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. Gallagher,
ReplyDeleteThank you for blogging with Sydney, Elijah, Halle, and me. We are excited to see your response to our blog. Sydney, Elijah, Halle, and I thought the best option when answering the questions asked was to answer each question separately.
Blog #1
Negative
Sometimes, being unseen is not one’s choice. Sometimes, one is forgotten or even excluded from normal processes of life, which can affect people's lives negatively. The characters, Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud in Alan Gratz’s novel, Refugee, experience the effects of not being seen in their home countries. Gratz explicitly stated on page eight, “Without Russia’s gas, they couldn’t run the tractors to change the fields over to food and without the extra food the Cuban people began to starve.” Gratz also stated on page seven, “The cat was hungry just like everyone else in Cuba.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by showing that the Cubans had hit rock bottom because dictators such as Fidel Castro neglected his people during a financial crisis. Our best guess is that Castro wanted all the power and no one to rise against him. If the people left, he might lose his power. In a similar situation, the character, Mahmoud, faced challenges that made him seem invisible. It is explicitly stated on page fourteen, “There was an old Arabic proverb that said ‘Close the door that brings the wind and relax,’ and that’s exactly what they did… ” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that without becoming visible and making a change, nothing may improve, and Assad will remain ruler with everyone around him staying invisible. Josef experienced similar difficulties to those of Isabel and Mahmoud too. Josef felt like he was sometimes unnoticed. For example, on page eighteen, it is explicitly stated, “All the station attendants and other passengers gave them a wide berth, flowing around them like water around a stone. The people chose not to see them.” This textual evidence proves that Josef was invisible, and there was nothing he could do about it because he was not only risking his life, but also the lives of his family. Being invisible made Isabel, Mahmoud, and Josef possibly feel alone and forgotten. This can make them feel that they have lost control of their lives which is something that may leave a lasting effect on someone’s life. The effect could be a loss of self-worth, and that may have been the purpose of Hitler, Castro and Assad. If this was their purpose, then these dictators took advantage of the vulnerable people in their countries when their people were suffering.
Positive
ReplyDeleteInvisibility can have positive effects on one's physical and mental well-being. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, the character, Mahmoud, faces challenges in which he feels or becomes unseen. Mahmoud’s situation forces him to become invisible in order to survive. Gratz explicitly stated on page twelve, “Mahmoud Bishara was invisible, and that's exactly how he wanted it. Being invisible was how he survived.” Gratz also stated on page twelve, “To walk around getting noticed by the Syrian army or the rebels fighting them was just inviting trouble.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving Mahmoud did what he needed to do to stay alive. Gratz distinctly stated on page seventeen, “If the bullies didn’t notice you, they didn’t hit you. That’s when Mahmoud had realized that together he and Khalid were bigger targets; alone, it was easier to be invisible.” This textual evidence supports our claim by proving that if one stays quiet and remains under the radar, no one may bother him/her. One can infer Mahmoud does not want to be noticed. Lastly, Gratz also declares on page seventeen, “A year after that, Khalid had died in an airstrike anyway.” This textual evidence proves how being invisible can affect a person’s life in a dangerous situation. A completely innocent civilian was killed merely because he happened to be in a specific location. Mahmoud did not want to be noticed. He thinks that if he “stays in the dark”, then he will not have any issues. Mahmoud’s friend, Khalid, experienced firsthand the effects of being visible. Mahmoud needs to stay invisible in order to possibly not meet that same fate. Overall, choosing to be invisible in certain situations may help one survive.
Sydney, Elijah, Halle, and I look forward to your response.
Hello Group 4! I enjoyed reading your observations. Your first answer was very well formulated and also had plenty of textual evidence. Your second answer was a little less. It seems to focus mainly on Mahmoud which is understandable because it seemed the invisibility of his character was much more developed and explicit than for the other two. Were you able to find any textual evidence so that you would be able to also discuss the other two characters? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteHere are a few of my observations (I don't like to "answer" the question but rather offer you some thoughts. Hope that is ok!) One of the important takeaways I got from reading Refugee is that this could happen to anybody. But for the fact that we were born where we were, this could be any one of us. But for the political agenda of our government, this could be any one of us. When we see news and social media filled with stories of refugees we often see them as nameless, voiceless and faceless; yet, they are regular people just like us trying to navigate life. We have our own refugee crisis at our southern border. Most often, we hear of “people” trying to cross our border, or “children” being placed in cages, or “Muslims” arriving illegally. These terms lend a perceived invisibility. However, when a tragedy occurs and a father and his young daughter, Oscar Alberto Martinez and Angie Valeria, drown trying to cross the Rio Grande River, we have names and faces and a story. Giving the refugees names and developing the characters and their stories as he did is one of the best things Gratz does with his book, in my opinion. So while in their own worlds these characters were ignored, avoided, and sometimes tortured, we are allowed to really know them. The other thing that Gratz does very well is to illustrate the plight of refugees without really politicizing his novel. He chose not to build on the political climate of each character's time-frame but rather used it as a backdrop to explain the reasons for the characters’ reasons for invisibility and their need to flee. He makes each refugee’s crisis visible. As you mentioned in your answers, the feeling of invisibility can be both a good and a bad circumstance. However, I think every refugee would want to be visible and would want his plight visible. I am not sure how far you have read, but toward the end of the story, Mahmoud is walking with a large group of refugees and they are being peppered with questions from the media. He thinks to himself, “See us, hear us, help us!” He wants the world to pay attention and bear witness to their struggle. Perhaps refugees don’t really face invisibility, but rather indifference? Could it be that people would rather pretend not to know? Would it be easier to plead ignorance? Tough questions, but definitely something to think about.
