I believe that Gerda changed a lot from the beginning of the book until page 134. In the beginning Gerda was very nice and quiet , but as the story became more in depth with what was going on with The Holocaust her attitude changed a lot. I could tell her attitude was changing when she went into The Commander and was not nervous or show her nervousness to him, and she actually got what she wanted. During the story i felt bad for Abek because Gerda did not love him and he continued to tell her how she felt. I believe deep down he knew that she did not really love him, but he felt if he contintued to help her that she would soon just marry and then fall in love with her. Even though Gerda was not in love with Abek, I was very shocked that Gerda declined her invitation to stay with Abek's family. I understood that she did not want to lead him on because she did not love him, but she was putting her life in risk because she could have possibly went to Auschwitz. In the end it was best that she did not go and stay with them because his family was transported to a concentration camp. Gerda was very lucky for going to the concentration camps that she went to. Many of Gerda's friends were not as lucky as her to be able to go to a concentration camp like she went to. Many of them were killed instantly, or sent to Auschwitz. To me Erika was the most influential person in the story. She was having such hard times, and her letter on pages 68-70 was very emotional, and actually makes you think about things. On page 69 she said "they had to dig their grave and stand on the rim until a hail of bullets killed them." That would be very terrifying to know what you were going to die , and that you also had to dig your own grave. Also on page 70 Erika wrote "Many were recognized. We found my mother. She was all bloody. We did not find my little brother. i found Henek, the one i love more than life, who was to be my husband. i kissed his dead face." I would not be able to handle seeing my family like that, and knowing the story behind it. When Gerda said "she never hard from Gerda again," i automatically assumed that she had killed herself because of her terrifying letter.