Thoughts about this course

Over this semester I have learned how to be compassionate toward other people. I have also learned that in many of the cases that we saw this semester, human suffering is only a temporary moment in the lives of many and that the hardships that someone goes through does not define their entire life. Another lesson that I am taking away from this course is to honor other people’s faiths even if they are founded on beliefs that I do not participate in.

The readings I enjoyed the most of this semester were “Maus” and “First They Killed My Father.” I saw a lot of myself in the character Art when I was reading Maus. I have often had a difficult time bonding with my parents and I understood the same frustrations that Art was going through. It can be tough to deal with people when they have inherited characteristics that they cannot avoid. For instance, Vladek was always trying to conserve what little food or resources he had and this reflected into his later years as a freed man living in modern society. He cannot help the way he is since that was what he needed to do to survive. In some ways, I feel the same emotions about my own family. I think their relationship was flawed due to their lack of understanding of each other’s circumstances and I believe that the same feelings can be applied to the way the younger generation acts towards their elders. These days, we have the technological resources to complete many simple tasks that would have been difficult in the past. In the generations to come, I think that there will be a wide technological gap between those who know how to operate computers and those who do not.

“First They Killed My Father” was an interesting read to begin this semester because it was told through the perspective of a child. It is difficult to process how an adult would react in these situations to much less a child. I appreciated this book as an introduction of what we would be talking about this semester because it gave me an idea on the sort of topics we would be covering and spread awareness on a genocide that I had not heard about.

"A Problem from Hell" Chapter 7 and 10 Notes

Chapter 7

In 1984, Department spokesperson John Hughes proclaimed that Ronald Reagan would promote the genocide convention.

Reagan paid a visit to West Germany's Bitburg Cemetery in 1985 and was criticized by many of his followers. Reagan was hoping that the visit would better the ties between Germany and the U.S.

Doctrine of reciprocity

Reagan made it possible to ratify the genocide convention but when they had the first opportunity to use it they had to side with the Saddam Hussein genocide due to domestic and political concerns.

Chapter 10

In Rwanda, when the president was killed in a jet crash the country went into a panic on who would rule and if the government was still in place. A curfew was set and many people were encouraged to stay in their homes. 

The genocide in Rwanda only lasted 100 days.

In this case, the Hutus were against the Tutsis. 

People from Death-squads went to the homes of those living in Rwanda and murdered the Tutsis and any Hutus who were not in support of the war.

One-seventh of the population was murdered as a result of the genocide.

The genocide was a result of racial tension. It was the most concentrated genocide in all of history.

"Ordinary Men" Discussion Questions

Who were the members of the Police Battalion 101?

     They were middle aged family men of working and lower-middle-class background from Hamburg. Most were raw recruits with no experience in German territory. They were simply thrown into a situation where they were forced to harm others.

Were they enthusiastic Nazis?

       Most were not enthusiastic about killing others. They believed that it was a inhumane way to treat others. 

      The men involved did not have a clear idea of what they were doing. Alcohol was provided to help them relax in these situations and to get them more accustomed to killing.

      Although, the battalion did not accept the anti-Semintic views of the German army they did accept the view of Jews as the enemy.

     These individuals were manipulated into killing others by the German army and were fed propaganda that would turn them against the Jews. Most were anti-Nazi in culture.

What was their initial assignment?

    Their first assignment occurred in 1941 in Russia and was dubbed Operation Barborossa. the assignment required the men to execute Jews and Russian civilians.  In 1942, they were asked was to round up and shoot Jews from a Polish village called Jozefow.

Were they given a choice to participate?

     The members of the battalion were given the option to participate without consequence. Although, many decided to stay in fear of leaving their comrades behind. Most of the policemen who were later interrogated denied that they were given an option to participate. Although in the beginning of the book, its stated that Trapp did indeed give the men a choice to participate or not.

What does Browning conclude was key to turning "ordinary men" into killers?

      Browning states that a number of factors contribute to turning ordinary men into killers. These factors include wartime brutalization, racism, segmentation and routinization of the task, special selection of the perpetrators, careerism, obedience to orders, deference to authority, ideological indoctrination, and conformity.

Is ideology or circumstances more important to conditioning killers?

     Ideology is important because it is the driving force that influences people to carry out acts of violence. Although, circumstances can also play a contributing role in driving others because it motivates people to act against their trials. I believe that both factors are powerful reasons to act and that one cannot be done without the other.
   In this case, circumstances were the driving force in motivating the men but both can equally contribute depending on the situation.

   
Can anyone get acclimatized to killing?

     People can become desensitized to killing by a certain degree but the trauma of killing other person will always be suppressed in a person's mind. Some people might be haunted by their choices later on in life. 

