QUOTE ANALYSIS

Task 2

We were given the task to analyse 3 different fragments from chapter 3 and to use the PEE style wich I found is the best to explain an idea. Instead of choosing quotes to resume the chapter, I choose quotes that in my opinion give away the context and how jewish people suffer in those times and how was the general situation.

1.  We can see that in those times as we all know Jewish were  abused and they were private of many basic things for daily life, wich was a very terrible situation since they need to pay much more and recieve much less for basic things such as food, we can see all thee things jewsih were privated by that time looking at the following quote:"...I once asked him what he found so great about smoking so much, to which he gave the curt reply, 'It's cheaper than food'. I was slightly taken aback, since such a reason would never ave occurred to me." (Page 42) In this powerful quote we can see how this character called "the smoker" get addicted to cigarettes since he can obtain them easier than food, wich is a very  sadand deplorable situation in my opinion. It is important to note that this situation ocurred early in the chapter and when George have already being taken away from the bus by the policeman and joined with the group of boys.

Other thing that is important to note in this chapter is that not everyone under the Nazi Regime was a bad person, but instead was surpassed by the situation and have no other choice but to follow orders from the top and the real Nazis. This persons weren`t criminals as they couldn`t do nothing agains there superiors. What is said before can be explained by the following quote:""The policeman was not in the least put out by the question. But then again he replied it was not up to him to decide. As became clear, he really knew little more than we did: he referred to further orders that would replace the older ones..." (Page 43) This quote is stay by George after he realized that the policeman really didn`t know what to do with all that group as he was just told to took them and wait for what he call " further orders" wich of course make it clear that he was sor of an innocent person and actually in my opinion didn`t even know what the fates of the Jewish he joined was and he could not do much about it.

 Finally,  I want to state that Jewish were really abused and denigrated to inhuman levels wich although was a very untolerable and sad situation, no one could do much as the Nazis were in total control and the Jewish did not have voice and vote, since if they try to raise they would just be executed. Basicly im trying to say that Nazism was a very racist and close minded ideology and those who believe in it literally transform into animals.“… he turn toward the gendarmes, ordering them , in a bellow that filled the entire square, to take ”the whole Jewish rabble” off the place that, in his view, they actually belonged-the, stables, that is to say-and lock them in for the night.”(Page 57)

This quote is taken after a big Jewish group, among them George, is taken to what I feel from the story was like a grey maze, and were we can look at this officer who really believe in Nazi ideology,  have some degree of auhtority and this mixed make him despreciate Jewish to the point of refering to them as "rubbish"  showing his racism and how the Jewish were being denigrated as he says that "they actually belonged the stables."

Exploring jewish life

In order to understand better the ideas, setting and context of "Fatelessness" we need to understand better how do Jewish life and traditions are. To understand it better I realize the following tasks:

Task 1: Explain the seven pilars to Judaism

Tefillin:These are small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment from the Torah which are wore by observant Jews during weekdays morning prayers. It consist in a black leather strip which goes around the body of the person (specially arms and neck) and a little box which is placed in the forehead.:

Mezuzah:A mezuzah mounted on the doorpost designates the home as Jewish, reminding us of our connection to God and to our heritage.A mezuzah is not, contrary to popular belief, the outer container. The mezuzah is actually the parchment scroll within, on which the "Shema" -- a biblical passage declaring the oneness of God -- is handwritten by an expert scribe.The mezuzah is also a symbol of God's watchful care over the home.

(http://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/278476/jewish/Mezuzah.htm)

Shofar:The shofar (שופר‎) is a Jewish instrument most often made from a ram’s horn, though it can also be made from the horn of a sheep or goat. It makes a trumpet-like sound and is traditionally blown on Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year. There are many symbolic meanings associated with the shofar and one of the best known has to do with the Akedah, when God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.(http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/whatisashofar.htm)






 Hanukkah: also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah)









Kosher: Kosher food is food that meets Jewish dietary laws, or kashrut, which comes from the Hebrew word for "fit" or "proper." Any food can be called kosher food if it adheres to Jewish law, orhalacha. Conversely, foods labeled as "Jewish" aren't necessarily kosher. Kreplach, cholent,kugel, latke, and kishka are all traditionally Jewish foods, but if they are not prepared in accordance with kashrut, they will not be kosher food.

Tzedakah: Tzedaka is a Hebrew word literally meaning righteousness but commonly used to signify charity. It is based on the Hebrew word Tzedek meaning righteousness, fairness or justice, and it is related to the Hebrew word Tzadik meaning righteous as an adjective (or righteous individual as a noun in the form of a substantive). In Judaism, tzedakah refers to the religious obligation to do what is right and just, which Judaism emphasises are important parts of living a spiritual life.

 Sabbath:Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish weekand the Jewish day of rest. On Shabbat, Jews recall the Genesis creation narrative in which God creates the Heavens and the Earth in six days and rests on the seventh. Shabbat observance also entails refraining from a range of activities prohibited on Shabbat, such as lighting a fire and cooking.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat)

General Knowledege

Last week a very a important competition took place for the Interhouses anual competition, Im talking about the General Knowledege activity.

It consisted in one student of each year  from 5th grade to year 12th, but as year 9 students are in the northern trip two students from year 10 were call to defend their respective house as the competition was make in pairs. I have the opportunity to participate in the activity representing my house, Somerscales, along with my classmate Rafael Labra.

