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 Mr. Dickerson,
ReplyDeleteTamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I welcome you to our blog! We look forward to working with you.
Blog #1
How could it be positive and how could it be negative to be invisible in the situations that Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud found themselves in? In our opinion, it can be both positive and negative depending on one’s situation.
For starters, blending in with one’s current surroundings could be positive if he/she was found to be in a dangerous situation. An example of this would be on pages fifteen through seventeen in the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz. He explicitly stated, “That’s when Mahmoud and Khalid learned how valuable it was to be invisible. Mahmoud realized this after he was in an intense fight.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by allowing the readers to see how being invisible might help in certain situations. One can assume Mahmoud felt safer when he was invisible to others because he did not take part in any fights or arguments. Even further, it kept Mahmoud and his family alive. If they fought back or made themselves visible, it could lead to more physical abuse, or it could even lead to death.
However, invisibility can be negative. In paragraph three on page seven, Gratz compared Isabel to the fragile kitten saying, “You’re not much to look at, are you, kitty? Isabel said. Its fur is scraggly and dull, and Isabel could feel the cat’s bones through its skin. The kitten wasn’t too different from her, Isabel realized: thin, hungry, and in need of a bath.” This textual evidence explains that in comparing the kitten to the Cubans, they were no different. If people chose to stay invisible or not fight back, it could hurt them or lead to death, and in this situation, it could lead to death by starvation. We infer that people who chose to be visible possibly faced jail time or death. Since the Cubans knew this, many stayed invisible and hoped for the best just like the Syrians did when the Arab Spring came to Syria. Gratz stated on pages fourteen and fifteen, “There was an old Arabic proverb that said, ‘Close the door that brings the wind and relax,’ and that’s exactly what they did; while the rest of the Middle East was rioting, Syrians stayed inside and locked their doors and waited to see what happened.” People probably looked out for themselves instead of others around them.
In reality, being invisible can turn out to be negative for Josef as well because he may feel there is no one to help him in difficult circumstances. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on pages two through four that his father is going to be taken away. Josef did everything he could to save his father from going to a concentration camp. Josef knew he had to try and keep his father at home. On page four in paragraph one, Gratz stated, “He leaped to his feet, grabbed the arm of one of the men carrying his father and tried to pull him off.” Josef did this in hopes of saving his father and keeping his family together. This textual evidence backs up our claim by justifying how desperately Josef wants his father at home. One can infer that Josef became less visible once his father was forced to go to the concentration camp. We understand that once the patriarch was forced out of the home, Josef became cautious and curious because he was officially the man of the house. Josef probably understood that because his father was visible, he and the rest of the family had to be invisible if they wanted to escape Germany. What do you think?
Thank you Mr. Dickerson for reading our response. Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I cannot wait to hear your response!
Hello Tamara, Maddy, Daniel and Judson. It is great to be working with you on this project! I really enjoy hearing your perspective on such an interesting and serious matter.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statements. Josef became cautious, more “invisible”, once his father was gone, to protect the family. Seeing his father taken away was clear evidence of the potential consequences of not being invisible. Mahmoud also understood the value of being invisible after fighting. He felt safe and comfortable when laying low. On the other hand, Isabel realized the lack of opportunity and possible danger of what it took to remain hidden.
There are valuable life lessons to be considered in this context. The first that came to mind is need versus want. People need health and safety to continue living. Most want something such as love or experiences or things. I try to live by understanding needs, they can change, and taking care of them first then going after the wants. Have you ever talked or thought about need versus want?
The second thought that occurred to me when reading the book is the idea of risk versus reward. You’ve already experienced this concept in your life I am sure. It is typically associated with financial investing but applies to many things. The higher the risk the higher the reward should be. If the refugees were to remain visible and fight or live for what they wanted they should only do so if they expect to have the chance at greater rewards for love, experience and things. If they choose to be invisible they will be safe but live like Isabel did. The key to me is to find the right balance of risk and reward for you and to always be sure whatever risk is taken the potential for reward is worth it.
Thank you for working with me on this. Your thoughts were great!