     Those who are experiencing hardship might be more likely to kill others because they need someone to blame and take out their frustrations on.

"Dry Tears" Discussion Questions

Why did the Homars take in the Tecs?

The Homars allowed the Tec family to stay with them to earn an extra source of income. The family's presence guaranteed an outside solution to any financial hardships that non-Jewish families were going through. The agreement was that they would provide shelter for the Jews and in turn they would support their financial problems. The term was called keeping "cats.'

Are the Homars mere bystanders?  Are they benefactors of the Tec family?  Or are they perpetrators in their own way?

The Homars appear to be bystanders on the exterior but their actions towards the Tec family are more like perpetrators. They are crude to the family and don’t refrain from using anti-Semintic remarks while the family is present. The Homars are in some way, benefactors to the family by letting them use their home to build their bread baking business in the black market.

How do we reconcile their vocal anti-Semitism with their decision to shelter the Tecs?

The relationship between these two families shows how desperate the Homars were to make extra money. This family hates the type of people that they're helping. 

According to Tec, the Homars believed that her family did not conform to their views of what Jewish people were. Since she did not have strong Jewish features she was treated better than other members of the family. The Homars were able to justify their decision to house them by saying that the Tec family did not fit the stereotype that they had of Jews. In their minds, they acted like regular people.

By looking the other way on their anti-Semintism, they family can be considered saviors to the Tec family. Without their help, the Tecs would have probably been taken to a concentration camp or may have suffered some other type of fate. 

Why did the Homars eventually ask the Tec family to leave?

The Homars said that they did not want their neighbors to know that they had helped a Jewish family survive. When the Homars first tried to kick them out in 1944, they said that they were afraid of being uncovered by Germans during random house searches. SInce the war was thought to be almost over, the family did not think that the risk of housing the family was worth the extra income anymore. However, the father was able to convince Kiutka that it would be unwise to let them go and that the Germans would still try to get information out of them if they knew that they housed Germans. He promised that his family would never reveal the Homars. 

Jan and Genia welcome the Tecs back.  Are they simple bystanders?  Dothey have a level of complicity with the crimes against the Jews?

Jan and Genia appear to be more than welcomed to invite the Tecs to stay with them. In many ways they are simple bystanders. They understand what they have gone through and are willing to help. They assist the family in their transitional stage back to normal life. 

Jan and Genia like many during this time, were in some ways, at fault for what happened to Jews during this time. Although, in the beginning they tried their best to protect them before the Germans took over. Their relationship with the family goes back to when the father worked for the chemical plant. At one point, they wanted to adopt Krysia but her parents feared that the adoption would be uncovered by the Germans.

"Ordinary Men" Reflection

"Ordinary Men" recounts the stories of various situations where police
officers, townspeople and regular civilians were forced to commit acts
of murder on Jews. Browning gives the readers the historical text of
the vignettes that he talks about.

The book serves as an text that explores the motives of perpetrators
and the emotional toll that regular people are forced to deal with as
a result of mass murdering Jews.

I personally found the book to be a bit dull due to its lack of
narrative and its lengthy historical timelines that make the book
appear more like a history text instead of a memoir or nonfiction
text.

Testimonial handout

The handout recounted an event in a ghetto in Byelorussia where a group of police officers were convinced to carry out a mass killing of Jewish people.

The ideology against Jews was very strong in this case because the purpose of the act was motivated by Antisemitism.

It took two days to convince the officers to shoot the Jews and even when they did so they were heavily intoxicated.

This episode consisted of people who might be considered persecutors since they carried out the act of murder.

Bergen Chapters 5-8

Chapter 5

Lodz- famous ghetto from the 1940s. It was very overcrowded. Jews from all over Europe were sent to Lodz. Gypsies were sent there as well. 

Judenrat- word for "Jewish council." German-run council, where Germans picked the officials in charge. 

After a Jewish resistance was discovered, many members who were linked to the underground Jewish newspaper were sent to Auschwitz.

Nazis considered Poles to be subhuman or "Untermenschen."

Polish people resented the Jews. Associated them with wealth.

T-4 program aimed at experimenting on adults with mental illnesses and the disabled.

Many Germans were outraged about the killings about the disabled while some were afraid to voice their opinions.

Chapter 6

French declared war on Germany in September 1939, known as the "phony war."

Armtistice Agreement signed with France in 1940.

Operation Sea-Lion- code name for the invasion of Britain. 

1940- Three-Power Pact with Germany, Japan, and Italy.

Chapter 7

Nazi "New Order" plans to head East.

