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?
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs.Trimble,
Chayse, Corbin, Alissa, and I want to thank you for working with us. We appreciate all your help.
Blog #1
How could it be positive to be invisible? It could be positive to be invisible because in all three of the characters’ situations, being invisible keeps them safe.
In Josef’s situation, it is positive for him to be invisible because if he is visible, he may be put into a concentration camp or beaten up by the Brownshirts. On page thirty-four, Alan Gratz explicitly stated, “He had gone to them with this stupid stunt.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that if the family tries to blend in and not stand out when there is an opportunity to leave Germany, it could save them. Chayse, Corbin, Alissa, and I can guess that Josef realized that his father’s choices made them stand out so being invisible at this time kept them safe.
Not only that, but in Isabel's situation being invisible also kept her safe. On pages twenty-five through twenty-eight, Gratz wrote about a riot involving Cubans, some of whom were starving. On page twenty-eight, Gratz stated, “At a command from their leader, they pushed forward into the crowd, arresting rioters and hitting them with wooden batons.” By being visible and rioting like Isabel's father did, he stood out and was almost beaten and threatened by a police officer. Again, making oneself visible in a situation like this puts a person in a dangerous situation. We do understand that Isabel became visible at this point in order to save her father, and we do understand that if someone wants change, then visibility may be the answer. But, in times of violence, it may be better to be invisible.
Finally, in Mahmoud's situation, invisibility helps him survive. On page twelve, Gratz explicitly stated, “ Being invisible was how he survived.” This textual evidence proves that Mahmoud chose invisibility because in the past when he was visible, he was beaten up. Mahmoud learned it was safer for him and his brother if they stayed invisible. Chayse, Corbin, Alissa, and I again understand that Mahmoud is probably just trying day to day to survive, but accepting this fate will not make change. We wonder if this is what Gratz is trying to point out. What do you think?
Chayse, Corbin, Alissa, and I look forward to your response.
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ReplyDeleteHello Group 15! I am excited to be a part of this group project and look forward to corresponding with you.
ReplyDeleteGood job on your responses. Being invisible or visible in life is important to understand. There are certainly both positives and negatives to invisible/visible. I agree with you in saying that it was a positive to be invisible as it kept Josef, Isabel and Mahmaud safe in their situations. I found it interesting though that as much as they all wanted to be invisible they found themselves in situations where they had to become visible in order to change the situation. This made them feel good about themselves. To answer your question, I think that Gratz is trying to tell us that at times you need to be invisible but other times you need to be visible. Being invisible and blending in can keep you safe but if you want the situation to change you need to be visible. Look forward to the next blog.
Thank you for your response! Chayse, Alissa, Corbin, and I look forward to your response on blog two.
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ReplyDeleteDear Mrs.Trimble,
Chayse, Corbin, Alissa, and I want to thank you for working with us. We look forward to your response.
Why did Gratz include these interactions? Gratz included these interactions because it allows the reader to have a sense of empathy and emotion for the characters. It makes us wonder what you would do if you were in the same or similar situation with your family, friends, and loved ones. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he uses the situations from the three characters stories, to make us reflect on our lives and how he used the characters' situations differently to change the readers’ mindset and to show that not everyone is evil. For example, on pages thirty-four through thirty-five, Gratz talks about how the Hitler Youth helped Josef. This shows that not everyone who “ followed” Hitler was a monster; people did not always agree with Hitler or what he was doing and why he was doing it. Another example of Gratz using interactions to show compassion is on page 178. He describes the interaction between the Castillos, the Fernandez family, and the tourists. Gratz explicitly stated, “Just a moment of kindness from each of them might mean the difference between death and survival for her mother and everyone else on the little raft.” This textual evidence supports our claim by showing that people's kindness can change someone's life. The effect this has on the reader may make them want to be kind because they see that the little acts of kindness the people in the Bahamas showed towards Isabel's family and the impact it had and will have on their journey to freedom. What do you think about these interactions?
Chayse, Corbin, Alissa, and I look forward to your response.
