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. Kerner,
ReplyDeleteEmilee, Alex, Nikk, and I want to thank you for volunteering to work with us. We really are enjoying the novel and hope you are too! We look forward to working with you.
Blog #1
Imagine having to go through life, having to grow up with so much violence. Meet Josef, Isabel, Mahmoud. These three children have lived some of the most treacherous lives. Being invisible can be positive in many ways; it can be the sole reason one survives. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page twelve, “Mahmoud Bishara was invisible, and that’s exactly how he wanted it, being invisible was how he survived.” He also stated on page seventeen, “If the bullies didn’t notice you, they didn’t hit you.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that being invisible can be a positive strategy because that is what it took to survive. One can infer that when ensuring his safety, Mahmoud had to stay silent and blend in. Common sense tells us many people stayed invisible to protect themselves, whether it was at home, school, or similar to Mahmoud in a war.
Furthermore, it can be a negative strategy to stay invisible. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page twenty-four, “He had done everything he could to avoid the Hitler Youth ever since, but now he’d handed himself right over to one ⎯ and all because he’d taken off his armband to walk around a train and get a newspaper! He and his mother and his sister would be put off the train, maybe even sent to a concentration camp.” Also, on page nine and ten, “Fidel Castro, the man who ruled Cuba as President and prime minister, wouldn’t allow anyone to and leave the country⎯ especially not to go to the United States⎯el norte, as Cubans called it. The north. If you were caught trying to leave for el norte by boat, Castro would throw you in jail. Isabel knew that, because her own father had tried and had been thrown in jail for a year.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving Isabel and Josef both wanted something, and as a result, their families were punished. Alex, Emilee, Nikk, and I can infer that Isabel and Josef stayed invisible to protect their families because no one is more important. Common sense tells us that Isabel wanted to go to the United States but did not want her family to be in trouble. Josef went into the German train and was caught. As a consequence, he and his family would pay the price. Unfortunately, invisibility can protect families, but it can also result in them injured.
Even though someone may try to stay invisible to protect himself/herself as well as his/her family, it could end up hurting someone. Alex, Emilee, Nikk, and I understand that most people try to do the best they can at the time and place they are in. That is what Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud try to do.
What are your thoughts about the strategy of using invisibility to stay safe? Could we be correct in our response? Alex, Emilee, Nikk and I look forward to reading your response.
Hello team! I am thoroughly enjoying this book and am happy to be your partner!!!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with your assessment! Being invisible in terrible situations could mean the difference between life and death. In each of these 3 brave kids, being invisible means safety, comfort and some sense of normalcy. Let’s take a minute to think about Josef and wearing the star of David on the armband. He removed it on the train to become invisible, to blend in with others. He is always labeled as different because of his beliefs, Just to obtain something as simple as getting a newspaper, he risked his life and the lives of his family because he chose to become “invisible” if only for a brief time. While blending in is safer, there are also times in which the risks of getting called out are just too great.
Dear Mrs. Kerner,
ReplyDeleteEmilee, Nikk, Alex, and I want to thank you for taking your time to respond to our post. Your viewpoint on Josef’s situation is something we had never thought about while discussing the topic. We completely agree that he is labeled for his beliefs and that he longs for a sense of normalcy. Josef would’ve done anything at the time to get it, even if it put his family at risk. Again, thank you for your input, and we look forward to our next blog.
Blog #2
ReplyDeleteGratz included these interactions to show his readers that there are still decent people in the world. Now, think about going through a German train station as a Jew while Hitler is dictator and running into a member of the Hitler Youth. Imagine feeling a sense of hopelessness or wanting to feel normal, but are treated drastically different. Now, imagine feeling a sense of relief because there is someone willing to help. This is exactly what Gratz is trying to show his readers. People who help even in a quiet manner may make a huge difference in a positive way. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on pages thirty-four and thirty-five, “They came to a compartment with a man in the uniform of the Gestapo, the Nazis’ Secret State Police, and Josef stumbled. The Gestapo man looked up at them through the window of his door.” Gratz then wrote, “-and the Hitler Youth boy pushed Josef on past. They came to the door of the Jewish train “‘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?’ ‘I-Yes,’ Josef stammered. ‘Thank you. Thankyouthankyouthankyou.’” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that the boy could have turned Josef in and been rewarded, but instead, he walked Josef past the Gestapo and gave him a warning. The boy had chosen to help Josef despite everyone he is around who despises the Jews.