Hitler rejected Christianity, saw it as a weak branch of Judaism.

"Defeatism" was punishable by death, wanted everyone to support the German army.

Jewish women who married Germans were sometimes persecuted. The offspring were often spared.

"Harvest Festival"- mass shootings in Lublin.

In December 1941, first killing center was made, Chelmno.

Chapter 8

Russian army was winning against the Germans.

June 6, 1944- D-day

In 1944, Germans began to evacuate many camps. 

Hitler committed suicide with his new wife Eva Braun along with close friends and their six children.

"Survival in Auschwitz" Discussion Questions

1. What is Levi before incarceration? Why?

Levi states in the first chapter that he was a young man without wisdom. This may be due to his young age since he was not had time to experience life. He thinks of himself as an ignorant person who should have taken other chances in life that could have spared him from being deported.

He studied science at a University before his arrival. He is an educated man with a degree.


2. How do environmental changes alter people's behavior? How do they alter Levi's behavior?

As soon as the train takes its passengers to the death camp, many appear hysterical due to the lack of water and other resources. Levi states how many groaned all night and tried to reach out for snow so they could get some type of relief from thirst. Levi appears to remain calm during these times and observes others in their frantic state. He meets an older lady whom he bids farewell to. He does this as a way to make peace with his life before he meets death.


3. What is he like in the camp? Does he change? How so?

At the beginning of his stay, Levi learns to adjust to his new way of life. He is put through an initiation process by being tattooed his prisoner number. Since he is one of the prisoners who is deported later he has a higher number, which signifies his status. Many are crude to him due to his number and treat him poorly. He comes to terms that he has to start over in the camp and many of the things that make him himself are stripped away from him including food, clothing, name, and language.

Later, Levi says that most men fall into two categories being pessimists and optimists. Levi also says that some men have turned their back on religion and considered themselves atheists. Although, depending on the man's mood at a certain time, he point of view might change. He believes that many men have lost fate in their cause while others hold onto hope that they will meet their loved ones again. Thinking back on "Maus," I would say that Vladek would fall into this category because of his undying hope to survive. Levi remarks that he is one of the men on the bottom. He has learned to covet things that he finds on the ground, he works all day, has sores that will not heal and has faced other tragedies since his arrival.


4. Do the inmate have news or contacts with the outside world? How could people after the war claim to not know anything about the camps?

The Polish inmates and those who have been in the camps longer usually know more about the war than others.

Most news of the war floats around the concentration camps as rumors between those who are working there and the inmates.


5. What does he know about the Nazis? Hitler?

From what I understood from the book, Levi only knows the things about Hitler that we knew before he was attained. Most references to the German army in the book are by those who are working in the camp.

6. How hierarchical is the camp? Explain how it functions?

The camp is based on a hierarchy of who made it to the camp first. Those who have tattoos with higher numbers are seen as new meat in the camp that can be treated worse than the others. A sense of seniority is established with the inmates who have been there longer. Factions are also made depending on what type of Jew someone is considered. For instance, Polish Jews are separated from Italian Jews and so forth.

7. Do people resist? What constitutes resistance or acts of resistance?

Some people resist by smuggling and bartering goods with others. This is seen as a crime in the camps and can be punished. Other political crimes by Germans are seen as having relations with Jewish women and political theft.

8. Does anything unite the prisoners? Divide them?

Most of the prisoners are united by their will to live. Each understands the daily struggles that they all have to endure. What divides them are their ethnic backgrounds and the number that is branded on them. Those with lower numbers are seen as the elites and have a seniority over those inmates who have barely

9. Does the behavior he exhibits help him to survive? Why does he survive? Why does he believe that he survived?

Levi has a passive nature that helps him survive. He is very articulate and has many skills that become beneficial later in his stay. Since he knows a lot about science he is asked to help the doctors in the camps. Levi also tries to stay out of the way and averts himself from any dangers that exist within the camp.


10. The end of the war does not mean the end of suffering? Why is that?

After the war, most people are left with a loss of self. They do not know how to continue their lives after they have experienced such trauma. For some, they have no where to go. Their homes might have been destroyed and they have no contacts with relatives that may be living or dead. They do not know which of their loved ones have been killed or where they were deported to. This also goes along with the sense of self because many felt that they could not go on after most of their loved ones died. The only reason they held onto hope was because they thought that they would be reunited with their spouses and families. Afterwards, they don't have a reason for existing anymore or don't know how to continue.

The war does not end the prejudices that were established in the war. It takes time for people to come to terms with the loss of the war and take out their grievances against those who they believe are to blame for the loss.

