Annexed - Blog #3

I just started reading Annexed, a novel written by Sharon Dogar about the boy who loved Anne Frank. This boy's name is Peter Van Pels.

In the beginning of the book, Peter is very against going into hiding with the Franks. He has a girlfriend, named Liese. She, along with the rest of her family, are transported out of their home in the first chapter of the story. Peter is crushed by his immense loss. The same day that Liese is forced out of her home, Peter's family and the Franks move into hiding in the Annex. Peter doesn't stop thinking about Liese. He even has a wet dream about her, while in his cramped room in the Annex. Luckily, Mutti realizes what happened and is able to replace his sheets with new ones. Mutti is Peter's mother. It is very clear that Mutti has a great bond with Peter; she loves him with all of her heart. In addition to Mutti, Peter also has a father, Papi. They are living with the Franks. The Franks are made up of Mr. Frank, Mrs. Frank, Margot and Anne. Dogar quickly foreshadows Anne's importance in the story, because Peter quickly states that he hates her. Everything she does makes him angry. He describes her as loud and pompous. It is clear that over the course of Peter's time with Anne, Peter's feelings of hatred will transform into feelings of love.

The Annex is somewhere in Holland, a country taken over by the Nazis. The beginning of the book takes place in July of 1942. This is towards the end of the Holocaust, when talk of the war has already started. There are many major problems, with the largest problem being the mass-murdering and Anti-Semitism in Holland. Another problem is Peter's longing for Liese, and his hatred for Anne.

I am very excited to find out how Peter's feelings towards Anne change over the course of the story, and I look forward to reading farther into the book.

Milkweed Blog Post #1

I just started reading the book Milkweed, by Jerry Spinelli. Milkweed is a book about a boy who is living in the city of Warsaw. He may be living in the Ghetto. He doesn't recall having parents, brothers or sisters, or any other kind of family. He doesn't even know his name. He thinks his name is Stopthief, just because so many people have said that to him; He steals food as well as other items for a living.

In the beginning of the book, he is with his new friend, Uri. He is meeting Uri for the first time. Uri is a Jewish orphan that lives with many other Jewish orphans on the streets of the Warsaw Ghetto. The year is 1939. The main character, wants to be a Nazi. He admires the Nazis, with their wonderful jackboots and their hats with gleaming eagles. He is a Gypsy.

Everyday, He sees Nazi Soldiers doing something wrong to Jews. He doesn't understand what is actually going on, so he assumes it is just a harmless game or something. I have a pretty good sense of identifying anti-semitism and deciding if the book takes place during the Holocaust, being that I've previously learned about the Holocaust. This Boy has absolutely no clue what is going on. To me, it's obvious that anti-semitism is occurring in the story. The Jackboots have been saying bad things about Jews. The Nazis haven't taken these kids in the Warsaw Ghetto to concentration camps yet; they are still free to roam around inside the Ghetto barriers.

Something bad is about to happen. I haven't seen what yet, but I'm pretty sure he's going to be taken to a concentration camp. I can't really identify an actual problem in the story. The Boy is happy. However, I know something terrible is about to happen. Spinelli has done an excellent job keeping this story exciting. I can't wait until I can read more and figure out what the problem is.

Night

Today, I read a passage from Night, a memoir from Ellie Wiesel's Holocaust experience. Earlier in my life, I visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where there was an exhibit dedicated to Ellie Wiesel. He is a Jewish Nobel Peace Prize winner.

I feel that this passage mainly focuses on a woman that Wiesel knew, Mrs. Schächter. She had been separated from her husband and two of her sons by mistake. She was now with her 10-year-old son. Wiesel states that, "The separation had totally shattered her." Eventually, it becomes obvious that she has gone mad. She starts, screaming, "Look! Look at this fire! This terrible fire!! Have mercy on me!" There wasn't any fire, and it's clear that she is completely unaware of her surroundings. I have started to think that this is an average end to someone's life in the Holocaust. This seems like a horrible way to die. I feel terrible for her son, and this is a disturbing thing to have happen to a fragile, naïve child. This makes me wonder; how often did this type of thing happen? When did this woman die? What did she die from? These questions will almost definitely go unanswered. There were a few soldiers traveling with the prisoners. How could they see these things happening, and still deem it right to live the life of a Nazi?

This is a very sad passage. I am somewhat disturbed by it, but I am mostly saddened. I hope to read Wiesel's memoir some day. I am trying to prepare myself for the upcoming unit in school. It seems like it's going to be difficult for me to read about these wretched deeds.