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After surviving Auschwitz Michael and his grandmother face many new problems but for Michael he has a few more. The main one being that he no longer has his mother but also that he only has his grandmother who had a very different personality than what Michael was used to when it came to his caretaker. Michael’s grandmother also didn’t always seem to consider what to do with Michael as a child E.g. the chicken coop home.

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Personally I think this was the best and most important scene of the book because Michael finally survived his (and most people’s) hardest challenge and was greeted by kind caring men who saw and treated him as a human and not a creature or someone unworthy of life. Basically just what Michael said “We weren’t prisoners anymore — we were survivors. We weren’t numbers anymore—we were people”. And obviously it keeps the book moving by ending the current problem and moving on to the next one.

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The fact that so many women agreed without protest to protect Michael was another development of the society around him (this time in Auschwitz). Had they not agreed, Michael would likely not live but they did and it the decision can be easily summed up as “a mother’s love”.

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This scene was important for developing the society of those involved in the Holocaust for some did not care if someone was Jewish or not, they were people too. It also shows that some Germans were likely just doing what they were told and did not really want to participate in the Holocaust (Hauptmann Brendt).

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Until now the readers have seen very little changes in Schmitt’s character other than his avarice but know we see a hint of remorse for what he has done but also pride for saving a family he began to know and in a way care for.

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It is explained to the reader that when Michael’s mother was panicked, his father calmed but now the reverse was true. This adds to both characters development but more importantly Israel’s (again I know). This is an important scene because it shows how Israel started the book as a calm, collected and helpful man. But now Israel has become a panicked and anxious mess trying his hardest to simply save himself and his family.

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Israel for most of the book has been a hopeful and determined man but now in this scene he begins losing faith and hope for everything around him. He is finally losing the battle he tried so hard to win or at last slow and weaken. This develops Israel’s character and propels the plot into the next big problem; cleansing and eventually Auschwitz.

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Israel was determined to space himself, his family, and his community. He was so determined that he was willing to bribe a man that killed his kind and risk his life to improve the life of everyone he knew. Israel was a kind and brave man and this portion of the book provides proof of this claim.

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Snap #1

Even as the conditions for Michael’s family deteriorated Israel and Sophie stayed strong and optimistic, revealing an important and key characteristic of both parents.