Discussion Questions #2

1. In previous years, the United States has made minor attempts to intervene with counties facing genocide but they have not really made any breakthroughs.

2. Lemkin and his successors tried to pass a law that would prohibit genocide form occurring in any nation.  Lemkin was also the first person who coined the term “genocide.”

3. State Sovereignty- all type of activity directed towards the welfare of people such as building schools and constructing roads. Genocide has typically been disguised as efforts for state sovereignty by pushing an agenda that says that they are wiping other groups of people for the welfare of the true race, to purify the nation.

4. The Holocaust made the world aware that events such as this were occurring and that there were people who couldn’t speak out against their rulers because of the barriers of society.

5. Most victims didn't speak out after the war until it was over. They were fearful for their lives.

6. There were disagreements about the text of the law. U.S. senators feared that the language would be used to target Americans. 

"Dry Tears" Notes

“Dry Tears: The story of a lost childhood” chronicles the story of Nechama Tec, or as she is known by her family Krysia, as a Gentile Jew living in Poland during WWII.

The novel takes place from the view of Tec as a young child as her family struggles to stay hidden from German authorities in WWII. The entire time that her family is in hiding they are in constant fear that the German army will uncover them. Luckily, this never happens.

During her journey, Tec is faced with multiple accounts of prejudice from her confidants. Although, since Tec does not have predominant Jewish features like her mother and father she isn’t ridiculed as much as others. Those who are hosting the family often tell her how she could not be Jewish because of the way she acts. Most times, Tec is struggling with an identity crisis due to her act of a fake relative to her host families.

Most of the people Tec grows attached to are killed during various attacks from German raids. Tec grows especially attached to the children of one of the families she stays with. Tec is very infatuated with Waldek, who is an infant. After an incident where Waldek and his sister are attacked, Tec and her mother have to go rescue the child from its drunken father.

As Tec grows into a teenager during the war, she witnesses many incidents that shape her worldview of others during the war. Tec learns about sex from a young age and she often struggles with judging others for their life choices. For instance, many Jewish girls would have sexual relations with German soldiers to secure their safety in the war. Tec thinks that these types of girls are hypocrites to their kind and finds the situation confusing.

At one point, Tec joins the workforce as a child laborer in a factory. Since Tec has a smaller figure than others, she is not able to as much work and makes lower wages. Eventually, her family resorts to selling baked breads in an underground black market scheme.

After the war is over, the host family rudely nudges the family out of their home. The novel finishes with the family visiting the home they abandoned at the beginning of the war. It leaves on a somber notes as the family discovers that the building has been bombed into ashes.

Class notes 10-10-13, Nazi Propaganda film

Reichstag Fire Decrees, Feb. 1933- mysterious fires, Germans blamed socialist and communists. Going for the leftists.

Enabling Acts in march 1933

Fiscal conservatism- pay down deficits, reduce bureaucracy, reduce government spending and wait until the market begins to ride itself.

Purge Civil Service in April 1933- way to gain support, members believed to be gay were murdered

Night of the Knives June 30, 1934

Groups looked for radical alternatives, examples: Soviet Union and Fascism

Fascist Nazism- a form of free market capitalism, wanted to moderate it and control it.

German propaganda film, 1934

Shows a cleaner, different way of life

Teamwork

Show regime to be completely coordinated, abundance of food. In this time frame, agriculture is down, people are starving.

Idea “Nazism is the good life,” have friendship, brotherhood

People who knew Hitler from the past where murdered in the Night of Knives

Role of Chancellor and President were combined and given to Hitler

Trying to rebuild a new Germany. Showing camaraderie.

Survival in Auschwitz

     

     In "Survival in Auschwitz," author Primo Levi recounts his time spent in a concentration camp for Italian Jews.
     Personally, I found this novel hard to read. It was difficult to adapt to the settings of the novel and I felt that the writer did not have a strong voice to clarify his surroundings. The novel as a whole seemed to drag and did not have strong character development.
     Levi tries to be poetic in his attempt to capture the essence of living in a concentration camp but I felt that he tried too hard. If he would have kept it simple then I would have found his story more captivating.

Participation Journal for 9-30-13

How do I use language?  Do I take care to use strong, emotionally provocative words in meaningful ways?

      I try not to use profanity or other offensive words while I am around others and I try to refrain from saying words that could be taken out of context. For instance, I would not talk about something that would make me appear ignorant or unaware of others preferences on such topics as gay marriage or abortions. In other words, I try not to be openly opinionated. I only use strong words when I feel that it fits the situation. When talking about an issue that is important to me I will often try to use words that show how passionate I feel about the subject.

