Matthew Sapunor, Daniel Robles The Journal The Journal has three main characters that depict life during the Nazi occupation and World War II. The novella discusses how Jews were treated, how the Nazis were involved, and how the Allied forces won the war. Driving Question:
"When is war worth the cost, and how do we resolve or prevent conflict?"
Levi His story shows the struggle of being in the Jewish ghetto before the concentration camps are set up. His family (cousin and mother) are in hiding and must live off the kindness of others.
He lost his family- Dad, Mother, and extended family. He lost his home. He lost his friends. He lost his dignity. He lost everything. His rights have been stripped from him. He has all his humanity. He is treated less than human.
The General His story is intertwined with both the Jewish Kid and the Private. He is in charge of the Concentration Camp (Auschwitz) and in the end of the story he kills Levi because he tries to run away during the battle.
Private Tyler The Americans story shows the courage that all the Americans and allied forces had during WWII. His story starts off with the Americans on the beach of Normandy June 6, 1944. After the battle he gets orders to take over a concentration camp (Auschwitz) with his squad. He later meets up with the Russians who help him take over the concentration camp. Summary & Moral
The morale of our story is, we as people need to stand up for those who are less fortunate or are in need. When is war worth the cost, how do we resolve or prevent conflict? You cannot alway prevent war, but you can resolve problems through being aware of our global community and being a moral person. Quote- Levi It seemed like we were traveling for ever in that train. We had finally arrived at what at first looked like a train station. We are scared! We did have toilets or water. There were old people who died in the cars and it smelled so bad. I could not understand what is going on and where the Germans are taking us.? When we were let out of the train they separated the men from the women and the children stayed with their mothers. Levi
Quote- General
I look at the lifeless body of the boy, in the back of my head I feel bad. I think about home and my family I think about how they would look at me knowing I killed a kid. I decided to end my own life but right before I raised my gun to my head I felt a stinging sensation in my arm I was shot.
Final Quote by John Tyler: A few years later one by one we started to die off. The first to go was Antonio then Aldo after that it was Omar. When the war ended all that was left was Martinez, Buck and me so if you asked me if war was worth the cost I would say war is almost always worth the cost the only variable or thing to consider, is what you are willing to fight for. - John Tyler