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. Young,
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to read our response. Joz-Lynn, Haley, and I really appreciate it.
Blog #1
Being invisible could have both a positive and a negative effect. It just depends on the situation and a person’s perspective.
To begin, in Josef’s story, he has a hard time being invisible, but it keeps him safe in certain circumstances. It was not something he chose for himself. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page eighteen, “The bright yellow Star of David armband the Landaus wore were like magical talismans that made them disappear. Yet no one bumped into them, Josef noticed.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that being invisible could keep them safe and together which is a positive effect. One can infer that the family can help protect one another because they are together. Common sense tells us that there are power in numbers. The more people you have watching out for you, the better chances you have at survival. Gratz also explicitly stated on page thirty-nine, “‘It’s a trick,’” Papa said when the door was closed. He glanced around the little cabin like the walls were closing in. “‘They’ll come for us soon enough,’” he said.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by showing that being visible could could get them caught. One can infer that if they were caught, there is a huge chance they would be separated. Logic tells us that there are power in numbers so if Josef and his family can stay together, they have a better chance at survival.
In Mahmoud’s story, he chose to be invisible which had a negative effect on him. On page seventeen, Gratz stated, “‘I should do something,’” he whispered. But he knew better. Head down, hoodie up, eyes on the ground. The trick was to be invisible. Blend in. Disappear.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that Mahmoud knew that standing up to the bullies was the right thing to do, but he chose to ignore. One can infer that Mahmoud morally conflicted with what to do, but decided to blend in and not assist. It truly was a negative effect.
With this being said, it is easy to recognize how being invisible can be both positive and negative, depending on the situation. Being invisible can help people hide to keep them from danger, but it can also prevent them from helping others in need.
What is your opinion on invisibility? We look forward to hearing your response.
Hi guys! I am so excited to be a part of your group. First, I want to say you all did a fantastic job citing the pages that you took your information from. It helped to be able to quickly go to those pages to refresh my memory. I found this question to be challenging. My whole childhood I made myself invisible. I never wanted attention on me. I was terrified to be called on in class for fear of having the wrong answer. I never wanted to be the teachers helper because I might do something wrong. I’m sure you all have been like that before in certain circumstances. But for me to try to find the positives and negatives of being invisible for the the characters in they book was very hard. The frightening things that they must have endured is way more than my fear of being called on in class. So with that said, my thought is obviously that being invisible will not draw attention to one’s self. I think Josef and Mahmoud hid very well behind their arm band or hoodie. However, I do not think that made them less of a target. But, one thing I found interesting about Isabel was that she did not make herself invisible when she was on the street playing her trumpet in hopes that she would earn money for her family. I tried to put myself in her shoes and think how brave she was for doing that. Any money that she might have made could have been what kept her family from starving to death. Putting herself out there must have taken a lot of guts. I’m sure she knew that her life was in danger the whole time. So I suppose there are many ways to look at the positive and negative of making yourself invisible or not, putting yourself out there regardless of the possible dangers.
DeleteDear Mrs. Young,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response! Kyndra, Haley, and I really enjoyed reading what you had to say. We fully agreed with everything you said. We all found it difficult to find the negatives and positives, but after taking a good look, we found some we all agreed would be a good example. We look forward to your next response in blog two.
Blog 2
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. Young,
Thank you for taking time to read our response and work with us. We really appreciate it! ~Kyndra, Haley, and Joz-Lynn.
Throughout the novel, Refugee, Alan Gratz wrote about several interactions. Gratz always has a reason or meaning behind his writing. Sometimes it is easy to spot and other times not so much. Kyndra, Haley, and I think Gratz did this for the following three reasons: (1) Gratz wanted to show that even though you or your family are going through a rough time, there is always at least one person who is willing to help you out no matter what the situation is. (2) Gratz also shows that hope can be found even in the darkest of times. (3) Gratz added these interactions to show that not everyone necessarily agreed or liked the way these dictators ruled.