Notice how others use words (violent language) and phrases (collateral damage, conservative, fundamentalist).  Do these words help or hinder a discussion?When do these phrases appear?

             I believe that these words conceal the true intentions of those using them. They are deceiving to those who do not know what they actually mean and disguise the purpose of the action that is taking place.These phrases often appear as euphemisms in serious situations that might involve death or hopelessness. 

What is my experience with prejudice?  How are my actions influenced by my own history? 


                When I was younger I attended a predominantly African American school and was often ridiculed for not necessarily blending in with the crowd. I was constantly picked on for having pale skin while having a hispanic last name. Most of my classmates told me that my skin was too white to be considered hispanic. This type of harassment made me feel segregated from my friends who were darker than I was and left me with a sense of shame. I thought that I wasn't good enough to be included in the hispanic group but not white enough to be friends with that group of people as well. 

                I think that this experience helped me appreciate the beauty of my own skin once I was taken out of that situation. After I met a new group of friends in high school I learned that my skin color was a gift and not a burden. I always thought that my skin made me different in a negative way but I was relieved to hear that others who were darker than me actually wished that their skin was as light as mine. This situation taught me that everyone has insecurities and that there is no such thing as the perfect skin color because everyone is special in their own way.

Do my actions/words reflect my values today?  Or am I relying on certain cultural buzz words?

             The words I use in my everyday language reflect my personality and beliefs. Sometimes I do fall into the habit of using words that I hear on television such as popular slang but overall I think that my word choice is unique.

How do my words/actions contribute or challenge mainstream cultural attitudes?


              As a whole, I think my generation uses diction as a way to connect and bond over certain issues. I know that I personally use words that I hear others use in my own conversations. It is very hard for someone to create their own words when they are constantly hearing the same type of phrases from close ones. 

The 8 Stages of Genocide Notes

The 8 Stages of Genocide

According to Gregorry H. Stanton, President of Genocide Watch, there are 8 stages of genocide that vary by degree.

All of these stages were discussed in both readings we have done so far in "FTKMF' and Maus but I think more was talked about in Maus.

Vladek goes through each of these stages as the comic continues. For instance, in the beginning of the comic Jews were classified by their characters such as physical traits and the jobs they held. Towards the middle of the comic there is a shift from simply classifying Jews to polarizing human groups by taking away their property and separating them into factions.

When they are sent to the death camps initially half of those taken are exterminated. These same type of events also take place in Loung's novel.

Both Vladek and Loung go through a sort of denial phase once they are taken out of the situation. Loung tries not to think about the situation at all and separates herself from the family while Vladek gets angry with Anja every time she tries to talk to Art about the Holocaust.


The 8 Stages of Genocide are:
1. Classification
2. Symbolization
3. Dehumanization
4. Organization
5. Polarization
6. Preparation
7. Extermination
8. Denial

Participation Journal 2

1. In relation to other events that have occurred around the world, the United States has generally avoided interfering with other nations when genocide is the problem. Although, the United States has made minor attempts to intervene with counties facing genocide, they have not really made any breakthroughs.

2. Lemkin along with his successors made it possible for other countries to intervene through the law that has made due to the ideas set forth in his book.

3. State Sovereignty  all type of activity directed towards the welfare of people such as building schools and constructing roads. Genocide has typically been disguised as efforts for state sovereignty by pushing an agenda that says that they are wiping other groups of people for the welfare of the true race, to purify the nation.

4. The Holocaust spread awareness of genocide through a mass scale. It brought attention to the practices of hate crimes that were being committed in other countries as well as create a general understanding of what defines genocide. The Holocaust made the world aware that events such as this were occurring and that there were people who couldn’t speak out against their rulers because of the barriers of society.

5. Most victims didn't speak out after the war until it was over. They were fearful for their lives.

6. There were disagreements about the text of the law. U.S. senators feared that the language would be used to target Americans. 

Notes on War & Genocide Chapters 2-4

Intentionalists are people who emphasize Hitler’s intentions or say that the Holocaust was a result of long-term planning.

Functionalists- believe Holocaust was a function of other developments that evolved over time, downplay Hitler’s role.

Both viewpoints are ridiculed.

Hitler was a mediocre student, failed to get accepted into art school.

Pan-Germanism- belief that Germans should be unified in one state.

Hitler blamed Jews for WWI. He also blamed Communists.

Hitler might have had a secret love affair with his niece.

Aryans-group of people in ancient India.

Furer Principle- commitment to uncontested leadership.

There was only 1 woman who was close to Hitler’s inner circle. Her name was Gerttnid Scholtz-Klunk, she saw her greatest contribution as motherhood.

