Yablonovoskiy’s Argument
Yablonovoskiy’s parents and grandparents moved to the United States in 1997 because of the discrimination against Jews. They moved to a town named Little Odessa in Brooklyn, which was also where most Ukrainian immigrated to. Despite Yablonovoskiy’s parents’ hatred for living under communist rule, they still wanted to teach Yablonovoskiy about his cultural background, so he could appreciate what he has in life. They did this by showing him tv shows from the soviet era; Yablonovoskiy’s favorite tv show was Nu Pogodi. Nu Pogodi featured a wolf going after the bunny, and it’s similar to Tom and Jerry. It became a comfort show for many people and helped them cope with the trauma that they experienced in Ukraine. As any child would, Yablonovoskiy would watch his favorite tv show and laugh. However, as he got older, he began to realize the meaning behind Nu Pogodi. Just like other children’s tv shows, such as Krtek in former Czechoslovakia, Nu Pogodi served as propaganda for children. Nu Pogodi showed children how to be good citizens. Yablonovoskiy also explains that the wolf in the show symbolized the Soviet government or an evil leader, such as Josef Stalin. The bunny symbolized the people who opposed the Soviet government.
Argument reflection
Yablonovoskiy’s argument was persuasive because he compared Nu Pogodi to similar children’s tv shows such as Krtek and Tom and Jerry. Comparing it to Tom and Jerry was significant because so many people in the world watched Tom and Jerry as kids. By comparing them, we get an insight into what Nu Pogodi is like, which helps us understand the relationship between the bunny and wolf. Furthermore, this also helps us understand the relationship between the Soviet Union and the people who opposed it. Also, this reminded me of when I was a child and lived in Lebanon. The majority of Lebanese kids watched this one show that would teach them about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon. Similar to Nu Pogodi, a dog symbolized the Israelites, while a brave man symbolized the Lebanese people. From a very young age, Lebanese kids were reminded of the 2006 Israel and Lebanon war.