In the novel, Refugee, Gratz includes interactions with the Fernandez and Castillo family. On page 175, Gratz explicitly stated, “‘I’m sorry,” the officer said. ‘But you are not allowed to land. Bahamian law forbids the entrance of illegal aliens to the Bahamas. If you set foot on Bahamian soil, you will be taken into custody and returned to your country of origin.’” Gratz also stated on pages 175 through 176, “‘But we have a sick pregnant woman,’ Lito said to the officer. He moved so the men on the dock could see Isabel’s mother, and the tourists behind the officers cried out in concern.” On page 177 Gratz continued, “Before they could get the engine restarted, one of the tourists tossed down a bottle of water to Señor Castillo. Soon the rest of the tourists were hurrying back and forth to the café, buying bottles of water and bags of chips and tossing them into everyone’s hands on the boat. ‘Aspirin? Does anyone have aspirin? 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 backs up our claim by proving that even though Isabel, her family, and the Castillo family are going through a rough patch, there are people willing to help them. One can infer that people may be there for others even when one does not expect it. It could be relatives, friends, or even random strangers. Common sense tells us that some people are willing to help out of the kindness of their hearts.
Even Gratz explicitly stated in the novel, Refugee, “‘ My house is too small for all of you.’ The man said, ‘but I have a little car dealership, and you can stay in the office.’” On pages 127 through 128, Gratz also 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’s not there, you can come back with me.’ “‘You’re very kind,’ Mom said.” This backs up our claim by proving that there is still hope. We can infer that the Bishara family was ready to give up hope that anyone would help them and that the boat would come. We can also infer that people may have given up hope on there being anyone who would want to help them. Also, the Bishara family had given up any hope of there ever being a boat. Logic tells us that when Mr. Nasseer offered to help them, that gave them a shred of hope. It seems that those who have sympathy and/or empathy may be ones who are more willing to help.
ReplyDeleteLastly, interactions between Josef and the Hitler Youth were purposeful. Alan Gratz explicitly stated on page thirty-four, “-and the Hitler Youth boy pushed Josef in the past. 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?” This backs up our claim by showing that the Hitler Youth clearly does not agree with Hitler. He could have turned Josef in, beaten him up, or sent Josef to a concentration camp, but instead he let Josef go. We can infer that the Hitler Youth does not agree with Hitler, and this was his way of quietly helping without the risk of being caught himself. It shows us that there are people who will help, but only quietly in order to save themselves. What do you think?
Thank you for reading our blog #2. Kyndra, Haley, and I really appreciate it.
Hi everyone! I hope you all are doing well. I agree with you about why Gratz writes about the interactions between the characters in his book. He really shows how empathetic and sympathetic people can be even in the most dire situations.I think it is human nature to help others in need. Sometimes though, it may go against the norm or what you have been told to do. The Hiter Youth did a great job doing this with Josef. I can’t help but to think of the selfless act this was. I think that in that boy's mind he was helping Josef because he knew it was the right thing to do. I asked myself if I could show compassion like that boy did. I like to think I could. Everyday people do random acts of kindness and it does make me hopeful that humankind as a whole will always be willing to help each other under any circumstance. Do you all think you could have that kind of empathy even if it caused you trouble?
ReplyDeleteBlog 2 Response
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. Young,
Joz-Lynn, Haley, and I appreciate your response. The answer to your question is yes and no. Haley and I think we would have empathy even if it caused us trouble because in the end, it would be the correct thing to do no matter the circumstances. It would be very selfish if we were considering ourselves and our own safety over someone else's. In all consideration, it does not matter if it is a stranger, someone you do not get along with, or family. You should be willing to help others out of the kindness of your heart. Joz-Lynn thinks that if it would cost her being injured or dying, she would not. She would not want to risk her own life. Joz-Lynn says that she would like to think she would show empathy to others, but knows in the end, it wouldn’t come down to her risking her life.
Blog 2 Response
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. Young,
Joz-Lynn, Haley, and I appreciate your response. The answer to your question is yes and no. Haley and I think we would have empathy even if it caused us trouble because in the end, it would be the correct thing to do no matter the circumstances. It would be very selfish if we were considering ourselves and our own safety over someone else's. In all consideration, it does not matter if it is a stranger, someone you do not get along with, or family. You should be willing to help others out of the kindness of your heart. Joz-Lynn thinks that if it would cost her being injured or dying, she would not. She would not want to risk her own life. Joz-Lynn says that she would like to think she would show empathy to others, but knows in the end, it wouldn’t come down to her risking her life.
