As i read the second half of All But My Life, i began to admire Gerda more and more. She had been so audacious throughout the war, despite all of her sorrow ans suffering. She had never given up on hope that she would one day be liberated and begin a new life when the war had ended. Almost everyone of her close friends had lost hope in one day being free, but Gerda remained anticipative of that day. Times were getting harder for Gerda and Ilse, and their rations were becoming smaller until they received none at all. This is when Gerda decided to try and escape, but lucklily Ilse feared the idea and it was her fear that kept them from dying on that day. As the book went on, all of Gerda's friend were becoming sick and began to die off one by one, until she had no friends left. The day Gerda met Suse they made a bet on how long the war would last, Suse of course one and said that they would probably die before their liberation had come anyway, and Suse ended up dying on their liberation day. It was also ironic how Gerda's friend Tusia had awaked Gerda from her sleep to remind her of when Gerda promised that they would be free on their birthday. Tusia had been angry with Gerda for not speaking to her while in the camp but forgave her. Even though Gerda's prediction of being liberated on their birthday came true, Tusia did not live to see it, she died the day before.