Throughout the novel, we hear of people who are losing their connections with friends and relatives, even their fathers, because they are thinking only of themselves and their own survival. "No one paid any attention (to the men underfoot, trampled, crushed, dying)... Sons abandoned without a tear." How is it possible that these people could live with themselves and the hopelessness of this situation? How would you justify your actions if you had conducted yourself in this way? How would you have been able to absolve yourself of the guilt you would ultimately have felt?
Through the course of the book people begin to lose their relationship with friends and family. The reason behind this is because survival mode began to kick in and they started to only look after themselves. During the time, it must have seemed like the better decision for them. If they looked back in hindsight I think they would realize that having somebody with them would help them to get through the misery they lived in. If I were in the situation there’s a chance I would have also made the wrong decision because during the moment it seems like the right thing to do because all you are focused on is how to get out of the camp alive. The guilt of acting this way would ultimately hit after and to absolve it I would have to admit I made the mistake and realize that it has already been done and there isn’t anything left you can do to change it.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book relationships start to fade. People become so hopeless that they lose love for others just to survive and drop the weakness of emotion. Its hard to justify anything, having no sympathy for ones who have once loved is only justifiable by the horrible situation. After the camp, I personally would never be able to absolve myself from an experience like that.
ReplyDeleteIn a situation between life and death, you as a human find the instinct to survive. If someone were to die, you couldn't let that hold you back from surviving. When losing friends and family one after another in Auschwitz, i bet people went into shock and into survival mode that made their emotions not effect their survival and judgement after a while. If having people dying in front of me and i wouldn't care, I would be disappointed in myself but if I was surrounded by death I don't think I would be able to survive without keeping my head straight. You cant change something that is gone.
ReplyDeleteThe reason the prisoners are so carefree of any of the other prisoners is because they are so worried about their own survival everything else is a blur. People are so frightened and hopeless that they just try to ignore their surroundings and focus on their own survival. I would probably act the same way if I was in the prisoner’s situation and be scared to death. Elie said in the book nobody felt guilty for death it was just a normal thing so I think I would feel that I would handle it the exact same way.
ReplyDeleteThe reason that people were able to run over others and trample and kill them is because you must fight for yourself. You could never show any mercy while in a concentration camp. Also that the prisoners are only worried about themselves they couldn’t care if there was person under them if it meant survival
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t be able to do it. I would probably commit suicide. I would feel this terrible regret every day. Why live with that?
ReplyDelete63-84 In the Auschwitz camp people must have went insane because being separated from their families and went through torture. People might have given up on life and i know that I might go through major depression. I don't think I could have fixed myself up because I would sleep with nightmares every night and the thought of the concentration camp would have horrified me.
ReplyDelete16. I feel like when you were out into this situation you were forced to think and feel a certain way, not forcefully but undoubtedly, because in the book when Elie undoubtedly blames his father for being attacked he catches himself and and says that the camp made you think a certain way which is why I think some people stopped caring about anyone but themselves and just thought about surviving. And me personally I don't think I would be able to survive in any of these conditions I wouldn't be able to handle it.
ReplyDeleteThe reason why they started to ditch there family and friends was because the inner side of them comes out and this side is the want and need for survival. They would willingly sacrifice there friends and family just for another day to live. this was demonstrated in many parts of the book, for an example when they were on the train and the son killed his fathers for a piece of bread. There need to eat and survive was so massive it over took the need for family.
ReplyDeleteThe reason people could act the way that they did was they were forced into servile mood. They tried to do anything they could to make it out alive. They figured the more people they kept close the smaller chance they would have to live another day. So they would make a choice ether to die and stay a good friend to the people close to them or they could ditch them in hopes to live another day.
ReplyDeletePeople in this camp lost their minds because they saw a lot of cruel things here, they don't want to die, they pray they ask the god, but they still licve in this kind of situation.If is mine,I will feel no one can save me,no one want to sacrifice themselves, I don't need too, if I want to alive, I have to be like this selfishness, cold and cruel.It's not my fault, this world cause me like this.
ReplyDeleteMost if not all people were having idea's of every man for himself. When your life is in danger the only thing on your mind is your own personally safety. If i were in this situation, I would probably justify my actions by thinking that if they were gonna die anyways it was only a matter of time.
