are living  in such conditions.

What can't the children do when they see the Concentration Camp that the adults seem to be able to do? Which group can understand what they see? Why do you think that this is the case?
How does the author use understatement through the children's description of the Concentration Camp?

The children can't understand why the people are living in such conditions and why the people are behind this large barbed wire fence. The children do not consider this because they possess an element of innocence do not see the atrocities taking place in the 'camp'

Holocaust Imagery - Hitler at a Nazi Rally

This is an image of a political rally in 1934, a staple of the Nazi regime. In your own blog post answer the questions below and include the image.

How are vectors used in this image? What effect does it have?
Vectors are used in this image to create a line of sight from Hitler in the foreground to the crowds in the background. This shows the viewer the size of the crowd and thus the number of people who have come to see Hitler at this political rally.
Describe the composition of the image and what is tells us about the Nazis and Hitler.
Hitler is located in front of high ranking officers showing his power over those people and he is surrounded by the swastika banners by what appears to military supporters each one with swastika arm bands. This use of uniformed men create a sense of order and the use of the banners show how important Hitler is compared to the rest of the populace.
How is symmetry used? What effect does it have?
Symmetry is used in the two lines of banners with men holding the banners creating a pathway for Hitler and official party to walk down. The effect this symmetry shows is the strength of the political party in support.
What effect does this picture being in black and white have?
The effect the picture has in being black and white blends all the uniformed men into one large group emphasising the number of people located in the crowd supporting Hitler. The black and white imagery also symbolises the ideology of the Nazi party's ideals about the Jewish people.
The contrast of the dark Nazi soldiers and of the colour of the crowd being a lighter colour represents the need the crowd has for to be leaded out of the dark time Germany was currently in.
Discuss the use of line in this image. What effect does it have?
The line created by the walkway moving into the distance accompanied with the large crowds aligned on each side show the order of the party in organisation and power in sheer numbers.
The straight lines used in the banners show the order within the Nazi party and of the ideologies the Nazi party supports.

Chapter 3: The Hopeless Case

List quotes that show how the new house is described.
"Well, what's Out-With  then?" he repeated "Out with What?"
"That's the name of the house,". This quote shows the ignorance of Bruno but also shows the mysterious of the house and area and how Bruno nor Gretel no about the implications of the area. " His house in Berlin didn't even have a name : it was just number four."
Describe how Bruno and Gretel's relationship is introduced in the chapter.
The relationship between Bruno and Gretel is introduced as being a stereotypical brother sister relationship. This is shown through how Bruno describes Gretel as being a "hopeless case".
It was very hollow and he decided that he better not go jumping around this house too often or it might collapse around their ears. What is the significance of this quote?

The significance of this quote shows Bruno's thoughts about the house and describes the age and built the house is. By describing it as about to "collapse around their ears" also highlights Bruno's dislike for the house.

What is Bruno's reaction to the new house?

Bruno's reaction to the new house is of despise and dislike by describing it as being "hollow" and with nothing to do.

How does it compare to their old house?

The old house is described a large amount in this chapter to juxtapose the new house, the old house as described by Bruno as being nice, large and well built.

How does Gretel relate to her father?

Gretel holds their father in high regard as it is described as "Gretel, who always spoke of Father as if he could never do any wrong and never got angry and always came in to kiss her goodnight before she went to sleep".
Gretel lines up her dolls like her father organising the troops. Gretel enjoys the sense of power and superiority over Bruno while her father has power over the troops (being a high ranking officer). Bruno is represented as being a Jew as having less power and that the dolls symbolise the troops of her father.

Does Bruno understand where they are? What makes you believe this?

Bruno does not understand the significance of the area or where the house is situated because it is a common motif of Bruno mispronouncing the well known Auschwitz as "Out-With"

Does Gretel understand where they are? Explain.

Gretel does not fully understand where they as she replies to Bruno's question of why the area is called "Out-With" by saying it was the name of the house.

How is Bruno's description of 'Out-with' represent a motif? What is darkly ironic about this?

