Yanek and his family live in Krakow, Poland. But in just a blink of an eye, their city was invaded by the Germans beginning WWII. For now, Yanek and his family remain in Krakow. For a little while they stay in their flat with several other families. Anti-Semitic rules have been put in place the persecute Jewish people, taking away any rights they had. Over time, walls are built up around the ghetto to contain the remaining Jews who have not been taken fr resettlement or deportation yet. One-by-One many Jews were relocated to other Jewish ghettos, work camps, concentration camps or were killed on site.

Yanek's Figurative Journey

With the stress of no food, and constant hiding, Yanek is living in fear of being caught by the Nazis. His emotional state is one of constant terror and panic at what awaits him at every turn. The unknown aspects of the way leave a feeling of being unsettled. Yanek's early life as a 10 year old boy before the war was very normal. He attended school, played with friends, and went to the Synagogue with his family.He loves his Mom and Dad and look up to them but as the war continues Yanek begins to doubt his fathers constant hopefulness and positivity and wonders who is really right- his fathers or Uncle Moshe. "I still worried he was wrong,but fresh bread made me forget al my trouble. For a little while, at least." (pg.25) Doubting your parents for the first time is a struggle for Yanek especially in war-torn Poland.

Yanek was only 13 years old when his parents and cousins,uncles and aunts were taken to camps and or volunteered to see what would happen. Yanek was working when he had seen the Judenrat soldiers walking by with a group of Jews he thought he seen his parents but they looked harder once the angled had changed. Yanek realized it was his parents being taken and when the soldiers walked by, Yanek ran to the pigeon coop and Sala opened the door. Sala was crying and then that's when Yanek had realized everyone accept him was gone. Yanek was upset and cursed himself wanting the soldiers to take him. Then Yanek thought to himself, now that his parents were gone he was now more determined to keep himself safe; Yanek was working when all of a sudden the soldiers came and took him and some other Jews, Yanek was devastated but he seen Uncle Moshe and was happy, but Uncle Moshe didn't speak to him until lunch,that's when Uncle Moshe started telling Yanek that he's a nobody and gives his name to know one.With that Yanek was now captive prisoner,he looks it and he's locked away like one.

Yanek was taken to a salt mine from Plaszow because he wasn't as malnourished as other people who work there. Yanek was taken to the salt mine to mine salt.One day while Yanek was working he heard one of the Capo's call out asking questions about a dead body.A man,with his head bashed in and open wounds with raw salt in it.The Capo was confused but not all mad he had actually said that it doesn't matter because they all would end up dead one way or another. Yanek had witnessed a kid no younger and no older than him who was hung for the crime of another prisoner's doing. Yanek watched helplessly as the kid was hung for doing nothing that concerned him.The Kapo's are perpetrators they are doing illegal and wrong things.

Yanek was feeling furious because they kept messing with him. When someone was fighting against the Kapo Yanek started feeling fear after the Kapo hanged a boy no older than Yanek and they hung him because of someone else doing.They were treating them like sheep to the slaughter,innocent but killed even if not guilty.Finally Yanek starts to feel acceptance to his death,realizing maybe there is no escaping this time.The prisoners were being scapegoat because they were being killed for someone else doing.

It was his first time traveling out from Poland. He rode in a cattle car with the other Jews. The Nazi could tell the Jews and polish apart because the Jews wore the star of David to the destination and on the cattle car he was suffering from dehydration so he crawled to get snow and let the cold melting of it go down his throat. During the cattle car a dead corpse died right beside Yanek and Yanek was stuck there with the corpse on his shoulder until they get off the car.

Yanek Figurative Journey

Once Yanek had gotten to Birkenau he and his fellow companions was loaded off the cattle car and whipped into what seemed like a gas chamber and for the first time out off all the things Yanek had been through he cries now,wishing death on himself,page 129 paragraph 2 it states "Kill me," I prayed."Please Kill me and put an end to this. I'm ready." ,but when it turned on it was just water. They all felt relief especially Yanek as he kept repeating "I'm alive" Yanek was both relieved but he was also still on the edge because if he's not dead.Now all he can do is image the future.