ReplyDeletepeople ditched there family and friends because they thought they could do better on there own and all the things they saw with people dying they were trying to avoid it.
ReplyDeleteBeing with people you loved in the camp was very difficult. No matter how much you loved them, eventually they became a burden. You had to worry about yourself surviving, and also live in fear of them dying and being alone. If they relied on you like Elie's dad did on him, then you would have to make sure they stayed alive, which would be extremely stressful.
ReplyDeletepeople began to lose their ties with their family and i guess, being in the camp made them lose their own soul too. They started to think about them self because they have nothing to save and had nothing to lose when they had already lose everything. For then food was everything and for that they could even sell their own father .
ReplyDelete9. Through the novel we can see that relationships between friends and relatives changed over a time in the concentration camp. Prisoners left other people to die on the ground, took their food and even one boy hide from his old father because he did not want to look after him. I think I understand them and their actions. Camp changed all people. In that situation everyone carried only about their lives. Of course that is wrong. More people could be still alive if they had received help from others. However prisoners could not do that because they were in the same situation. They also did not have food, strength and the main hope. I would feel guilty if I did not help other people in that situation, because I could do that even if not with food but with words. To make my feelings better I will probably try to help this person’s family and friends with their needs.
ReplyDeleteHow could you be in that situation? You do what you have to do to survive, even to turn on friends and family. You have think for yourself and not for others. Also the moment you show weakness in yourself because of others you have lost the battle.
ReplyDeleteThey couldnt they new they would die. i think that it was like a stampede if the person in the back started running then so would other people and then there would eventually be a stampede of people worried about getting trampled while trampling all in their path.
ReplyDeleteThey can probably live with it because they thought of nothing more than surviving so it was more instinct than anything because they did stuff without really thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason they could live with themselves is because they were treated like animals and that's what they became, so they didn't care one way or another.The only way that they could justify themselves is by thinking that if they were in the same situation as one person was that other person would have done the same thing it was all just a matter of survival and whoever one survived.You couldn't really absolve yourself of any guilt you always try to make up excuses for why you did that but it would never get rid of your guilt.
ReplyDeleteI like to believe they use to care yet now they have become so unglued to everyone that they only truly care about themselves. they could only justify themselves by survival of the fittest. there is nothing they could have done to save them without killing themselves in the process
ReplyDeletePeople started losing their relationship with their friends and family because they didn’t have the energy to think about other people. They were trying just trying to survive. The prisoners in the concentration camps didn’t have energy to care if they guy next to them was about to die. If I were in that situation I would have felt guilty for not helping out the other people.
ReplyDeleteFamilies began to separate because they were so weak and so frail they didn't have the energy to care or to talk to their family, most families were separated the minute they walked in to the camp, and when they trampled those people, if they stopped they themselves were going to die, if sons were abandoned its only because the father or mother was only trying to survive and it was without a tear because everyone knew that they had to worry about themselves other wise they were going to die. Elie and his father drifted apart because they more they became aware of what was going on the more they realized that they had to worry about oneself and not anyone else
ReplyDeleteThroughout this novel, people cut connections with people who would hold them down when they were too much of a burden. People could tend to live like this because they could only think about themselves. They only thought about how they could survive this situation instead of how can I survive and help other people. If I left behind my relatives, I wouldn’t be able to move on. My family has helped me through thick and thin, but in a situation like this, if I abandoned them I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. To repent for what I did, I would help the weak and try to save as many people as possible.
ReplyDeleteeveryone had to sacrifice everything to stay alive even loosing their own family. all they wanted was to live and be free. as soon as people started to arrive at the camps, families were automatically seperated, if i was in this situation i would try to stay with my mother because i wouldnt know what else to do. but if i decided to go off on myself and try to survive by doing anything to live i would have been guilty for not helping people and just thinking of my own survival. yet i understand if you just focus on yourself. in the concentration camp everyone is pretty much all alone and can only rely on themselves.
ReplyDeletePeople cut connections with friends, family, etc. because they maybe felt that they were being held down and that they were too much of a burden. People ended up living like this because they had to think about themselves and on how they can try to stay alive, other than worry about other people and how to keep them alive.
