In the beginning chapters of the novel, Refugee, Alan Gratz introduces his characters, Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud, as well as their current situations in their homelands at specific time periods. Gratz specifically writes about Mahmoud blending in as a cloak of invisibility to help him survive his situation. He writes about Josef and those who wear the yellow Star of David armbands as being invisible and how the Cubans were unseen, forgotten and starving. How could it be positive and how could it be negative to be invisible in these situations?
Throughout the novel, Gratz writes about interactions between the Hitler Youth and Josef, Mr. Nasser and the Bishara family, and the Fernandez family, the Castillo family, and the tourists at the Bahamas. Why did Gratz include these interactions?
Dear Mrs. Hevron,
ReplyDeleteKendall, Elias, Payton and I look forward to working with you. We want to thank you for taking time out of your day to work with us.
Blog #1
In Germany 1938, Cuba 1994, and Syria 2015, whether choosing to be invisible or being made to be invisible could be positive in some situations and negative in others. In the situations like Joesf, Isabel, and Mahmoud, they had to make decisions to save their lives.
With Josef, it was positive to be invisible. If Josef and his family were invisible, then they were safer. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page twenty-two, “He laughed, and Josef smiled. Here they were talking like two regular people, but Josef hadn’t forgotten he was Jewish. He hadn’t forgotten that if he were wearing his armband, this man wouldn’t be talking and laughing with him. He’d be calling for the police.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that blending in was key to survival. Elias, Kendall, Payton, and I can infer that blending in made it possible to be treated like human beings instead of animals. To us, invisibility, at this point on the train, most likely helped Josef feel like he was accepted and respected.
But, in Isabel’s situation, it was negative to be invisible. For example on page ten, Gratz stated, “Isabel loved tagging along on trips to Havana to stand on a street corner and play her trumpet for pesos. She never did make much. Not because she wasn’t good. As her mother liked to say, Isabel could play the storm clouds from the sky. People often stopped to listen to her and clapped and tapped their feet. But the only people who could afford to give her pesos were the tourist-visitors from Canada or Europe or Mexico.” This textual evidence supports our claim by showing that this situation could be positive or negative, because Isabel makes pesos by playing the trumpet, but they could easily be stolen. One could guess that making pesos would be important to them and their family. Isabel made herself visible, and she made some money. Isabel could use this money to buy food and other necessities for her family.
Mahmoud’s situation is positive to be invisible because if he was visible, he could be noticed by the Syrian army or rebels fighting. Mahmoud could also be killed by a random missile from a fighter jet or a soldier’s rocket launcher. For example on page thirteen, Gratz stated, “Mahmoud led Waleed on a different route home every day. Sometimes it was the back alleys; there could be fighters in the streets, who were always targets for the opposition. Bombed-out buildings were good too. Mahmoud and Waleed could disappear among the heaps of twisted metal and broken cement, and there were no walls to fall on them if an artillery shell went whizzing overhead. If a plane dropped a barrel bomb, through, you needed walls. Barrel bombs were filled with nails and scrap metal, and if you didn’t have a wall to duck behind you’d be shredded to pieces.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by explaining why being invisible in Mahmoud’s situation is positive because if he decided to voice his own opinion, his plans could backfire. One could think that being invisible would save himself/herself and his/her family. If one was invisible, he/she may less likely be a target for an airstrike.
Overall, being invisible can be positive or negative depending on the situation. In our opinion, people need to pick which strategy would help them be safer. Elias, Kendall, Payton, and I understand the choices made by Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud. What do you think?
Elias, Kendall, Payton, and I look forward to your response.
I agree that choosing to be invisible or visible is situational. You've given examples of how it was beneficial for Josef and Mahmoud to be invisible. How would being visible have benefited them or changed their situation? You've cited how Isabel benefited from being visible. How would being invisible have helped her?
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ReplyDeleteBlog Response #1
Thank you for your response. Here are the answers to your questions:
1.For Josef, being visible would make him stand out to the Nazis even more so and put him and his family in even more danger. For Mahmoud, being visible would change Mahmoud’s situation by making him an easier target of attacks; therefore, his life would be in more danger just like Josef’s.
2.Being invisible would have helped Isabel gather supplies and necessities for her and her family. It may have made the trip easier for everyone.
Elias, Kendall, Payton, and I look forward to blog 2.