Dear Mr. Dickerson,
DeleteTamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I thank you for your response, and the answer to your question, “Have you ever talked or thought about need versus want? is a “No”. We are growing up in America where we have freedoms, and we also have programs to help whenever we may be in need. Since Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I have never had to worry about losing our lives due to food shortages, war, or abuse, it never crossed our minds to think about need versus want. We realize how lucky we are.
Blog 2
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dickerson,
Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I welcome you to our second blog response! We look forward to working with you again!
Alan Gratz included these interactions between Josef, Mahmoud, and Isabel because he wanted to show us that nobody should group any religion, race, or gender into the same group because not everybody is the same and people live very different lives. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on pages thirty-four and thirty-five how a member of the Hitler Youth spared Josef by not handing him over to the adults associated with Hitler. Maddy, Daniel, Tamara, and I believe that the boy did not do this because he feels pitiful and sorrowful for Josef. In paragraph one on page thirty-four, Josef thinks back to when the storm troopers came to his house to take his father. “The Brownshirt who’d taken his father away on Kristallnacht had said, “‘ We’ll come for you soon enough.’” After the flashback, Josef and the Hitler Youth arrived in front of a Gestapo’s door. In paragraph three on page thirty-four, Josef prayed that the Hitler Youth would do anything besides turn him over to the Gestapo. Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I all believe that the Hitler Youth did not turn Josef into an adult because he did not agree with what Hitler or his followers were doing to innocent Jews.
On pages 127 and 128, Gratz introduces Mr. Nasseer as a friendly chauffeur for the Bishara family. Mr Nasseer is a refugee like Mahmoud so he understands and agrees to house the whole family. When Mahmoud’s father announced that the smuggler had texted him saying, “‘... the boat is ready now.’” Mr. Nasseer quickly responded to him with, “‘I will take you to it.’” Since Mr. Nasseer was flexible with no schedule and agreed to help the family, we think he feels for the family. Keeping in mind that Mr. Nasseer is a refugee as well, we conclude that he wants a better and safer life for the Bishara family. The group as a whole believes Gratz put this scenario in to show that there is hope for the family to conquer any obstacles that came their way.
In addition to Hitler Youth and Josef, Mr. Nasseer and the Bishara family, another helpful hand in the novel, Refugee, is the tourist at the Bahamas toward the Fernandez and Castillo family. On page 127 in paragraphs ten through twelve, tourists from the Bahamas generously give the two families, Fernandez and Castillo, more necessities than they have ever had. The necessities included water, bags of chips, and aspirin for the ill and pregnant mother. We all believe that the tourist helped the two families in this time of need because some of them are mothers as well. We have noticed that mothers always tend to help other mothers in need. When this scenario happened in the novel, Maddy, Daniel, Tamara, and I noticed that this is a sign of empathy for the two families.
To conclude, Gratz has added the Hitler Youth and Josef, Mr. Nasseer, and the Bishara family, along with the Fernandez family, the Castillo family, and the tourist from the Bahamas to show his readers that help is always useful and efficient. In each story, Gratz explains in great detail how every person’s story is parallel to each other because of the aspect of how and why the families are being helped.
Hello again Tamara, Maddy, Daniel and Judson! Great to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteConcerning the relationships between each of the refugees and those that chose to help them, I appreciate your thought that we should not group people by religion, race or gender. Each of the connections in the book are good examples of very different people helping each other, when on the surface, that appears very unlikely to happen. Not only is it important to get to know people in order to understand who they truly are, our differences actually bring significant value when working together. Businesses and organizations have long recognized this value and call it diversity, a term you will probably hear often in the future. For example, if we have a team of people who are all the same, they will always have the same answers and do things the same way to suit who they are. If we have a team of very different people that are willing to work together, they will all bring different views and challenge each other to find a better solution.
I think you are probably right about the Hitler Youth not turning Josef in because he cared for him and ultimately did not agree with what Hitler wanted. And I really like your comment on hope for the Bishara family. Hope was another thought that came to my mind when considering this week’s question and each scenario. Josef and the Bishara, Fernandez and Castillo families were all facing extreme difficulty and in each case received some hope that helped keep them carrying on.
