Sunday, February 27, 2011
Night - Part One
In the first reading we find out a lot about Eliezer, his family and the town of Sighet where he comes from. One of the most interesting characters in this part is Martha, the Gentile ex-servant of Eliezer's family, who offers to hide the family at the risk of her own life. If you were in this situation would you be able to show as much kindness and courage as Martha did? Why or why not? How does the fact that Martha was the family's servant make this situation even more incredible?
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If I were in the same situation as Martha I don't think I would be able to do the same thing as what she did. Offering her life to save others is incredible and she knew that it was at the risk of her life. I would not have the ability or courage to give my life like she offered to do. The fact that Martha was their servant makes her efforts even more courageous. It give us a percpective of how other people felt about what was happening to the Jewish people and what they were willing to do.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in this situation, I do not think I could be that kind. I would honestly be thinking of myself. She was risking her life and I do not think I could do that. Also she was their servent and they basically owned her and she still did this made it way more unbelievable and generous. It shows how much everybody cared about each other in the community.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in a situation similar to martha, I don't think that I would be able to do what she did. What she did risked her own life to help other people in need. Although I would want to help, I dont think I could be that courageous and step up to put my life on the line. Martha being their servant makes it even more incredible because the fact that she works for them and would still risk her life shows how brave she is and what she was willing to do to help others during a crisis.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in Martha's situation, I do not think I would have been able to offer my help to hide Eliezar and his family at my own risk. Knowing the horrors that await at the concentration camp, I would not have found enough courage to risk my life in order to prevent the fate I feared from being thrust upon a family I knew. Martha's offer shows that people did not wish the concentration camps to any one in the community and how the Jewish community felt about one another. Because Martha was Eliezar's family's servant, the offer appeared more generous because she probably had bad experiences with the family, disliked them is some ways, and had less property and money.
ReplyDeleteWell, had I been in Martha's position, I would not have saved the family. Not because of cowardice, no, but because it would be pointless. What chance would a simple servant have against the SS? One woman couldn't help. Perhaps if she had the help of others, the matter would be altogether different. If she truly wanted to make difference, she would have to form an organized resistance similar to the one that would appear in France. As for whether or not being a servant could influence her decision, I believe that it was what made her want to sacrifice herself. Because she was their servant for several years, she knew the family on a personal level that few other people did. Just because you are a person's servant, doesn't mean that you dislike them. In fact, it may cause you to form a strong bond with the family which probably caused Martha's offer.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that nobody would have offered to help Eliezer's family. It is true that it would take a lot of courage to do this, and it would be at great risk to yourself. Remember Syce, that many people did hide Jewish families and it saved their lives. Especially in places like Romania where Nazi soldiers would have to make special trips to check for Jews, it was easier to hide them. Great comments, keep up the good work.
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ReplyDeleteIf I were in Martha's postition I don't think I could help the family. Although I would want to help them, I would probably think of my own family and the danger it could cause them. I think it makes Martha's offer even more remarkable that she was their servent and now is offering them help despite the high risk. It showed how much people thought of helping others.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in the same situation as Martha I'm almost positive that i would not be able to help the family like she did. Not only is it crazy to do that if it was your friend, but she was their servant and she still risked her life for them. It showed how good people really can be in tough times.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in Martha's position I don't think I would have the courage to help the family. Maybe if I would have a place to hide them that the Nazis would have trouble finding, but after awhile they would probably know of every hiding place possible and be able to find anyone you are hiding so I don't think I would be able to help them and risk my own life especially if I had been their servant. Servants generally seem to have pretty terrible jobs and experiences with the people they work for so that is what makes the fact that Martha is willing to help them at risk of her own life incredible.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in Martha's postition I think that I would have tried as she did to save them. Many people seem to think that the fact see was a servant should make her less likely to want to help, but a servant is not a slave it's a job. As a servant you many times live with the family and always spend a great amount of time with them. Martha possibly felt very close to this family and couldn't bear to think of or see the cruelties being done to them. If I were in her place I'd be feeling less ashamed knowing I tried to save them, despite the fact that they refused the offer. I think it's significant that Martha did this because she didn't have to and practicaly groveled to persuade them, this shows her strong connection to the family.