Blog #2
ReplyDeleteGratz included these interactions between the boy who served in the Hitler Youth and Josef, Mr. Nasseer and the Bishara family, and the Fernandez family, the Castillo family, and the tourists at the Bahamas because he wanted to write about the people who wanted to help, people who did not agree with their leader, and people who had been in the same situation before.
With Josef, the Hitler Youth could have told the Nazis that he was not wearing his armband. But instead, he told Josef not to do it again. Gratz included this interaction to further expand the story and prove that some people did not believe in Hitler. For example, in the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page thirty-four, “They came to the door of the Jewish train car, and the Hitler Youth spun Josef around. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening. ‘What were you thinking?’ the boy whispered. Josef couldn’t speak. The boy thrust the armband at Josef’s chest ‘Put that on. And don’t ever do that again,’ The Hitler Youth told Josef. ‘Do you understand?’” Gratz did this to show that some Nazis disagreed with Hitler. This textual evidence backs up my claim by proving the boy could have easily gotten Josef into trouble, but he did not. We can infer that there were people who chose to be invisible in order to survive. This was the case for the Hitler Youth because he followed Hitler, but he quietly helped others. This help made a huge difference for Josef and his family. It tells us that even the smallest help can make the biggest difference.
With Mahmoud, Mr. Nasseer could have kept driving or said ‘no’. But, Nasseer was once a refugee so he knew how it felt to not have a home and work toward a new life. On page 127, Gratz explicitly stated, “‘You take a boat to Greece? Tonight?’ Mr Nasseer asked. ‘Maybe,’ Mahmoud’s father said. ‘If it’s there.’ ‘I will take you to it,’ Mr. Nasseer said, ‘And if it is not there, you can come back and stay with me.’” This textual evidence backs up our claim by showing that people who can relate can help make a difference. We can infer that Mr. Nasseer understood the real danger that this family faced. He knew of those who could take advantage, those who could hurt, and those who could kill. Mr. Nasseer did what he did because he wanted them to have a better life for them also.
With Isabel, the compassion the tourists demonstrated shows us that there are people out there who are willing to defy authority to make life better for others, especially in a life or death situation. For example on page 177, “Before they could get the engine restarted, one of the tourists tossed down a bottle of water to Señora Castillo. Soon the rest of the tourists were hurrying back and forth to the cafѐ, buying bottles of water and bags of chips and tossing them into everyone’s hands on the boat. ‘Aspirin? Does anyone have asprin? For my mother?’ Isabel begged. Up on the dock, an old white woman understood. She quickly dug around in her big purse and tossed a plastic bottle full of pills to Isabel.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by explaining that even though the people could not help them to shore, they helped them in any way they could. We can guess that they felt sympathy for them so this fueled their actions. Gratz is telling us that there are people who do sympathize, and those people may be the ones who make all the difference. Not everyone is cruel.
In the end, Alan Gratz included these interactions to show that the generalizations that people have made or told about people are not always true. The people included in our textual evidence treated the refugees like humans and helped them out in any way they could.
First, nice job on fleshing out this post. One of the main themes running through the book is invisibility. You did an excellent job of citing examples where Gratz uses interactions to demonstrate how we judge people based on the groups they associate with rather than as individuals. Do you think you would have been surprised, in each of their situations, to receive kindness and help from such unexpected sources? Based on their prior interactions with authorities, Nazi Youth, etc., do you think it was hard for each of the characters to trust the kindness they received considering the source? Can you think of a similar situation when you may have misjudged someone based on their group affiliations or a time when you were surprised by someone's actions? It happens more than you think. Great job!
ReplyDeleteBlog 2 Response
ReplyDeleteHere are the answers to your questions:
To receive kindness from unexpected sources would be a surprise to us because in those situations they were not expecting to be treated kindly.
Yes, it would have been hard for the refugees to trust the kindness they were receiving because they could have been tricked or deceived.
In situations with some of our friends, we would not have guessed we would be friends with them now.