There were many topics you could choose and many questions with different degrees of difficulty for each topic, basicly the harder the question, the more points were involved.

You could choose from many topics, ranging from music and art to science and spanish.

It was a tough competition but at last, Somerscales finish in second place, beating Robertson and Sutherland while beat only by Mackay house. In my opinion it was a very interesting and entertainig competition and a great opportunity to test you knowledege, not forgiving that we earn really valuable points for our house.

Fatelessness

Chapter 1 Questions

1.  What characters are introduced in this chapter?

In this chapter many characters are introduced like the protagonist George Koves, his father, mother and stepmother. From the family we can also consider his grandparents and many uncles (specially Uncle Lajos). We are also introduced to  Annamarie, the baker and specially Mr. Suto.

2. Choose two characters and select a quote to describe them physically or psychologically.

Uncle Fleischmann: "was utterly unnoticeable beside him [Uncle Steiner], being a diminutive man of immaculate appeareance, with white hair, ashen skin, owlish spectacles, and a perpetual slightly worried air on his face" (Page 23).

Mr Sütó: "Yellowish red light-spots were dancing like busting pustules all over his round, brownish-skinned features with the pencil mustache and the tiny gap between his two broad, white front teeth" (Page 6)

3. What is the narrative technique? 

Point of View: 1st person narrator. ("I didn't go to school today", P.3)

Narration: Indirect 

Speech: Reported

Tense: Past tense

4. Describe the setting of this chapter

The setting of this chapter is Budapest, Hungary during WWII so all jewish including George need to wear a yellow star. More specifically, we can say that the setting of the chapter is the neibourghood and George`s father house during the day before the father went to the labour camp.

Interview to Imre Kertesz

We saw a relly interesting interview to Imre Kertesz wich can be seen in the following video:

From this video interview, we were proposed by the teacher to answer some questions about the interview and Imre Kertesz, wich are the following:

1) Before the interview, the presenter visits a monument to the Holocaust created by the American artist Peter Eiserman. Considering the shapes, architecture and general design, in what ways do you think he represents the reality in the concentration camps?

It represent the luck of freedom from the prisoners and how small and vulnerable they were. The stone blocks represent the german opression.

2) Which is the paradox the presenter mentions regarding Imre Kertész and the place where he lives?

The paradox is that Germany is the only place were he actually feel free, although it`s the same country that try to kill him.

3) Refer to antisemitism before and after Auschwitz according to Kertész.

Antisemites before Auschwitz didn't know how could it be to torture and slay millions of Jews. But the antisemites of the present want it again, that`s why it`s one of the worst things that coulf happen.

4) In what way do reminders of the past in historical books make us "much richer"?

Because we recieve different perspectives about an event so we can create our own vision of the historical event. Also we know that one who doesn`t learn from history is condemned to relive it`s mistakes again.5) Which metaphor does Imre use to exemplify the effect of FATELESSNESS on its readers?

If we don't know and give importance to learn about the horrors of the Holocaust, it will be like a box in your soul, that eventually wil open and come free to start commiting those atrocities again.

 Fatelessness review

We were given a review about the novel "fatelessness" from the jewish, Hungarian author Imre Kertez, from wich we answersome questions wich are the following:

1. Which perspective (positive or negative) does the author of the review have towards FATELESSNESS? Provide evidence.

He have a positive perception of the book, beacuse although he states is dreadful, it sticks to reality so basiclythe novel succeed in making one feel how terrible the Holocaust was and it tries to make the reader stand in the character shoes.

2. According to the review, in which ways does FATELESSNESS make readers empathize with the main character of the story?

Readers empathize with the character beacuse the novel make you look and put you on that situation, making you think what would have you done in that case.

3. In the second paragraph of this review, we are presented the plot of the story. Is this enough information to engage you as a reader? Does it provide an effective invitation to read "FATELESSNESS"? Justify

I think it`s not enough information to engage the same as if you read the book, but it`s sufficient to interest a reader and make him/she feel interest in reading the novel, therefor giving it a try.

Link of the review: http://www.articlesbase.com/fiction-articles/fatelessness-by-imre-kertesz-368551.html#.UHC_wn31v8U.blogger

Picture analysis

During the next few weeks I will be reading the novel "Fatelessness" from the author Imre Kertez. The book story is based on the holocaust during WWII so i think that in order to understand better this context  analysing the next image will be vey helpful.

1) What do you see in the picture?

 You can see a the hand of a man pointing towards the sky but in the middle of the way there is a barbed wire fene. There is no formal activity going on, but probably he wants to get past the fence.

2) make three inferences based on what you have observed.

a) Germans were taking freedom away from people
b) There were there in and by very unfair conditions
c) They were desperate to get out of there

3) What questions does this image raise in your mind?

- How can people be so cruel?
-What right do they have to send people in there?
-Can you really take away someone`s freedom?

4) Describe the mood of the image.

 For me the image represent desperation and the gradual and constant loose of hope from being free again by all these concentration camp prisoners.

5) what information do you already know about the  Holocaust?

I know that Hitler believes  in a superior race and that for him Jewish and slavs should be exterminated, so when he conquers eastern europe  he start taken prisoners, sending them to concentration camps, from wich they never return back...