- Describe an example of dehumanization in the text. What about this moment made a particularly strong impression on you? Why?
Throughout the text, we see how these prisoners are dehumanized, one of those sad instances in the text like we discussed in class was at the very beginning of the text where the narrator says; “All of us walk around naked” This goes to show how they were dehumanized, because there’s a close relationship between nakedness and a sense of shame. They are left naked and force to work under unbearable conditions.
- A tall, grey-haired woman who has just arrived on the “transport” whispers, “My poor boy,” to our narrator. What does she mean?
The instance with the old woman and what she whispered to the narrator made me feel like she felt sympathy towards the narrator. This is probably because she knew that he was doing his “job” and had no other option. She understood that he was helpless and was trying to stay alive himself, if he had the option, he probably wouldn’t be part of such dehumanizing acts. We can see that after she says that to him, he still thinks about the situation where he even had to ask Henri if they were good people.
- “Are we good people?” asks our narrator. What is this exchange about? What do you think?
I think the narrator asked this question to get a type of reassurance even if he knew that what he was doing was wrong. He needed someone to tell him that it wasn’t wrong just so he can feel a little peace within himself. I feel this question rose at the time it did because of what the grey-haired lady had whispered to him. He knew how terrible what he was doing was, but had decided to turn cold towards it, but after what she said, those human emotions he had been hiding came right out. He proceeds to say; “I feel no pity. I am not sorry they’re going to the gas chamber” but deep down I just know that he’s not happy with himself because of the evil he’s being forced to do which he has no control over.
Eunice, Thanks for these sensitive and compassionate responses. I think you are right to highlight the vulnerability and humanity of our narrator, even when he voices what sound like very harsh and unfeeling judgments.