Grace, Chayse, Corbin and Alissa,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you that Gratz included these interactions because it allows us to feel empathy and have emotions for the characters and their situations. I also think he included these interactions to give us hope. We saw there were good people who were trying and willing to help. Sometimes we stereotype and put everyone in the same category, I think Gratz was trying to point this out also. I think we all have these struggles and situations in our daily lives, when to stand out and help or to sit down and do nothing. It is easier for us here in America as we have privileges and freedoms that other countries don't so we may not realize the risks they must take just to have the opportunities we all ready enjoy. Instead of hating what we don't understand try to put ourselves in the other person's shoes and try to gain perspective as to other's situations and what we could/can do to help. Struggles are real and hard for everyone. How we treat people who are different from ourselves says a lot about who we are as human beings. One may never know the impact a small act of kindness can have.
Keep up the good work! Look forward to the next blog.
Thank you for your response! Chayse, Alissa, Corbin, and I look forward to your response on blog 3.
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ReplyDeleteWhat point is Gratz trying to make to his readers? Gratz is trying to tell the readers to not criticize anyone for what he/she believes or what he/she does. The other person or group could feel down on himself/herself for what the other person's actions are towards him/her based on his/her skin color, religion, where he/she comes from etcetera. Many people do not know what others have been through until they walk a mile in their shoes. In the novel, Refugee by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page 214, “This wasn't what the tourists had 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 that what other people do or say can bring somebody down in a heartbeat. Gratz is trying to tell us to not judge people off of their appearance until you know what they're going through. For instance, when the people in the Bahamas witnessed what Isabel's family was going through, they helped. But, in Mahmoud's situation, the tourists may have judged him and the other refugees, because they did not know the situation. These people made assumptions and then judgements. In our opinion, this is wrong, and people need to learn about others’ situations, show compassion, and help when they can.
What are your thoughts?
Again, you have backed up your response and stated what point you think Gratz is trying to make with "They only see us when we do something they don't want us to do."
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that we shouldn't criticize anyone for what he/she believes or what he/she does. We do not know what others have ben through or are going through with out walking a mile in their shoes, so let me ask these questions...How do we have empathy for others that are different than us and we haven't walked a mile in their shoes? What is the way we should treat someone who is different from us? It is easy to put our blinders on and pretend that everything is fine in "our" world, what we don't see or hear we don't have to acknowledge, but where does that get us....
We can empathize for others by understanding a different point of view or even making a connection to that person’s situation. For example, if a person has cancer but you have not had cancer, it would be difficult to know exactly what they are going through. However, you can empathize if you have had a friend or family member have cancer.
ReplyDeleteWe could treat them how we would want to be treated, the Golden Rule. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and understanding.
Thank you for your response! Chayse, Alissa, Corbin, and I look forward to your response on blog 4.
Excellent!! You got it, treat others as you want to be treated! Great job!!!
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ReplyDeleteWhy does Gratz want us to know what Lito is inferring? Gratz is wanting us to figure that you may have regrets in life, but do not let that affect your future. In the novel, Refugee, the author, Alan Gratz, explicitly stated on page 221, “Officer Padron said again. ‘I'm just doing my job.’” Gratz also explicitly stated on page 277, “A calm came over Lito, as though he’d come to some sort of understanding, some decision. ‘I see it now Chabela. All of it. The past, the present, the future. All my life, I kept waiting for things to get better. For the bright promise of mañana. But a funny thing happened while I was waiting for the world to change, Chabela: It didn't because I didn't change it. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice.’ He kissed Chabela on the cheek, surprising her, and then stood and jumped into the ocean.” Lito did not give the people on the St. Louis mañana so he made up for it and gave everybody on the boat mañana. Lito was not going to wait for the situation to change so he made the change. If Lito jumps in then the coast guard is forced to save them.
I think Lito was inferring that since he didn't give mañana to the Jewish people back in the late 1930's, and he could have, that he was going to make a wrong a right now. Lito was waiting for the world to change when what he needed to realize was that he could be the change. He was placed on the other end of the situation this time and he chose to be the change in order to help his family and the Castillo's reach Miami. We need to learn from our mistakes and realize that it is never to late to make that right. We all make mistakes, it is what we chose to do with that that will make the difference. Change can happen with one person.
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. Trimble,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response! We agree the everybody makes mistakes, it is then up to the person whether they learn from it it or repeat it. We try to learn from our mistakes.
We look forward to blog 5.