Not much fighting was done inside Germany, so most of the economy was still intact. Although, they suffered form inflation or hyperinflation.

Stock market crash of 1929 affected Germany.

In 1933, Hitler was named Chancellor of Germany.

After Hitler lost the election for the position he wanted he almost committed suicide.

“Third Reich” or third empire began.

2 phases of WWII
Nazi revolution

German parliament building was burned down, Hitler said that the Communists burned it. Many didn’t believe him.

Hitler saw homosexuals are an evil because they stopped the reproduction of the Aryan race. Mostly saw homosexual men as threats not particularly women though since they did not exercise power. He felt that they could be forced to reproduce.

Nazi ideology was based on blood so even people who converted religion were still considered Jews.

Hitler ordered sterilization of certain groups of people. In March 1933, first concentration camp opened.

Propaganda was made to convince people to accept his ideas,

July 1933, concordat was made with Catholic church and Germany.

January 1934, non aggression pact with Poland was signed.

Disease was prominent in death camps.

Law for Protection of German Blood and Honor- forbade marriage or sexual relations between Jews and “Aryan” Germans.

Law was also against Germans.

Hitler had a four-year plan to prepare the German economy and military for war.

Most of the German public was not eager for war. Although, Hitler began training people for war.

26,000 thousand Jewish men and women were sent to concentration camps. Synagogues were burned down. Most people fled to France, Poland and the Netherlands.

Rassenschande- crimes against the blood.

Pact of Steel was made with Italy and German in May 1939.

Hilter-Stalin Pact was crated in Aug 1939.

Goal was racial purification.

Germans tested killing practices on handicapped children. They did this secretly from the public.

Maus 2 Notes

Synopsis of Chapters

The comic takes on a different tone once Vladek dies. Art feels extremely guilty and remorseful about the way he treated his father.

A priest tells Vladek that he will survive the death cam because the numbers imprinted on his arms mark important dates in Hebrew dates.

As they continue talking about his experience, Vladek's age is taking a toll on him. Art is getting frustrated about his father's attitude toward saving money and needy nature. After Mala laves Vladek, Art and his wife try to help him get his paperwork in order.

The last scene where Vladek is alive shows him and Art sneaking into a resort so Vladek can play bingo for free.

Once they are Auschwitz, Vladek trues to find ways to barter with the guards and ends up being a tutor for a guard who wants to learn English. This opportunity helps him attain food and get a new fitting uniform for his friend.

Vladek is able to get a job as a shoe maker, a skill he was very good at when he worked with his cousin in the ghetto.

Vladek tries to save enough of his rations in exchange for Anja's transfer to another work camp. One day he finds out that his rations have been stolen so he starts to save all over again. Eventually, he has enough to barter.

When Vladek is transferred to a camp in Dachau, he says that it was more miserable than his previous camp.

Towards the end of the book, Vladek is freed from the war and must find a way to get back to Anja. The last chapter ends with the two finding each other and Vladek telling Art that he is tried of telling stories.

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed the ending to Maus 2, I feel that Art was able to capture his father's authentic nature and his vision through this comic.

Art's attempt to understand his father was sincere and heartbreaking. By writing this book, Art is able to put together he voices of the unheard with the visions of their trauma. Overall, I feel attached to the characters and think that it is an excellent comic for anyone to read.

"A Problem From Hell" Notes Chapters 1-5

Powers opens up with various anecdotes about people who have been affected by war. She talks about her experience as a correspondent for The Post in a country where genocide is prevalent.

The preface recounts one story of a young girl who was murdered at a playground. She does into detail about the girl's day leading up to when the incident happened.

Powers talks about the definition of genocide. She credits the first use of the word to Raphael Lemkin in 1944.

In Chapter 3 it is discussed how German acts of murder were seen as rumors at first.

At first, many people didn't believe the reports of Jewish hate crimes and stories about the death camps.

Lemkin was inspired by Winston Churchill's radio speech to write his book. In his book he mentions the first use of the word "genocide."

People were horrified by the word while others believed the word didn't have any power.

Chapter 4:

Lemkin didn't want understand why genocide wasn't against the law.

Most victims didn't speak out after the war until it was over. They were fearful for their lives.

Only one of Lemkin's siblings survived the war. When he found out that his parents and other siblings were killed he was distraught about it.

On December 11, 1946, the word "genocide" was finally mandated as an illegal act of killing against entire human groups.

In 1948, the definition of genocide was settled. It was also determined what classified genocide and how it could be persecuted.

It was the first time the UN has adopted a human rights treaty.

It took 40 years to ratify and 50 years for anyone to be convicted.

Notes from class:

America has international power. U.S. is the wold power/influences other nations, leadership role. U.S, has military and economic power.