Look forward to hearing from you again. Keep up the good work! Group 4 is ROCKS!
Dear Mrs. Gallagher,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your feedback. Sydney, Elijah, Halle, and I appreciate the effort you put into your response. We did not feel that any characters besides Mahmoud benefited from being invisible. We were not able to find any textual evidence to prove that the other characters’ lives were of higher quality while being invisible. “Perhaps refugees don’t really face invisibility, but rather indifference? Could it be that people would rather pretend not to know? Would it be easier to plead ignorance?” All are very good questions and something will we definitely keep in mind! We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Blog #2
ReplyDelete“Find the good in all the bad,” a saying many people use often. Alan Gratz included many interactions with all three characters, Mahmoud, Isabel, and Josef that prove this to be true. Why did the author do it? In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he wrote about the interactions between the Hitler Youth and Josef, Mr. Nasseer and the Bishara family, the Fernandez family, the Castillo family, and the tourists at the Bahamas. Gratz explicitly states on page thirty-four, “- and the Hitler Youth boy pushed Josef on 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.” Gratz also stated on page 127, “‘I will take you to it,’ Mr. Nasseer said, ‘and if it is not there, you can come back and stay with me.”’ Next, Gratz stated on page 177, “Before they could get the engine restarted, one of the tourists tossed down a bottle of water to Seńora Castillo. Soon the rest of the tourists were hurrying back and forth to the cafe, buying bottles of water and bags of chips and tossing them into everyone’s hands on the boat.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that not everyone is diabolical in a difficult situation. Gratz shows this in each of the character’s unique situations. The Hitler Youth could have punished Josef, but instead, he chose to keep quiet and release Josef. Mr. Nasseer could have been like everyone else and ignored the Bisharas; yet, he decided to stop and assist a family in need. Lastly, the tourists at the Bahamas chose to provide the Castillo and Fernandez families with essentials to survive the journey to el norte. Gratz included these situations to show that there are some people willing to be the good in the midst of all the bad. Alan Gratz wants to teach us a lesson on how to live life and treat others. He wants us to be a good example for others to follow. Gratz shows that during a dIfficult time, there is always a good person willing to risk everything to help someone in need.
Hello again, Group 4. Once again, you have answered your question with well thought out textual evidence and an explanation of your thinking. It is nice to see your explanation. It helped me better understand the reference to Mr. Nasseer. I had to go back and refresh my memory about his actions. Without the explanation, one who had not closely read the novel might not understand that short reference or any of them really. So, good job!
ReplyDeleteDo you know what the word altruistic means? Dictionary.com defines it as the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others. There are a lot of theories about altruism. It must benefit us in some way of which we may not be conscious. It might make others respect us or even get us into heaven. I have even read that evolutionary psychologists believe it may be a left over trait of making sure those close to us survive because in the past we depended on each other to exist. I would agree that there are many instances where one might do a good deed to make themselves look good or to get ahead. However, when I think about being a good, kind, well-intentioned person, I hope one does so because they are an empathetic person. I have also read that empathy is, on a very deep level, a kind of unconscious connectedness with others. This connectedness allows us to see someone else’s suffering or need and to respond to it with an altruistic act. I believe that Mr. Nasseer, the Hitler Youth, and the tourists were all acting out of an altruistic nature. They saw people in need and found a way to help, if even in a very small way. Maybe being happy and being kind are closely related. I find that when I perform a kindness for someone, it makes me happy. Perhaps the “helpers” in Gratz’s Refugee felt a little better about the 3 characters’ situations by helping, even if in a very small way.
“If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.”
– Buddha
Blog #2 Response
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. Gallagher,
Thank you for your feedback. Sydney, Elijah, Halle, and I appreciate the time effort you put into your response. We really learn so much from your feedback. The quote, “There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it. ” -Buddha. This quote by Buddha goes along with our claim in Blog #2. The meaning behind quote this is that unfortunate things must go on so that the good done by people can be recognized.