Josef's situation parallels with Mahmoud's situation. On page 127, Gratz explicitly stated, “‘You are Syrian, yes? Refugees?’ the man asked. ‘I know what it’s like. I am a refugee too, from Palestine.’” Gratz further stated on the same page, “‘I will take you to it’, Mr. Nasseer said, ‘And if it is not there, you can come back and stay with me.’” These pieces of textual evidence backup our claim by showing that Mr. Nasseer can relate to the Bishara family as he was once a refugee. When Mahmoud jumped in front of Mr. Nasseer’s car, he did not have to stop. Mr. Nasseer could have continued to drive. Most people who the Bishara family had contact with had been scamming them or overcharging the family. But, Mr. Nasseer offered the Bishara family shelter for free. This character represents kindness even in darkest times.
Isabel's story is no different. On page 177, Gratz explicitly stated, “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.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by describing how it only takes one person to start an act of kindness. One tourist's visibility could have possibly saved them. Without their help, they would not have had food, water, or medicine. We can infer that Gratz put these characters in the story to show us to be grateful for what we have and to always be kind and remember that you do not know what people are going through. Gratz added these interactions to show that not everyone can be heartless and cruel, and how some really do care for each other. Be visible...the world could use more people like these characters.
All three characters have been given the chance to live another day because of the people who they have met and their decision to be visible. It shows that there was still good in the world by giving them help when they needed it the most. If these people had not come into our main characters' lives, they could have been injured or worse...dead. Everyone should be grateful for what they have and the people around them.
What are your thoughts on being visible, helping someone in a time of need, and changing someone’s life?
Do you agree? Nikk, Alex, Emilee and I look forward to your response.
Be visible...what a profound statement!!! You all are very smart! I totally agree with everything you wrote and could not have said it better. Yes, he included these characters in the book to teach us a lesson, but it is also bigger than that. What is it that we hear the most from the new media today concerning the refugees? How they are all bad people just trying to take advantage of the generosity of US citizens. In some instances the media may be correct, but not all. Let me ask you this, if you felt as though you were going to be taken advantage of is it still not the right thing to do to help those in need?
ReplyDeleteWe are talking about people that have very different backgrounds and cultures than us. He is teaching us that we should help in any way we can.
Blog 2 Response
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. Kerner,
Emilee, Alex, Nikk, and I agree that the media just shows refugees as evil people who will take advantage of anybody they can. In some cases, yes that is true. But after learning about Mahmoud, Isabel, and Josef's story and reading about Bilan, a refugee from Somalia (This was an assignment in our class.), we clearly understand that most refugees are just people looking for help. If we have the opportunity, of course, we would want to help refugees in any way we can.
Blog #3
ReplyDeleteGratz is pointing out that when another’s actions negatively affect someone else’s life, he/she may not like it. In the novel, Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly stated on page twenty-eight, “The policeman raised his truncheon to hit her father again, and Isabel jumped in between them. ‘No! Don’t! Please!’ she cried. The policeman’s eyes flashed from anger to surprise, and then back to anger. He reared back to hit Isabel, and she flinched.” On page seventy-seven, Gratz stated, “He quickly called over two of the stewards, and soon they had the portrait down and were taking it from the room. In the gallery above, Josef saw one of the crew slam a fist down on the railing and storm off.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by showing that when Isabel provoked the policeman by stepping in for her father, the policeman reacted negatively and was going to hit Isabel as a result, until Luis stepped in. In Josef’s story, taking down the portrait of Hitler was offensive to Sheindick, but to Josef and the other Jewish passengers, it was a huge deal. The Captain took the portrait down because he was respecting their beliefs. We can infer that the police officer and Sheindick were angered/displeased by Isabel and the Captain’s actions and as a result, acted negatively. This means someone’s actions may cause a negative outcome whether it is due to a difference in religious beliefs and customs or even a choice of political parties. Do you agree with our response? What are your thoughts?