Bruno's description of "Out-with" as it being desolate and bare with no life shows this is the representation of what is occurring inside the concentration camp. 

Read pgs 27-29. How are Bruno's and Gretel's reaction to 'the children' Bruno sees through the window different? What does this tell us about these two characters and 

their perception/understanding of where they are?
Bruno is curious about the children while Gretel is cautious of what the children are doing there and why they are on the other side of the fence. This shows the lack of knowledge Bruno juxtaposed to Gretel's understanding of the situation.

Responding to a Poem

We fight, we die
we fight for morales.
We were taught to fight against oppression
to fight against the strong for the weak.
We all send men into the machine of war to fight for 'the little guy', to fight against the oppressors for the oppressed. We fight with the fear of another massacre, the next terrorist attack another holocaust. We fight for the fallen, we fight for the war to end wars, the war for the better morales. We fight for our governments, for the fallen. We fight in the fear of another holocaust, another massacre, another terrorist attack. We fight for the fallen, we fight for the memory, we fight for morales, but is it right?

Responding to a poem

Holocaust
by Barbara Sonek

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.


What is your initial reaction to this poem?

The initial reaction of the poem starts off somewhat cheerful because by stating "played ... laughed" both of those words have positive connotations but with "we" placed before the words shows the atmospheric sadness.

How does the author use 'we' in this poem?

The author uses "we" to create a sense of the number of the people. The use of using "we" towards the start of the poem shows the number of people before the alludes towards the holocaust.

What are the verbs used in the first sentence?

The verbs used in the first sentence are "played ... laughed" these verbs have positive connotations towards the narrator's life.

What are the verbs used in the second sentence? How do they contrast with those used in the first sentence?

The verb used in the second sentence "loved" has negative connotations juxtaposed to "played ... laughed" because "loved" suggests once being loved by someone then no longer.What effect does the listing of 'lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers'? What is it meant to signify?

The effect by listing "lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers" signify the joy in once having dreams to become what they wanted to become is now destroyed for all people in the situation.

What simile is used in the poem and what effect does it have?

The simile "we were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars" and the further listing of the conditions compare their lives towards animals being sent to an abattoir.

How has the poet represented herself in the last sentence?

The poet represents herself as being one of the dead pleading for the living to never allow such atrocities to ever happen again to anyone else.

If you could communicate to this person, a victim of the Holocaust, what would you want to say? What do you feel that you must do in your life as a response to this poem?

I would communicate to this person saying all that had happened in the world describing each recent incident that has recently occurred in the world. Some of these occurrences may be seen as horrific but is an example as the world improving from what it used to be.

The Boy in the Striped PJ's - Chapter 2

Using quotes, how is the new house described?
The new house is described as being juxtaposed to the new house by listing all the qualities of the old house " The house in Berlin had stood on a quiet street and alongside it were a handful of other big houses like his own, and it was always nice to look at them" this listing of the old house does not describe the new house but lists the old house this creates a visual image into the audiences mind.

How does it compare to the house in Berlin? How is this an example of juxtaposition?
The house compares to the house in Berlin as being the complete opposite of the old house "The house in Berlin had stood on a quiet street and alongside it were a handful of other big houses like his own, and it was always nice to look at them"

How is Bruno's reaction and discussion of the new house taken by the other characters? What is ironic about the way people treat Bruno's comments regarding the new house?
Bruno's reaction towards the house was written as "Bruno's eyes opened wide, his mouth made the shape of an O and his arms stretched out at his sides once again" this large reaction highlights Bruno's childishness and how he sees the new house. This reaction is juxtaposed towards the other characters such as his mother as she tries to console Bruno about the new house.

Do you feel empathetic towards Bruno's new home? Why/why not?
Bruno's overreaction of the new house creates a level of sympathy but it is incredibly exaggerated this is shown by the listing of all qualities of the old house "Bruno's reaction towards the house was written as "Bruno's eyes opened wide, his mouth made the shape of an O and his arms stretched out at his sides once again" this large reaction highlights Bruno's childishness and how he sees the new house."