JLEW

I read "SPEAK" by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Will i ever get married? This question has always loomed over me, because of my general values and the person who I am. The prospect of it is unnerving to me, that i can meet one man who i could spend the rest of my life with and not get bored (yes i understand how immature it sounds, but do i really or should i ever get tired of the person i marry?). Why is this so important to me? My personal stance on marriage is that it is a question of morality, love, and strength. I want to find someone who i can love and provide for the rest of my life, though it seems in modern times a much harder prospect. Its as if im in a search for my soul, a further quest to find out who I am.

The second reading of Maus ran at a must faster a pace i felt. Maybe its because i have gotten accustomed to the reading of a graphic novel, or maybe in general there was just more action. Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed this reading. I nearly forgot about the ghettos they had for the Jews before they were even shipped off to the concentration camps. The novel went into great detail about the ghettos, and about how Vladek, Ajha and a few other hid out in a cellar concealed by a coal pile. After they emerged from their hiding, they came to terms that they must leave. The story taking place in presents makes it evident that Vladek is not in good health. Also, he regrets ever remarrying. Then the story goes back to WWII, and how they tried to stow away on a train out of Poland. The train stop in this one town, and i clearly remember this frame where they are shock to see a Nazi flag hanging in the middle of the town. They are the taken from the train, and shortly to the concentration camp of Auschwitz. This reading was a wonderful combination of fact and storyline, and how he intertwined the two so well. Despite this being such a great novel, it does not make you feel good. Things get worse as the book progress, and now that we have finally arrived at the concentration camp, i know things can only get worse.

The end of this book left me feeling empty on the inside. besides the point, i found the same trouble i had at the beginning of the book following  along. It jumped so much between the past and the present, it gave me a headache. The story starts progressing towards the release of the Jews from the concentration camps. however, it never seems to get to that point. They are taken away from Auschwitz and put in a rail car for days, some of which were never opened. Then, they are marched into the wilderness where they are suppose to be shot. It just angers me how the Nazi's are so reluctant to just release the prisoners. Thankfully, they are finally release by the Americans. What really left me feeling empty is how fact-based this reading was. Thats all it seemed to be, one fact after another, no heart. Also, Vladek dying was also depressing. I thought that maybe Artie would have something more to say. And then Mala came back, but she didn't say much either. However, i liked seeming how Vladek was buried next to his wife, and how they were reunited in the very end. It help ease the pain and the suffering that all the book had to offer.

Vladek In this reading, Vladek goes on a vacation to some sort of condominium complex. It isn't a normal vacation retreat, there seem to be many other holocaust survivor around him. While he staying there, he calls to his son Artie to come to his assistance; Vladek says that he was having a heart attack. It turns out the Mala left him, which caused  Valdek to feel such a pain. However, he didn't seem all too upset about it, almost as if he had been expecting such a breakup. We are the then taken back into the story of Auschwitz, and the grotesque details really start to come about. There are dead bobies everywhere, always people are dying from disease and starvation. The food itself is sheer torture. They are fed spoiled cheese and bread. Also, there are lice everywhere. When they went to get their food they had to take off there clothes to be inspected for lice. If there was any lice, they would not be given any food, which was nearly impossible because their were so many lice. One thing i found shocking was how these disposed of the bodies. Most bodies were burned, though there were also many who were buried. Those who were unlucky, the ones that didn't die while in the gas chamber, were buried alive. The conditions are so horrid and unbearable that when Vladek cut his hand, he purposefully attempts to make the wound worse, so he would have to go to the infirmary. This would give him, in a sense, some sort of a break. However, the one reason i believe that he still survives  is because he is a skilled  laborer. In a sense the Nazi's are taking advantage of him.