Blog #3
ReplyDelete“They only see us when we do something they don’t want us to do.” This quote from the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, has a deeper meaning than one may perceive. When we see something we are unaccustomed to, how do we react? Do we sneer our lip and glare? Do we respect the diversity of humankind and show gratitude towards others? How we choose to illustrate ourselves to the world is completely up to us. On page 214, Alan Gratz explicitly states, “They only see us when we do something they don’t want us to do.” He adds this because this is how the vast majority of us decide to treat others who are different... with apathy. If we continue to do the same thing we did yesterday, is anything going to improve? Likewise, if we do nothing to improve anything, everything will be the same. If we want to make a difference in how we treat others, then we need to take a step in the right direction. By adding this particular quote, Alan Gratz took the first step.
Hi Group 4. Sorry I am late in answering the blog. I have had a busy few days. I almost forgot to answer tonight, too, but I am staying up so that I can respond to you!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard the saying, “One bad apple spoils the bunch?” This reminds me of how others are sometimes treated because they are different - religion, culture, skin color, language, etc. For some reason, human nature tends to look for the negatives rather than the positives. We do this for almost anything. Do you look in the mirror and think about how great you look, or do you look in the mirror to find all the things that could look better? Negativity is easy, positivity takes work. When it comes to different people, as I mentioned above, the differences often frighten us because we are unsure of how the differences will affect us. Instead of getting to know people on an individual basis, we lump everyone together and usually we attach negative aspects to them. In the last election cycle, candidate Trump suggested that all people trying to get across our Southern border were criminals and candidate Clinton referred to Trump supporters as a “basket of deplorables.” These words erroneously label MOST people on both sides.
I believe this is what Gratz hints at with his words about how the refugees are seen only when they do something wrong. These words really highlight the way people’s opinions affect the perception of the refugees. How much different would they think about and perceive themselves if instead of pointing out a negative or lumping a whole group together based on some random trait, we allowed each person to be an individual? What if each person was given a chance to prove himself and his character? What if rather than searching for the negative, we searched for a positive? I have often found that being positive is more infectious than negativity. Ball teams perform better when their crowds offer support rather than being derisive. I would wager that if we treated refugees with support rather than being derisive we might find the same results.
Keep up the good work! Your responses are clearly thought out and well written.
Blog #3 Response
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. Gallagher,
We believe that searching for the positive in people is a great way to change the way we immediately perceive them. We have heard the saying “one bad apple spoils the bunch”. Although being positive may take much more work than negative, it is a necessity in order to make everyone feel equal and included. We also believe that if you treated refugees and supported them, their attitude and outcome might reflect positivity too. On page 334, Gratz discusses Trump's Executive Order 13769. Gratz also explains that a report by the Cato Institute said that no refugee has been implicated in a terrorist attack. This goes along with your point of lumping people in a group.
We appreciate the time you spend each week responding to our blogs, and we are looking forward to reading what you think about our blog #4 and #5!
Blog #4
ReplyDeleteHow does one deal with the guilt and regret of yesterday’s decisions? Lito is filled with remorse from letting the Jews walk straight to their doom. Although he was not in charge of the ship and had no control over the captain, Lito feels as if he did not do enough to help guide the Jewish refugees to freedom. He wishes he would have made different decisions. He realizes that in a time of despair, he needs to change the world and not sit back and wait for someone else to change it, because tomorrow is never promised. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page 277, “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.” This textual evidence proves that in order to see an improvement in the world, you must first make a difference. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Gandhi. This quote supports our claim by showing that you are the one who needs to make the difference when no one else will. One deals with the guilt and regret of yesterday’s decisions by overcoming the wrongdoing by trying to right a wrong. Lito is trying to correct his past decisions concerning the Jews on the MS St. Louis, by sacrificing himself so his family reaches Miami.
Yes! You get it. Tomorrow is never promised! Exactly. Your reference is right on as is the use of Ghandi's quote.
ReplyDeleteTo live is the greatest promise we are given. The older I get the more often I remind myself of it. Honestly, sometimes getting older frightens me a little, but then I remember to take it one day at a time and be grateful for another day! I also try to be a better person every day. Of course, I have days when I am not my best, but it is a constant effort. In addition, the ability to be a change agent is always on my agenda. If I can get one non-reader to pick up a book, I feel like I am successful. It certainly is not a "save the world" moment, but it is what I do, and if that leads (even in the slightest) to a better future for that same student, then it is all worth it. The saddest part of my job, is that I often don't see the long term results. Participating in this blog with you is one way I can (sort of) revel in your literary journey!
As I was thinking about this topic, I decided to look up why we (humans) have a need to make a difference. Why don't we just sit back and wait to see what life brings us and I found this quote from the Bible, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life…shall find it.” This is why Lito did what he did. I take it to mean that if we go through life only worried about ourselves, then we have no life at all, really. Yet, if we go out of our way to make sure that others will have a better life, than that expands our lives many times over.
Well, guys those are the random thoughts I have as I am planning for extra library books, to get AR arranged for students to use at home, and to make sure Mr. Quick knows I am available to help with lunches as needed while we all go into isolation. Even in these very strange times, we need to remember that we can still make a difference. Stay home, stay safe, and stay tuned in to your lessons!