First of all, I apologize for the late post!
ReplyDeletePerspective, it is all about how we perceive things to be. Yes, I agree with your assessment! Life and events within our lives are shaped by environment and choices. In the instance where the crewman slammed his fist, isn't that because of what he believes and how his environment has made an impact upon him. To him, Hitler's actions were just and right, but to the millions of Jewish families impacted by these horrific acts, they were cruel and evil. Take a look at Josef's father for example. Josef states that the Natzi's took the only father he knew; the father he had on the ship was not the same. He was a direct result of the environment he was placed into and the horrors he had seen.
Dear Mrs. Kerner,
ReplyDeleteAlex, Emilee Nikk, and I agree with your point on the crewman slamming his fist down, but we also think it was because maybe in Sheindicks eyes, the Captain was taking the Jews side, even if he was only agreeing to take the picture down. We agree that how you see things all depends on the perspective that you are seeing it in. In an assignment for our social studies class, we learned about Alfon Heck, a German boy in the Hitler Youth, whose parents did not agree with what he was doing. Alfon did not see that what he was doing was wrong until the war was over and his environment changed. In Josef’s situation, in his mother's eyes, Josef’s father was still seen as her husband. But in Josef and Ruth’s eyes he was seen as a crazy man not their father.
Blog #4
ReplyDeleteMrs. Kerner,
This was a tough question and our group has two answers.
Lito is inferring that Isabel should be the change. Put yourself in their shoes...Try being in a stressful situation where you are a refugee using all of your strength to paddle eight people to shore, including yourself, while at the same time an American Coast Guard ship is chasing after you to send you back to your country. That’s Isabel’s situation! Throughout this entire nove, Isabel has been the problem solver. She does not wait for change to happen, she makes changes. In the novel Refugee, by Alan Gratz, he explicitly states on page 221, “‘I wish from the bottom of my heart that you will land soon, Little Man,’ Officer Padron said again. ‘I’m sorry. I’m just doing my job.’ Josef looked deep into Officer Padron’s eyes searching for some sign of help, some hint of sympathy. Officer Padron just looked away.” He also states on page 276, “How many of them died because we turned them away? Because I was just doing my job?” And finally 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 backs up our claim by proving that Lito is guilt ridden about the MS St. Louis. We can infer that Lito wants Isabel to be the change that he was not before he could sympathize but now he is empathizing because he is in the same situation. Lito does not want Isabel to make the same mistake he did. He also wanted Isabel to know that since he could not change the world, he wanted to give his granddaughter the opportunity that he could not achieve.
Lito is inferring that since he did not give Josef’s family manana, he is going to undo a wrong with a right; he is going to give his family manana. In the novel, Refugee, Gratz explicitly states on page 273, “The secretary general of the French Refugee Assistance Committee officially welcomed them into France, and the porters on the deck moved quickly to carry the passengers luggage, refusing to take any tips offered. Maybe this was the Promised Land after all.” The crew, including Lito, thought that they had given all of the refugees manana but they had not because a year later Josef and his family were on the run again without a home or the promise of tomorrow. Now that Lito is a refugee, he sees his mistake from the St. Louis, and he wants to try to correct it. Lito is sacrificing himself to give his family what he did not give the passengers: manana. This means that Lito feels that giving his family manana will give him closure about the passengers of the MS St. Louis.
Isabel has already been an immense change in the people lives surrounding her, Lito wants her to continue being a positive change in the world, and perhaps help more refugees like them. What do you think Lito is inferring?
I absolutely agree with your assessment! Lito is describing being the change that we want to see in the world. He is telling us to be the change and do something! Look at all of the families in the refugee camps that continued to wait until manana. They spend their entire life waiting on someone else to bring them the promise of change. Instead, Mamoud’s family kept pressing forward; kept seeking a better place. Where should that change initiate? Who is going to bring that change? The answer is us! Lito is sharing his life experiences with her because he does not want the same mistakes in life repeated. He is telling us to learn and grow from his life experiences. One thing I know for sure is that change does not happen unless we are deliberate and intentional with our actions.
ReplyDelete