Elli 2 Essay, Research Paper

Elli Essay

Throughout the duration of the novel “Elli”, readers are divided between thinking whether it was Ellis Jewish faith, which aided her survival or other factors, which kept her alive. Some situations, which seem to convey that Ellis faith was an essential ingredient for her survival, include that her strong belief in Judaism kept her going by giving her something for her to strive for including observing festivals and Jewish occasions. An additional determining factor concerning Ellis Jewish faith is that she felt proud to be a Jew during the period when she lived in the ghetto, this in-turn established her Jewish faith to last throughout the tormenting years. This Jewish faith initiated hope and initiative. It can also be seen that factors other than Ellis Jewish faith enabled her to survival throughout her ordeal. This statement is evident in both situations, when Ellis life was spared by the German soldier due to her beautiful hair as well as when she admitted that “If mother were to died, I won’t be able to maintain my will to survive”.

Without Ellis continual enthusiasm towards the observance of Jewish festivals, she would have had absolutely nothing to look forward to and in-turn it would have eventuated in a loss of faith and maybe even death. Without a doubt, this characteristic of hers was imperative for her survival. Elli and some fellow room- mates, went to great lengths to create an atmosphere which was even remotely related to Chanukah. A look out person was assigned in the room as well as one outside the corridor and apparatus including potatoes, oil and threads of wool was gathered. They chopped the potatoes into halves, used the oil in small quantities and even made candle- wicks out of wool from their blankets. This perseverance expressed by the inmates is truly remarkable and symbolizes just how important, a glimpse of a Chanukah ceremony was. The inmates, who weren’t observant could not “identify with the hope the historical Jewish holiday Chanukah offers, commemorating liberation from foreign oppression” Elli was privileged in that she was able to identify with this significant hope. This dramatically boosted her chance of survival.

Ellis survival during the holocaust is partially do to Elli beginning to be proud to be a Jew this originated within the walls of the Nagymagyar ghetto before she was surrounded by massive persecution. It was extremely important to feel like you fit in with the Jewish community and this exactly what Elli achieved. Elli commented about the ghetto in the following way “I like it all. I am a part of every life. And every life is partly mine, I cease to be an individual. I am a limb of a larger body. In this I find solace”. This feeling that Elli expresses is an important attribute towards her survival, as you had probably had a better chance of survival by feeling close to the religion and community, not letting your faith be taken away like all your other possessions. Rather than blaming and mocking the religion for the trauma it has made you to endure. This relates to faith in that when you are proud to be a Jew and feel that you fit it, it gives the impression that your Jewish faith is an unbreakable bond, your last existing tie to something when all else has failed. She became more optimistic via this communal atmosphere and it dramatically helped her in the long run as it made her belief last on the long- run.

A situation, which totally contradicts Ellis faith being responsible for her survival is apparent when Elli is chosen for the line of Jews, which would be spared from the gas chambers. Elli being spared is purely to do with luck as she was chosen because she was attractive with long blonde, gold hair. “You go with your mother. With his riding stick he parts Szeren neni from my mothers embrace and gently shoves mummy and me to the group moving to the right” ‘Go, and remember, from now on you are sixteen’ Girls in her age group weren’t supposed to be chosen for this line, but she was. Her Jewish faith wasn’t the savior behind this choice and therefore wasn’t as much as determining factor in her life as luck was in this situation. Elli also received privileges because of her looks in the ghetto, when the young Hungarian soldier rescued her poems, which were destined to be burnt. Even though after the Holocaust she did not attempt to recover these poems, this is another strong example of her looks as well as luck coming in handy.

A further incident, which is conclusive evidence behind other factors being more influential in Ellis survival than Jewish faith, is obvious when Elli made a comment concerning her mother. Elli remarked the following comment during a period of time when her mother was in quite a critical condition “If mother were to die, I won’t be able to maintain my will to survive”. This clearly emphasizes that factors other than Ellis Jewish faith were more significant in Elli surviving the holocaust.

From compiling the evidence supporting both sides above, it is quite obvious that Ellis Jewish faith was by no means as crucial as other factors namely luck, perseverance and courage. This book teaches readers many aspects of the harsh daily life and the terrible tormenture, which Jews during the second world war had to endure. No matter what your point of view is concerning this essay’s topic, this book is without a doubt an extremely well written novel and really enlightens readers in a very strong and meaningful way.