Post #1

One part of this book that I find ironic occurs at the very begining of the novel. Very early in the novel, Gerda's mother gets a telegram from her brother urging her to evacuate Poland because, "Poland's last hour has come." She discards this piece of information as rubbish and insists that Papa's health is more important. Although we will never know, this early warning, had it been not discounted and the Weissman's moved out of the country, their lives could have possibley been saved. Because they decided to stay, all members of the family, save Gerda, were killed. It could be said that it was Papa's health that killed him in the end. One thing I dislike about this book, as well as most of the other books we have read this year, is that it get progressively sadder as the story continues. Gradually things get worse, as soon as any glimmer of hope enters the story, it is instantly shrouded in the darkness of hate and despair brought by the Nazis. One of the most disturbing depictions from the section of the story comes from a letter from a close friend of Gerda's that states that her boyfriend, brother, and mother were forced to lie on the ground to be trampled by Nazis on horseback. This is a very gruesome first hand account of the attrocities that the Nazis committed not for the cause of war, but for their own sick amusement. It bewilders be how a human is possible of such a thing.