ReplyDeleteWhen put in a situation like that of the prisoners at Auschwitz, it can be impossible to care about anything other than one’s ration on food. I think in a way, the prisoners detached themselves from the suffering of others. They refused to let themselves care, because if they let themselves care about the pain of the individual, they allowed themselves to care about the anguish of all the millions being slaughtered each and every day all around them.
ReplyDeleteFamilies were separated the moment they arrived at Auschwitz. The men were separated from the women. People had probably cut connections from friends and family because they had already lost part of their family and friends when they arrived and during selection. would not be able to cut off my connections for my own survival but if I was the only one left then of course I would do anything I could to stay alive. But I understand that some people wanted to survive and worrying about your friends and family would only distract you and keep you down. Just as Elie stayed with his father, if he were to cut off his ties of friends and family then he would had probably stayed alive in better conditions because he constantly worried for his father and when he tried to do stand up for himself, he had to back down because the officer threatened his father. I t is understandable to want to stay alive and the easiest way to do so is only worrying about yourself and nobody else.But I would not be able to do that because my friends and family are the only reason why I would want to survive.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s a selfish situation, but it’s the right thing to do. If your life is in danger, just like everyone else’s, everyone is going to focus on themselves. Desperate times call for desperate measures. If I was in the situation, I would fend for myself but protect others. If I were to put someone else’s life in danger for mine, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. I would feel very guilty.
ReplyDeleteI think that the people were forced to make these tough decisions, I think at that point and time that everyone would be thinking of themselves and would be doing whats best for themselves over others. If this was happening to me I would probably choose to help myself before anyone else. At the same time I would never want to harm someone else while helping myself because I would feel very bad for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteEveryone just begin to stopped focusing on their friends and family and everybody knew it was coming because not a lot of people made it alive with their family like for an example Elie and his family did not make it besides himself. but a lot of people regret leaving their families because it was either you live or risk your life for a love one but if i was in this i would have risked my life for a loved one.
ReplyDeleteWhen they arrive family got separated and they will never meet again friends lost connection to their other friends but it became so hopeless that the thought of love barely went through their mind. I would still have the memories we had and forgive all the things i did wrong to them and i would push myself to survive for them and make them feel proud that if i was in this situation to tell everyone about this terrible thing. Like i said when i was a kid we all die whether we like it or not we have to learn to accept it even it take you a long time you can't live if every time someone dies.
ReplyDeletei think everyone was thinking more about themselves then others. i wouldve put my life first before anyone else, but i wouldnt hurt anyone while in the process of saving myself.
ReplyDeleteI think that people acted this way since they were already stripped of everything that was theirs, such as family and personal belongings. They lost all connections of the outside world, and no one in the camp was there for them, so why should they care for anyone but themselves.I think after the camp, if i made it out, I would feel guilty for thinking that. But in the camp, I dont think that anyone could blame me for feeling that way. I dont think anyone wants to be be killed in a concentration camp, I'd do anything to stay alive.
ReplyDeleteBeing selfish and putting yourself before others maybe a horrible thing to do at a time like this but also the right thing to do. Relationships in the novels began to fade away and not care for each other. I personally would have put my own life before anyone else but i wouldn't want to hurt or kill anyone for saving my own self.
ReplyDeleteI think these people lost the part of their humanity to care for others because Auschwitz terrorized and struck fear into the prisoners only allowing them to care for themselves. Because they lost that part of their humanity they were able to live on and only care for themselves. If I was in their situation I would do everything in my power avenge my family because they cared for me and helped me ever since I was a baby. I would absolve myself by helping others and trying to survive.
ReplyDeleteSome had to think of it like that. If they stayed down on the fact that people were dyeing all around them they would not be focused on their own survival. They could justify that because they were in a situation that is unthinkable. No one would know how to think unless they were in that situation themselves. The guilt could be absolved because they had to focus on their survival not of the other around them. That’s how probably 98% of everyone felt in the camp themselves.
ReplyDeletePeople were not looking out for other peoples survival they were only looking out for their own. If someone was trampled underfoot what does it matter the person who trampled them got out save. They justified that by surviving throughout Auschwitz. I could personally not live with myself if I did that to a person. It is terrible that people can do that and just go on with life like nothing happened.
ReplyDeleteThe Jews were not thinking about anybody else except for them selfs. They were being selfish to survive cause that’s the only way they knew how to survive. They could live with it, but still have guilt.
