Chattahoochee River
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Chapter 2 - fire
To me, the fire and cattle car in this chapter were used as symbols to represent the realization of the grave danger that these families are in. Due to be crammed in the cattle car, they have no where to run from the threat of the "fire" that Mrs. Schächter continues to scream about, and because of this they have to "open their eyes" to what they had refused to believe in the first chapter. I think that's why Wiesel feels the need to put such a short chapter in the book that doesn't mention anything of his family, because he wants to show the moment that all of the people he had known all his life realized that they were about to enter the hell that lies inside of Auschwitz.
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Wow, Kayla I definitely think your interpretation of the fire was profound. I agree, that this chapter marked a significant transitional stage for the Jews, especially Elie because they're finally starting to realize the astounding gravity of their situation.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned how Elie omitted discussion about his family in this chapter. Though I didn't recognize that myself while reading, I have a theory. I think that as Elie began realizing how truly terrible his situation was, it became literally impossible to think about what would happen to the ones he loved the most. Putting myself in his own shoes, I think I'd behave very similarly because I think it's harder to watch the people you care so dearly about endure such suffering than it is to go through it yourself. Not to say that enduring it yourself is somehow less painful, but rather, when you go through it yourself, you feel the physical pain, but when it's someone else that you love, you really feel that stabbing at the heart and and unlinke physical pain, it can never truly go away.