Blog 3
ReplyDelete“They only see us when we do something they don’t want us to do.” Mahmoud realizes that the manner in which his religion is practiced, and the social class he is currently in may be frowned upon by other people. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page 213, “In all the bustle of waiting in line and getting on board, Mahmoud had lost track of what time it was, and he pulled his brother down with him to pray alongside the man. As he kneeled and stood, kneeled and stood, Mahmoud was supposed to be focused only on his prayers. But he couldn’t help but notice the uneasy looks the tourists were giving them. The frowns of displeasure. Like Mahmoud and his brother and this man were doing something wrong.” Even further on page 214, “This wasn’t what the tourist paid for. They were supposed to be on holiday, seeing ancient ruins and beautiful Greek beaches, not stepping over filthy, praying refugees.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving the tourists wanted to enjoy their vacation and not see refugees who may or may not share their religious beliefs or share their social class. Elias, Kendall, Payton, and I can infer that some people may fear, may dislike, or may not understand something different and judge others by the way they show their beliefs. The point Gratz is trying to make is people should not judge someone until they have either gone through what he/she has. It is important to learn about the situations people are in and try to help, not judge.
You are correct in what Gratz is trying to say about judging. I'm sure when Mahmoud and his brother began to pray (something that was completely normal to them at home), people didn't know how to react. The practice was unfamiliar to the tourists, and sometimes new things make people uncomfortable causing them to react negatively. Had people known the family's plight, they may have been more sympathetic. People who shared their religion, probably thought nothing of them praying. How would you react if, during your vacation, someone dropped to their knees and began praying? Would you feel uncomfortable? Does having read this book make you think twice about how you'd react? Great job, guys!
ReplyDeleteBlog 3 Response
ReplyDeleteThank you for your quick response. Here are the answers to your questions:
If we were on vacation and we saw people drop to their knees and started praying we most likely would react confused but not bothered by it. Through our education and through the education from our parents, we understand that we need to respect and to understand different religions, cultures, and beliefs.
Reading this novel definitely made us think twice about how we react in different situations. Payton, Elias, Kendall, and I know we need to analyze a situation before reacting. We need to check ourselves and do what our parents have taught us. If we are confused about something, we know to ask our parents or our teachers for guidance. We try not to judge.
Nice response. Your teachers and parents should be proud.
DeleteBlog #4
ReplyDeleteLito is inferring that he wanted to change his past, but he also wanted to change the future of his family. A quote by Billy Cox, who worked with Jimi Hendrix, stated, “ You can’t change the past. What you can do is change now, tomorrow, the next day, the next month and the rest of your life.” In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated, “‘ I wish from the bottom of my heart that you will land soon, Little Man.’ Officer Padron said again ‘I am sorry. I’m just doing my job.’’’ This textual evidence and the quote back up our claim by proving Lito realized how horrible his past was; he wished he did something to help Josef and the passengers. On the boat, Lito finally understands what the Jews had to go through, now that he is a refugee trying for a better life. Elias, Kendall, Payton, and I can infer that Lito is recalling these memories because he deeply regrets not helping the Jewish refugees on their journey to freedom in Cuba, and he feels as if he needs to help this time because he does not want to make the same mistake twice. Common sense tells us that being in Lito’s situation would be difficult to be in especially since you would only feel like you need to blame yourself. Steve Maraboli, a motivational speaker, said, “We all make mistakes, have struggles and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes. You are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.” This quote proves that mistakes happen and everyone makes them.
Hindsight is 20-20. It's very hard to put yourself in another person's shoes. You'll notice as you get older that decisions you made as a youth don't make sense once your an adult. I truly believe people make decisions they believe are right at the time. Maturity is realizing that you will make mistakes and that those mistakes make you who you are today. I love how Gratz ties all these characters together in the end, but I miss a prologue. Don't you wonder what happened to the characters after the book ends? Where do you think they are now? Do you think their experiences made them empathetic or cynical to others in similar situations? Does anyone else really want to know what happened to the baby?
DeleteYou guys have done a great job with these blog posts!
Dear Mrs. Hevron,
ReplyDeleteThank you for responding to blog 4. We appreciate hearing your thoughts on the question and our response.
We also missed the epilogue and found ourselves curious as to what happened to these characters. It was like we did not get closure on some of the issues he presented within each character.
Yes, we wonder if Mahmoud and his family got on their feet. Did Isabel ever go back to Cuba to get her grandfather?
We think that Isabel and her family are still in America, and Mahmoud’s family are in their own house now.
Yes, we believe that Mahmoud, Josef and Isabel were very empathetic and open minded when it came to other people’s situations.
We all really want to know what happened to Hana. Elias, Payton, and I believe that she died, and Kendall believes that she is staying with another family.
We look forward to blog 5.