ReplyDeletethe reason that some of these people did not feel any guilt for trampling these people is because you must fight for your self and not let anybody get close to you except family. the only people that they probably worried for would probably be there family.
ReplyDeleteAs time goes on in Auschwitz I think prisoners become "rocks", with no emotion or feelings for other people, and in a place like Auschwitz, thinking about others will likely get you killed in the end. Humans naturally a lot of the time when put near death, only think about themselves.
ReplyDeleteIn auschwits the prisoners were beaten , scared, and starved it brought people back to there basic instincts, to survive in the prisons groups would not help so people abounded them it was a race for survival. I would probably not be able to remove the guilt of leaving my family i would feel guilty but i count resolve myself.
ReplyDeleteDuring world war two the Nazis became very good at controlling the prisoners with fear, for instance in the begging of the book Elie and his father thought they were going to get incinerated in the crematorium, and even though they weren't this caused them to accept death and lose almost all hope in a matter of minutes, my point being that the system was designed to make you lose feeling for others and became rabid animals.
ReplyDeleteThe absolute brutality of the camps was incredible. If I was in these camps, I probably would not even notice those left behind, I would be so occupied with what was happening to myself. In the end, I would not be able to justify any of my actions. I would probably die of guilt.
ReplyDeleteIf it was me in those camps, I would care I would help people, but after awhile I don't think I will. Based on the facts on how people were treated, how life was for them at that time, and how peoples personalities started changing. Either because they were depressed or scared. They knew anything would happen to them if they make the wrong move.
ReplyDeleteI think the people who had lost there family just adapted to all of the people who were dying because a lot of people where dying every day and it just became a regular thing after a while and they had no emotions left in them because it was all about survival. If i had lost a family member i would be crushed just because i grew up with that person and they knew everything about me and i knew everything about them but i would know that sooner or later i would have to move on and stay alive because i know that the people that i cared about would want me to live. I would absolve myself by helping my other love ones that are still alive because that's all that i would want is to have my love ones alive and myself alive to see the day that i get my freedom.
ReplyDeletePeople in Auschwitz probably did feel terrible about what they did to others but with the situation they were in it was kind of just “every man for themselves!” If i had acted in this manner under their circumstances I would not really feel the need to justify my actions,every one did what they needed to do just to get along
ReplyDeleteI think it is reasonable for people to lose their connections with friends and relatives because they are thinking only of themselves and their own survival. If I were they, I would do the same think and I would want to survive to get out of the camp. I need to survive for my family. I personally would regret for what I had done and I would never able to absolve myself of the guilt I would ultimately have felt.
ReplyDeleteThis book had really described some of the pains people had to go through. Vivid and treacherous experiences that will change people's perspective of the world. The longer they stayed in Auschwitz, the more they realized: if they wanted to live they had to forget about any family they had and survive on their own. Which could have meant to completely ignore and isolate themselves from their friends and family, or even steal and perhaps kill them. Those people lived with themselves after those traumatic experiences because the number one instinct of every living thing is to survive. If I were to do that, I probably would keep shutting out the memory until I would be out of Auschwitz. Then, I will be flooded with guilt and misery.
ReplyDeletethey dont care anymore because the think by any way one of them will not survive so they dont pay attention, i would say i would do the same thing because there is no point of caring anymore it is just a weakness if u sit down and think about someone and worry about them, i would be really miserable because i cant do nothing about it.
ReplyDeletethey don't care cause they think they aren't going to survive anyway so they don't really pay attention to what is happening and i would say i would do something along the same thing cause there is no point of caring cause your soo weak and tired and just want to give up and don nothing.
ReplyDeletethey don't care all they want to do is survive so they don't care about others they would probably kill to live another day maybe even another few hours
ReplyDeleteI don't think anybody cared about What was happening to their relatives Because they had become so numb to the pain they were probably more focused on getting something to eat then what had happened to their relatives.
ReplyDeletethrough out the experience at the camp people became de sensitized to others and emotions. the people who survived the longest couldn't have cared less about hose around them, because they would make a friend or find a family member and like everyone else they would fade away whether it be to murder or transferring to a new group. I don't think any one could live with themselves after an event of this magnitude, because once they come back there like a shell of who they had been before.
ReplyDelete