The connection of motherhood between the tourist and the Fernandez and Castillo families is a great observation! I have also witnessed this many times. They definitely share a special bond. And I agree the stories represent help and how it was useful to each subject. “Help always helps”?
Finally, I thought the three separate examples of very different people, in very different circumstances, making a connection by finding a common ground was very meaningful. Once the connection was made, those in a better situation were able to provide hope to those in need by helping them even though they were so different. What a powerful notion…
Blog 2 Response
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dickerson,
“Help always helps?” This question stumped us. Here is our answer...Help does not always help. For example, if you are cooking and someone tries to help but adds something that is not supposed to be in the final dish then they are not helping. Even though people may attempt to help, they do not always follow through and may end up confusing the cook. Sometimes, there are too many cooks in the kitchen.
Blog #3
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dickerson,
Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I welcome you to our third blog response! We look forward to working with you again! Daniel and I believe one thing while Maddy and Tamara believe something differently. Daniel and I wrote the first paragraph and the second response was written by Maddy and Tamara.
The point Alan Gratz is trying to tell his readers is that if everybody did everything the same, and they were not different, the world would be a boring place. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page 214, “But when refugees did something they didn’t want them to do… that’s when people couldn't ignore them any longer.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that some people may judge you or may despise you because you are different. This is the reason most people do not act differently because they are scared people will judge them or make fun of them. One can infer that Mahmoud tried to blend in with the crowd because people think being different is bad. Being normal is dull and lame; being different can make this world a better place. Mahmoud did not want to become visible because he was scared of what people would say. But, at the end of the day, it does not matter how other people feel about you... it matters how you feel, so be different!
Mahmoud realizes, “They only see us when we do something they do not want us to do.” Tamara and Maddy believe Gratz is trying to make his readers realize the judgements, diversity, and confusion among the tourists and Mahmoud along with religious differences. On page 214, Alan Gratz shows and explains to his readers how the tourists showed no empathy for Josef. “...he could hear the disgust in their words.” Tamara and Maddy feel that the tourists did not have empathy for Mahmoud because they had poor judgements or preconceived notions about Mahmoud’s religion, since they are confused about being different. Knowing that, the vacationers thought Mahmoud was doing something wrong by being different.
ReplyDeleteHello Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and Judson. Thanks again for working with me! I am really enjoying your thoughts. I love it that you have differing views this week and are willing to present them both. My intent this blog is to add some contrast and then challenge you to see if your ideas may fit together in a bigger picture or if they are clearly opposing?
Daniel and Judson, I agree there are people who act based on the judgement of others rather than their own. I would want them to be freed of whatever it is that is holding them back as long as their intentions were respectful and not harmful to others. The world would definitely be a boring place if everyone were the same. Do you think it is possible there are some people acting the same as others that do have integrity and think for themselves? Maybe what they are doing is who they truly are, or what they believe is best, even though to some it may appear they are just following the crowd? Do you think there are other people who act out or different with bad intentions or to hurt others? Maybe people being the same or different doesn't necessarily mean they are bad or good, right or wrong?
Tamara and Maddy, yes, I think Mahmoud and Josef feel bad and like they may have to hide who they are because of judgement and lack of empathy from the tourists. The tourists should be more open minded and not look down upon someone who is different if that is where their mind is. Do you think there may also be people who mistakenly feel judged when those they feel judged by are simply just surprised or uncomfortable with something they are not used to? Maybe they just need to get to know each other better and be more confident in who they are?
All, my understanding is that you are seeing the same issue, the refugees are not always themselves. Daniel and Judson think the refugees should have more courage to be who they are and less regard for the judgement of others. Tamara and Maddy think the tourists should not pass judgement and be more accepting and respectful of their differences. Is that right? If so, could a combination of each thought and both sides getting to know more about one another be even better? For example, maybe the refugees could have more courage to be who they are and try to help educate the tourists about their culture? The tourists in turn could seek to understand more about the people they were about to meet in order to choose what they may want to be part of and remain respectful of those in the places they were visiting, including the refugees?
