Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Identity
When watching the Europa Europa film today I was a bit shocked. Joseph(I think he's called Joseph) went from a Jew to a Bolshevik and then to a Nazi. How he managed to get by with all his lies astounded me. Even his hesitations during his responses were taken as further proof of his identity. He even burned his papers after the Germans accepted him. To me that identity is the most important possession to hold on to; however in times of needs identity no longer matters as much. Identity was the cause of your tortures and death. Classification was the most important aspect of identity. A Jew was lying manipulative person; a Bolshevik was a crazy person who looked up to an insane leader, and a Nazi was a cruel killing machine who had no heart. Those were the typical beliefs enemies seemed to hold against each other. An individual's origin or looks immediately placed you in a particular section. No "good" section ever existed for all people. Joseph recognized this and constantly switched identities when among different peers. If you're with your family you're a Jew; among Bolsheviks you were a Bolshevik. It was that simple. To see Joseph manage to get away with all those identity swaps amazed me. His ability to do so surprised me even more. Identity is unique to one person which is why it can be two edged sword. It can kill you or it can save you. You are who you are, but you can always disguise yourself.
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I was also astounded, and at times pretty impressed, by Josef's ability to switch sides. Loyalty, beliefs, religion-none of this mattered anymore as the instinct for survival kicked in. Josef's story only strengthens the observations we have encountered in our previously read novels. In Night, as well as in Nightfather and MAUS I, the need to survive took top priority for the Jews in the ghettos. They put aside morals and severed family ties in an almost 'animalistic' desire to live. Josef does the same in his situation. He pretends that he is an orphan, metaphorically burying his parents and his past, in order to avoid being deported or killed. He switches sides, being a Bolshevik one moment and a Hitler youth the next. To him, survival has established itself as more important than anything else at the moment, as he subdues his beliefs, and as you said, Nadine, his entire identity in order to keep on living.
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