Blog 3
ReplyDeleteThe point Gratz is trying to make to his readers is unless the refugees do something against the rules of society they are invisible. Gratz is making the point that people do not pay attention to others when it does not bother them. On pages 123 and 124, Gratz explicitly stated, “Another refugee had laid out a mat on the deck, and he was praying. 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 were doing something wrong. The vacationers dropped their voices, and even though Mahmoud couldn't understand what they were saying, he could hear the disgust in their words.” We can infer that some people are intolerant of others’ beliefs. It seems like some people cannot get over the fact that there are other people with other beliefs. Gratz is pointing out that maybe people need to think about learning about others and stop judging people before knowing who they really are. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
We are looking forward to your response!
Hi everyone.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what you say about people not paying attention to others unless they are being bothered. I want to add a little to that. I also think that some people are ignored unless others will benefit from helping them. Have you ever seen someone standing on the street asking for money? Have you ever said to yourself "why don't they just get a job"? We have no clue what brought them to beg for money, but we judge them for it anyway.Maybe giving them help is just the gesture they need to get through the day. If I give them a few dollars I don't need a pat on the back. I'd like to think that someone would help me if I needed it. I also hope that I wouldn't judged for my hardship.
People do spend a lot of time not liking someone before they actually get to know them. I see that happen a lot here at school. Sometimes the new kid gets a bad rap before they get through the first day. They may look different, talk different, or act different but need to be given the chance to show who they really are. Have you ever been the new kid? Could you imagine someone not liking you without even knowing you? I think people like Mahmoud found out what that is like.
I want to challenge you all to reach out to someone regardless how different they are from you. You might learn something from them.
Dear Mrs. Young,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response!
We fully agree with everything you added. Haley, Joz-Lynn, and I think we can all agree that we have had thoughts like that. But we also have realized that maybe they can’t get a job because they’re not qualified for it or the job is not hiring. Also that maybe they are not stable mentally or physically. Joz-Lynn and I know what it’s like being the new kid and we can both say there were some people who judged us or didn’t like us before they got to know us. I think with us knowing what that feels like, we try not to be one of those people who are so quick to judge.
We talked about your challenge to reach out to someone regardless of their difference.
~Thank you for taking your time to read our blog. We appreciate it!
Blog #4
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. Young,
Joz-Lynn, Haley, and I really appreciate you reading our blog.
All of us can agree that Lito is very selfless and considerate of others. It is clear that he cares more about others than he does of himself. Lito’s number one priority is his family!
We believe Lito is inferring to the fact that he wants to right his wrong. We also think that Lito was inferring that people wait for things to get better instead of acting to change our problems. Lito felt horrible for sending the Jews away because they did not have the chance for freedom, so he wants his family to achieve what the Jews did not by sacrificing himself for their freedom. While on the boat, Lito realized his family could not get the freedom they wanted unless he changed something. On page 277 Gratz states, “‘Don’t stop rowing to shore!” Isabel’s grandfather yelled to everyone else. He kissed Isabel on the cheek, surprising her, and then stood and jumped into the ocean.” By doing this, Lito knew if he jumped in and they caught him, they would have to pick him up first. This created more time for Isabel and her family to reach shore and have the freedom they wanted. Once they had got Lito, he was on the boat cheering them on, hoping they would get the shore. One can infer that with Lito doing this action he cares about his family and their future more than he does his own.
What do you think Lito is inferring?
Hello fellow bloggers!
ReplyDeleteI am not real sure what I can add to what you have already said. I think we all agree with why Lito jumped into the ocean. What a selfless thing he did. I do think that he thought about giving his family the chance to be free over his own freedom.
What would you all have done if you were in Lito's shoes? What if the scenario wasn't as drastic as this one, would you be able to give something up for yourself if it meant that you had to give it up in order to help others?
Dear Mrs. Young,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response!
We would all like to think that we would have done the same if we were to be in Lito’s shoes. We think it would be very selfish if we just thought of ourselves and not considered how it would affect the others in the situation. Overall, what Lito did was very selfless, and we hope that we would be willing to give up things in order to help others. We are confident that we have sacrificed something to help others.