Blog #4
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dickerson,
Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I welcome you to our fourth blog response! We look forward to working with you again!
What do you believe Lito is inferring when he says, “‘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.’”? Knowing that Lito is in the same situation as Josef was, he is now regretting turning his back on the passenger of the MS. St. Louis, or he is inferring that if you do not do what you want to do now, you may have regrets later in life. This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that Lito regrets saying this, and he wishes he helped Josef out on the MS St. Louis. On page 221, Gratz wrote, “Josef looked deep into Officer Padron’s eyes, searching for some sign of help, some hint of sympathy. Officer Padron just looked away.” Gratz included that paragraph to show how Lito turned away from all the helpless passengers. On pages 275 through 278, Gratz also shows and explains to the readers the regret that Lito felt. If Lito had helped Josef end the other passengers, we infer he would have stayed on the boat for guaranteed freedom, but since he did, we can infer that Lito jumped into the water because he did not want history to repeat itself.
Thank you for responding to blog #3. Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, I will try to add contrast along with new challenges to see if our ideas fit together in a bigger picture or if they are clearly opposing. For blog #3 Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I all agree that our ideas were similar but none of us could compromise for one response.
ReplyDeleteAnswers to your questions for Daniel and Judson:
“Do you think it is possible there are some people acting the same as others that do have integrity and think for themselves? ” Yes, people can indeed act like others and still have integrity along with the ability to think for themselves. If they are following who they truly are, or what they believe is best even though to some it may appear they are just following the crowd. Do you think it is possible to have integrity and also go along with the crowd?
“Do you think there are other people who act out or different with bad intentions or to hurt others?” Yes, there are people who act out or different with bad intentions. Sadly, we live in a world that does have people who set out to intentionally hurt others. On the flip side, there are people with good intentions as well. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all had the best intentions for each other? Different does not mean bad, in our opinion.
Answers to your questions for Tamara and Maddy:
“Do you think there may also be people who mistakenly feel judged when those they feel judged by are simply just surprised or uncomfortable with something they are not used to?” Yes, there are probably multiple people out there who act differently because they are uncomfortable. For example, someone could look over and see someone staring at them in a “hateful” way. In reality, some people just have a look that may be interpreted as being mad. On the other side of the coin, the person who feels judged could have experienced judgement in the past which could result in being “on guard” the majority of the time.
“Maybe they just need to get to know each other better and be more confident in who they are?” Yes, if people are not sure about themselves in a certain situation they might not know what they are capable of doing. Being confident in who you are is one key to life. If everybody acted the same the world would be dull.
Yes, both of your understandings are correct. Everybody in the group now sees how both sides combined would have made for a better outcome for all people who may have been involved.
Hello Tamara, Maddy, Daniel and Judson! It is great to here from you again.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Lito is regretting some of his actions on the MS St. Louis and throughout his life. He understands now, when he is much older, that taking responsibility for what he wanted instead of just waiting for it to come would have been better. The positive in all of it is that he still has the guts to do it now by helping Isabel and the others on the boat when he could have just dwelled on the past. This reminds me of a famous quote by C.S. Lewis that I really like. "You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending."
I think many of us, especially when young, have made the same mistake as Lito in one way or another. We don't fight, take action, or work for what we want. Instead, we blame others or circumstances or just wait for it to happen. Or we are scared of failure or a different outcome. Young Tamara, Maddy, Daniel and Judson, if there is something you want to do or be, I beg you to not wait for it to happen. Please take action and give it everything you've got. I promise, you, your life and even the world will be a better place for it!
Dear Mr. Dickerson,
ReplyDeleteThank you to the response for blog number four! The C.S. Lewis quote is very applicable to this situation.
Thank you very much for the advice. With what we are taught by our parents, teachers, coaches, and you on this blog, we will hopefully take action for what we want and stand up for our morals and values.
Tamara, Maddy, Daniel, and I appreciate all your thoughts on blog four and look forward to hearing from you once more!