Friday, April 29, 2011

Reflection Questions: Holocaust Video, Chapter 2-3

1. Describe the areas the Orpah and Elie Wiesel visit in Chapter 2 & 3.

The places Oprah and Elie Wiesel visited were all in the concentration camps, but mostly the places where most of the killing was done. They went to the crematory, gas chambers, and the prison within the camp. They also went to the barracks and other areas where Elie Wiesel spent his last moments with his family. They also went to these museums and sighting places that held artifacts, like shoes and suitcases, from the Holocaust.

2. Why do Oprah and Elie Wiesel refer to the camp as a "death factory"? how was it "industrialized"?

They referred to the camp as a death factory because many people were murdered everyday. They were forced and tricked into gas chambers, crematories, and torturous death in the camps. Death was normal there. The gas chambers was a fast, quick, and easy way to kill more people at once. It became industrialized because it became routine for the SS to drop cans of zyklon b to produce more deaths.

3. What is the significance of the hundreds of labelled suitcases? of the baby clothes? of the shoes?

The labelled suitcases stands for all the different people who lost their lives. There were old suitcases, new ones, big and small. There were also suitcases for the babies. The families taken to the camps packed their most prized possesions, thinking they were going to move to another place and get all their belongings back. The significance of the baby clothes is to show all the innocent little human beings that were murdered and never even had the chance to live. No baby, no child stood a chance in surviving and were killed from the start. The shoes stand for all the different people that were murdered. It shows that the shoe owners were rich, poor, or even dancers. The shoes could have been used for special occasions. All of these people could have been nobel peace prize winners or even the next president. Those who were murdered, who never even had the chance, could have made a great impact in society.

4. How is this video different in video technique and style from most videos or movies that you are used to seeing? (think about your answers to question 2 on the previous reflection)? Do you think the difference in style was effective? Why or why not?

This video is different from other videos and movies because they show scenes and pictures from during the holocaust and also scenes after the holocaust. They also filmed and interviewed Elie Wiesel at the camps, where the Holocaust took place. It was effective, especially for Oprah and Elie Wiesel because of their emotions. Elie Wiesel had more vivid memories than ever visiting the camps. Actually seeing the place where it all happens makes you think about it more and makes it seem more real than just the pictures.

5. After watching the video and reading the book, what is your impression or response to this thing called the Holocaust? How did the experience of watching the video differ from that of reading the book for you?

My impression after watching the video and reading the book was that I was very sad for all those who were murdered. I was sad for all the families that were torn apart or fought each other for food. I was also angry. Angry at those who killed. Angry because no one did anything to help those who were suffering and dying. Watching the video was very different from reading the book however. In the book, it didn't seem real. At all. I just kept thinking that it wasn't possible for all of that to happen within a year. The book made it seem unreal, no matter how much times I told myself it was real. I could not picture it very well. The video just changed everything. It made me realized how bad everything was during the Holocaust. My thoughts and pictures in my mind about the people in the camps went from bad to terrible. The images and clips in the video were so real and gruesome I just kept thinking it can't be real...but it was, it is real. The video helped me realize all the evils that happened and that it was all real.

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