Better to have discussion and be aware.

Have Holocaust education, commitment to Holocaust awareness.

Discussion Questions: "First They Killed My Father"

1. One interesting value that the Khmer Rouge taught was that everyone has equal and no one deserved to have more than another. This idea disabled many from having adequate amounts of food and in most cases, lead to the starvation of those held as prisoners. Those who were in power in this regime did not know who to run a government. They also resorted to killing others, which shun them from their own public. The Khmer Rouge did not have enough food supply to feed their village. They also didn’t have as much power as the regime that took over their territories.

2. Having a child as a narrator for this story made it easier to understand. The type of imagery that she uses is more recognizable because of the descriptive words that she uses. Her transformation throughout the novel is very drastic. She changes from an innocent child into a young adult that resents everyone involved in the war. Loung eventually turns into an aggressive person from having to constantly defend herself from others. As she tries to hide her true feelings and weakness, she disguises it as anger and spite towards others.

3. Knowing that Loung’s father was expected to die before reading the novel did not take away from the shock factor of his death. It was still nerve wrecking to read how he was taken away from her family. The rumors that her father might still be alive after his execution serves to show how Loung holds onto hope that he could be living a new life somewhere as a free man. 

4.  I would not necessarily describe Loung as feminist because she does not have strong feminist views towards the movement besides obvious observations concerning gender roles in the war. Since she was female, Loung was spared from hard manual labor and was able to stay with her mother.

5. Based on Loung’s experience in the war, it is not surprising that she would want a second chance in America. Since Loung was the youngest living sibling it makes sense that she would be the likely candidate of joining her brother overseas. The difference between Loung and Chou is based on their upbringing in the war. Chou’s path made her into a traditional woman in Cambodian culture while Loung seems to be very americanized when they are reunited in the last chapter. I sympathize with Loung’s character because the most sought choice after dealing with a traumatic experience is to remove yourself far away from the situation but with Loung it is harder to move on because her only living sister was left behind. Loung and Chou experienced everything together and in the end they are still separated.

6. A survival is someone who is willing to take any type of punishment, harassment, or in some cases, torture in order to be alive. Sacrifice is also another major characteristic that often describes a survivor. Most people must sacrifice something if they want to live another day. Survivors typically believer or have hope that they will make it out alive and their lives will be better once the war is over. With this vision in mind, survivors will endure any type of treatment to help themselves or others. They also must have a certain degree of apathy or be desensitized to the war. If they grow attached to someone it will break them down mentally. Therefore, they have to distance themselves from others.

Chou has able to survive due to her quiet and reserved nature. She did not get into any altercations with other prisoners nor did she start any conflicts. Chou is the total opposite of her sister Loung. Unlike Loung, Chou does not develop an aggressive nature toward others. Chou also has many helpful skills such as cooking and taking direction which helps her survive the war.

7.  When it comes to war it is hard to distinguish the line between what may or may not be ethical. In this case, when someone is face to face with death they will more than likely attack their assailant, which might be ethical. However, someone who is not involved in the situation might consider the attack unethical. In other worlds, it is hard to take oneself out of the situation because everyone acts differently when they are in danger, some people are more submissive than others. Any situation in war can be ethical or ethical depending on which side you are on.

I think the use of acid in war should be banned. If the victim is able to survive the attack they will never be able to fully recover. The use of this weapon also poses a danger to the environment and any other persons involved.

Maus I

Symbolism:

Mice- depicted as Jews, they are often seen as weak, feebleminded and easily overpowered by the Mice, which in this case are Germans. Mice also have long noses that are similar to the stereotypes of Jews.

Cats- seen as dominant, slick and forceful creatures. The Cats are able to control the Rats in the work camps.

Pigs- portrayed as people from Polish descent.

Major Characters-

Art- one of two central characters in the book. Tries to get an account of his father’s experience in the war.

Vladek- primary narrator in the book. Recounts his experience in the war.

Anja- wife of Vladek, suffers from some type of eating condition. She is sent to a medical facility after being diagnosed with post partum illness.

Mala- Vladek’s second wife. Often seen as incapable of doing simple things.

Synopsis of Chapters 1-3

Art is curious about his father’s upbringing in the war and asks him to tell his story. Vladek opens up about how his first love was Lucia, a mouse that grew attached to him and would later try to sabotage his relationship with Anja. Vladek doesn’t want Art to publish the part about Lucia, because he feels that it would be disrespectful; Art agrees not to publish it. After Vladek married Anja he was given part-ownership of his father-in-laws company.

