This chapter was both the most disturbing and the most beautiful to me of all the chapters in this memoir. The scenario itself was profoundly upsetting. The sick and dying have been abandoned, and there's human excrement everywhere polluting the snow, which is the only source of water they have left. People are dying and falling from their beds with little response from the people around them. It's filthy and lonely and deadly. And yet, there is still evident a shred of hope and humanity.
Levi has talked a lot about touching the electric barbed-wire fence or ceasing to think in order to preserve himself. And yet, he emerges as a leader when everyone else is too weak to take care of themselves. I feel like the cause of this is twofold. Firstly, Levi has proved himself to be very philosophical and resourceful. He ponders what manhood truly means and he feels so much resentment for his situation. He works hard at organization and becomes someone that is well-respected in the camp. (Side note: I was so happy to see how Alberto and Levi worked together to take care of themselves in the end. I believe that Levi's relationship to Alberto was one of the most important factors in his survival.) Secondly, I think the naivety and eagerness to survive of the two Frenchman in his hut was crucial to Levi deciding to survive, as well. As the memoir went on, he was growing more and more cynical. He scrutinized the newer arrivals, calling them foolish. But these two foolish Frenchman, who wanted more than anything to escape, reminded Levi that he was a man again.
We were hardwired for relationships. We cannot survive on our own, and this is what Levi has shown me more than anything.
I really wrestled for a while with that I learned from reading this. It hurts my heart so deeply to be reminded that we as human beings are capable of doing this to each other at such a large scale. The Holocaust happened in one of the most civilized nations in the world, and Germany still holds that title today. A European, civilized, educated society was the setting for the systematic slaughter of millions.
And yet, Levi survived. He was tortured and abandoned, but he survived. And he absolutely could not have done this on his own. He had Alberto, he had the Frenchmen, and he had Lorenzo, the Italian civilian worker who reminded him by simply existing that it was possible to still be a man.
Do not forget those who were killed senselessly. Read their stories and meditate on their humanity. Do not forget that the evil that was in the hearts of their killers is the same evil that we have in our hearts. The state of humanity has not changed. See the evil that exists in you, the evil that can drive people to genocide, and commit to love others instead. Meditate on your words before you speak. Pray about your actions before you proceed with them. Love others first. It is the only way to ensure that nothing this evil will happen again in countries like ours.
jamie & logan
Levi has talked a lot about touching the electric barbed-wire fence or ceasing to think in order to preserve himself. And yet, he emerges as a leader when everyone else is too weak to take care of themselves. I feel like the cause of this is twofold. Firstly, Levi has proved himself to be very philosophical and resourceful. He ponders what manhood truly means and he feels so much resentment for his situation. He works hard at organization and becomes someone that is well-respected in the camp. (Side note: I was so happy to see how Alberto and Levi worked together to take care of themselves in the end. I believe that Levi's relationship to Alberto was one of the most important factors in his survival.) Secondly, I think the naivety and eagerness to survive of the two Frenchman in his hut was crucial to Levi deciding to survive, as well. As the memoir went on, he was growing more and more cynical. He scrutinized the newer arrivals, calling them foolish. But these two foolish Frenchman, who wanted more than anything to escape, reminded Levi that he was a man again.
We were hardwired for relationships. We cannot survive on our own, and this is what Levi has shown me more than anything.
I really wrestled for a while with that I learned from reading this. It hurts my heart so deeply to be reminded that we as human beings are capable of doing this to each other at such a large scale. The Holocaust happened in one of the most civilized nations in the world, and Germany still holds that title today. A European, civilized, educated society was the setting for the systematic slaughter of millions.
And yet, Levi survived. He was tortured and abandoned, but he survived. And he absolutely could not have done this on his own. He had Alberto, he had the Frenchmen, and he had Lorenzo, the Italian civilian worker who reminded him by simply existing that it was possible to still be a man.
Do not forget those who were killed senselessly. Read their stories and meditate on their humanity. Do not forget that the evil that was in the hearts of their killers is the same evil that we have in our hearts. The state of humanity has not changed. See the evil that exists in you, the evil that can drive people to genocide, and commit to love others instead. Meditate on your words before you speak. Pray about your actions before you proceed with them. Love others first. It is the only way to ensure that nothing this evil will happen again in countries like ours.
jamie & logan
Comments
I think you are right when you say Levi's relationship to Alberto was one of his main reasons for survival, and when you say we are hardwired for relationships. We weren't ever meant to do this life alone. All of the torture and tragedy was to eliminate that, to turn them into beasts, animals without a pack.