ReplyDeleteIf i was Martha in this situation, I would not have the courage to help them. I would want to but the Nazi's would find them eventually and would capture them and me. I would have my own family and future to look after. Being a servant makes this decision to want to help the family even more amazing because she worked for the family, doing everything for them and then putting her own life at risk for them is makes a big difference.
ReplyDeleteIf i was Martha, I don't know if I would be brave enough to help them. If I got caught, I would be killed on the spot just for being nice and trying to help. Martha, being a former slave for the family, would have been ordered around and done all of their work for them, and if that happened to me, i I don't know if i'd have it in me to help them out, but in her case i guess she has been ith them for quite some time and they have grown on her.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in that situation, I would be looking out for myself. When it comes to the Holocaust, you have to look out for you and your family. It surprised me to learn Martha helped, even though she was their servant.
ReplyDeleteMartha wasn't a slave, she was a servant who was paid for the work she did for the family. Like a housekeeper or maid. I would hope that there would be many people willing to take a chance and help people who are being persecuted. There are stories everyday in the news about people that helped others while risking their own lives. That's what being human means...having empathy for your fellow man.
ReplyDeleteIf i was in this situation i would not take the chance to hide families. I am i very kind person, but if i put myself and family in danger, i don't think i could have done it.
ReplyDelete2. It shows that the community all works together and cares of everyone. no one get left behind without a fight.
If I was in this position I would not wanna be hiding anyone, because I would be looking out for myself and my family! If you are caught you will most likely be killed. Because she is the servant it shows how good the family was to her as a servant and how good of a community they are.
ReplyDeleteI dont think I'd be able to show near as much strength as Martha because there's such a big risk that comes with hiding the family. I would prolly have hid the family anyways, but would have been very nervous about it. Martha being the families ex-servant makes this even more incredible that she'd be willing to do that.
ReplyDeleteIf I was put in the same position as Martha I would not of hide the family. I would be putting my life and my family's life in danger. I would have been really scared that at any moment the family I had been hiding would be discovered. Since Martha is the family's servent it makes it even more incredible that she hide the family.
ReplyDeleteIf i were in Martha's postion I don't I would help the family. I would need to think of my family first and housing Eliezer's family would have put them in danger. I would want to help them any other way I could. Since Martha is the families servant and there are many risks of being caught, it makes her offer even more incredible that she is willing to help Eliezer's family out.
ReplyDeleteI would not be able to do what Martha did. I would love to help but I am not courageous enough to give my life away. It's easier said then done. I would try and do everything I could to help but when it comes down to death I can't really say what I would do. It would be an extremely difficult decision to make but I suppose if I had nothing going for me I might be able to sacrifice myself. Other than that I would probably try and fend for myself, so the fact that Martha is the family's servent proves how incredible she is to make such a decision for people that are not her family.
ReplyDeleteI think that it Wohls Be really hard to Welcome someone into my home espessally if danger would come to my Family! Because you don't Know if you will get caught or Not And for People who are Even just acused sometimes get into danger so its à really hard area to come at. Also i think that while beig there servant says alot to because normally that Kind of relationship Mighty Not Be that Strong And so its really very Nixe of her to so that for them. I don't think i would just because i have to also think for what is Best for my Family As well And doung that would Not Be à Safe decision!
ReplyDeleteI think that if i were in Martha's position i would not be able to help out Elizar and his family because i would be more so worried about the well-being of my own family. i would try and do what ever else i could for the family by giving them other ideas of places to hide or food or anything, but i do not think that i could put my family into harms way. However, the fact that Martha was the families servent and offered this sacrifice of her own life basically is miraculous. I don't think that i could offer my life to someone that i served for God knows how long.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in a situation similar to Martha's I'm not too sure I'd be able to help out Elizar's family. When you go back to those days they needed to think of the well being of themselves and their own family. I'm sure i would try to help out in many other ways but that. Martha being the family servant and trying to help out is even more incredible because i'm sure she didn't want to technically bring them in but she tried because she knew what would be best for them.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in Martha's situation I would DEFINITELY do what she did. Not only because I knew the family, but for the cruelty they were going to go through. I would've liked to change the situation some how, I know I wasn't going to stop how much people suffered in that time, but I would know I helped a family. The fact that Martha was Elizar's servant makes it even more incredible because servants are supposed to be "inferior" and yet, she offered what she had to save them. It just describes how honest and caring she was!
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