Vladek doesn’t like communists because Anja’s ex was a communist. He later discovers that Anja was secretly translating communist messages into German. After this incident, their neighbor was framed and sent to jail. Afterward, Anja’s father gives the old woman compensation for her time and sparing Anja’s life. Vladek is also given his own textile factory.

In 1938, Vladek recounts the first time he saw a swastika. Soon after other hate crimes against Jews start to appear, the factory is robbed. Vladek is drafted into the polish reserves.

Throughout the graphic novel, Vladek goes off on tangents in the middle of his story. In one occurrence, he tells Art about his glass eye.

In 1939, Anja goes to Soshowibc while Vladek is sent to war. Vladek describes his experience with trench warfare and how he accidently shot someone from his own side. This act is seen as treason and Vladek is taken as a prisoner of war.

After being sent to a work camp, Vladek agrees to volunteer as a laborer. He is sent to a camp where he able to feel a warm bed again and receives adequate meals.

When he completes his service, Vladek is told that he will be able to go home. Unfornately, this is a lie and he is sent elsewhere due to the boundaries of Poland. His knowledge of the German language saves him by disguising himself as a Polish soldier. He is eventually brought back home where he meets his parents, Anja and his two year-old son, Richieu.

Chapter 3 concludes with Vladek admitting to Art that he has thrown away his coat. Suddenly angry with this news, Art decides to leave before its time for curfew.

Synopsis of Chapters 4-6

Vladek continues his story about the events leading up to their prisonment.

Eventually they are taken in after a spy reports them to the German authorities. Luckily, Vladek and Anja are separated into a different line and their lives are spared. The same cannot be said of Vladek's father who goes after his daughter after they've been sent to the line meant to deportation. Vladek remarks that this is the last time he ever saw them.

In Chapter 5, Vladek finds out about a comic Art released titled "Prisoner of Hell" and becomes very depressed about it. Mala comments that she doesn't know how he found the comic and admits that she too was saddened by the details in the comic. "Prisoner of Hell" talked about the suicide of Anja and Art's manic depression before and after this happens.

After Art confronts Vladek about finding the comic, they decide to go to the bank when Vladek begins to have chest pains.

At the end of the chapter, Vladek breaks down about his distress and unpleasant relationship with Mala. He cries out for Anja and says that Mala is not the same. He despises Mala and her incessant need for money.

Discussion Questions 9-3-13

1. Raphael Lemkin was a polish lawyer who coined the word "genocide" in 1944. The significance of that date is that  I define genocide as a deliberate attack on a person or persons based on a distinctive trait such as religion, beliefs, political views or physical characteristics. Lemkin's definition focuses on mass killings of people in a nation that is planned and not directly meant to eradicate an entire nation. 

2. Although the term "holocaust" is usually related to the event where mass killings of Jews took place, it can still be applied to any type of event where a common group of people are punished for unpreventable circumstances. The holocaust stood for a time where unjustified crimes occurred without any type of interference from outside nations. The same term can be applied to events that occur today. The holocaust brought awareness to the cruelty of man towards itself. It also made citizens from every nation appreciate their quality of life in relation to others. This event also made it possible for other nations to create laws to intervene and send aid to other countries if it is needed. 

Notes on "First They Killed My Father"

First They Killed My Father provides an intimate view through the life of Loung Ung and her family as they are taken away from their homes and deal with the trials of genocide. Throughout the novel, Ung’s undergoes a transformation of being an innocent child to a young adult with a tough outer shell. Towards the end of the book, Ung is seen as someone possessing aggressive nature, apathetic to the suffering of others and desensitized to the images of war. Her journey is chronicled in this novel with such clarity that one feels as though they are suffering alongside Loung as she tries to survive.

It was easy to grasp the imagery in the book by its perspective of Loung as a child. Her voice is able to speak to viewers in a way that is likeable and understandable to readers who may not be familiar with the Cambodian genocide.

Common themes:

Stereotypes of race- depending on the physical characters of people, they are depicted as either being rich, poor or educated, among other things.

Propaganda of war- in every camp that Ung went to, there was some sort of propaganda being taught to the children. A person named Pol Pott is constantly referenced in the book as the person responsible for war, yet it is unclear if he actually exists or like many things is another creation of war.

Poor living conditions- food was always scarce, clean drinking water was nonexistent and many died from either starvation or dysentery. Loung’s sister, Keav died from dysentery.

Symbolism:

Red- Loung’s favorite dress was the color red. The color red is often associated with aggressive behavior or violence, which Loung later displays at the work camp.

The red dress- Loung mentions this dress numerous times throughout the book. Her attachment to the dress represents lost of childhood, lack of femininity in the war and love for her mother.