Yanek was taken to Auschwitz and in Auschwitz he met someone about one to two years older than him a boy named Fred. As the days passed by Fred had gotten sick and was unable to get out of bed. Yanek worried because he knew exactly what was gonna happen to him if he didn't get up.When Fred didn't get up the Kapo walked in and started beating Fred meanwhile another prisoner came and dragged Yanek away to roll call to prevent him from being next.A moment later Fred comes out and was beaten and they had hung Fred.It was a good thing that Yanek made friends with Fred because he had someone to talk to about his childhood. It was a bad thing because it's not certain to trust Fred. Somewhere in the story they had to walk elsewhere because of the Allies taking place. Yanek rubbed it in their face talking about how they entered through the gates and leaving through the gates instead of through the chimney.

Once Yanek reached Sachsenhausen they gave them soup and bread.Yanek savored the bread because he couldn't digest it. So when Yanek got sleep then he consumed the bread that he held onto. During the Sachsenhausen stay a man threw himself into the eletric fence ending it all.In Sachsen they made the prisoners box for entertainment and sing for the guards while they eat,skipping their own supper.Sachsenhausen as well still had the gate that says Arbeit Macht Frei (Work Sets you Free) just like at Auschwitz.They killed the weakest at Sachsenhausen and kept the stronger ones alive.Sending them to Bergen-Belsen.

Once Yanek was at Bergen-Belsen they let them have a week of no work and let them sleep.Along with letting them have fresh bread.Just for them to find out about "Moonface" and the mind games.Bergen-Belsen wasn't as bad as the rest but "moonface" made it a living nightmare.While Yanek was working,moonface called him over,and punched him across the face.Yanek was shocked as he endured the jolt of pain.From that day on Yanek was beaten,punched,slapped,and more all because of moon-face.And according to the mind games,they made Yanek and some other prisoners sing while watching the Germans eat their supper.The Nazi use Euphemism on the prisoners.

Once Yanek had arrived to to Buchenwald. Yanek had to worry about getting killed because if they don't carry a big enough stone they would be killed. Even if they had to big of a stone and dropped it they would still be killed.It's ironic because they take care of the animals better than Yanek and the other prisoners,but when Yanek seen the buck tied up he felt bad wanting to go over and help but he couldn't he had to restrain himself especially since it could get him killed;The witch of Buchenwald was Ilse Koch. Ilse was taken to jail from her cruelty she was taking to jail by the Nazi themselves.Once she was taken in she committed suicide in 1967.In my opinion Yanek was better off staying in the Krakow Ghetto

Yanek was having a dream last night he had a dream. In page 218 it stated in paragraph #2. "But then a dark cloud appeared on the horizon. Lighting flashed, and thunder rolled over the hills. "No," I said, not wanting my perfect afternoon disturbed. But the storm kept coming." It was clear that Yanek was having a bad dream,in the book it said that the ground cracked and opened and Yanek was trying not to fall because if he fell he would've been dead.One wrong move and Yanek was dead he could die in his sleep or the guards could take him to the Crematorium to die.

When Yanek and the prisoners were taken to Dachau a disease called typhus started going around. Prisoners died by the hundreds each day;At Dachau the guards didn't make any of the prisoners work. That led to chaos.Some days the prisoners didn't even have roll call anymore. One day when the prisoners woke up, one of them looked out the window.Just to notice that there aren't any guards left. All the prisoners thought it was a trick because of how many mind games they be playing. But when they realized it wasn't a trick they slowly start walking outside. The Nazis had fled in the night. At the end of the chapter the Americans came to rescue the prisoners and take them to a better place.Yanek remembered when he had to be deportation to different places before the Americans rescued them.

Yaneks and the prisoners were rescued by the Americans,they were taken to a better place and given better food,bedding,hygiene things, etc. Yanek and the prisoners were so grateful that they started crying. Over the smallest thing like a toothbrush Yanek started crying. They sat at the table with the Americans and ate good for once in 6 years. Yanek and the prisoners were heavily grateful for everything.Yanek and the prisoners had flashbacks just like how Yanek had a Bar Mitzvah in a basement or remembering the Extermination "Death" camp. And the persecution of others of their non-doing. Now finally Yanek and the prisoners can be at peace.