This Way For the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen. By: Tadeusz Borowski

This Way For the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen.By: Tadeusz Borowski

First, A Bit of Background… on the Holocaust • The Holocaust refers to a time of persecution and extermination of the European Jews by Nazi Germany • Hitler rose to power in 1933 • Jews were then disenfranchised, then terrorized and forced into ghettos, their property was seized and finally they were sent to the concentration camps

Biography • Tadeusz Borowski (1922-1951) • A Polish short story writer and poet • In 1926 his father was sent to an Artic labor camp • four years later his mother was transported to Siberia • Borowski was raised by an aunt • Family reunited in 1939

Borowski was prohibited by the Nazi’s to attend school so he studied on his own. • He was arrested sometime around 1942 and transported to Auschwitz • Borowski remained in Auschwitz and Dachau for 2 years • In 1946 he was released and sent back to Poland

1948 Joined the Communist Party as a journalist in Warsaw • Committed suicide 3 years later

Characters • HENRI- A fat, jolly, Frenchman and member of Canada • CANADA- the labor gang, or Kommando, their job is to unload the transports of people destined for the gas chamber • TRANSPORTS- Jews destined for the gas chamber or work camps • GREEKS- other prisoners and workers in the camp

YOUNG BLOND GIRL- comes in on one of the transports, she asks the narrator what will happen and tells him she knows the truth. She does not allow herself to be chosen for the work camp, but places herself in the trucks headed for the gas chambers. • VORARBEITER TADEUSZ- a polish prisoner in the camp. Normally does not work w/the transports. At first he is unaffected by the behavior towards the Jews, but he eventually cannot handle the brutality and views the camp as a safe haven of peace.

ANDREI- a Russian sailor and member of ‘Canada’ he attacks a woman who is trying to deny her child to avoid the gas chamber. Through this behavior he wins the approval of the SS officers

Heroic Quest *Ordinary World -Eating with Henry -wanting a new pair of shoes and a new shirt *Call to Adventure -Being in the concentration camp (no choice) -Joining the Canada team in unloading the new transports

*Trials -Unloading the transports -seeing the prisoners maltreatment- how the young ones go to the work camp and the older ones go to the gas chamber *Approaching the Inmost Cave -the Young Blond Girl asks him what is happening- he cannot tell her. She defiantly walks to the trucks and therefore the gas chamber

*Ordeal -Henri asks Tadeusz if he has his new shoes, Tadeusz tells him to leave it he doesn’t want the shoes he just wants to go back to the camp. *Reward -is disgusted by his behavior and now views camp as a haven of peace

Hope Pride Greed Survival Reality Desensitization What home means Acceptance Enduring Resign to fate Conformity Assimilation surviving Themes

Discussion • why did the author insist on using other languages throughout the story? • they talk about food a lot and use very descriptive words why would that be? • on page 195 the blond girl that is dressed nice and has a watch on what do you think is significant about that?

Discussion • on page 198 the character talks about the camp being a haven of peace why do you think it is significant ? • at the last paragraph the Germans are singing why would they sing and what does it mean?

The ShawlBy: Cynthia Ozick

Won the O. Henry Prize Story competition multiple publications in the Best American Short Stories anthologies and the American Academy of Arts Award for Literature Has written various novels, essays, plays, and short stories There is a sequel to “The Shawl” titled “Rosa” which is a novel Born in NYC Raised in the Bronx Attended a Jewish school (education of girls was not valued) Was often teased and rejected by other kids because of her Jewish heritage These experiences were the inspiration for her writings Biography

Biography • “After a certain number of years, our faces become our biographies.” ~Cynthia Ozick

Characters • Rosa- The Hero of the story. Mother of Magda and aunt of Stella. She sacrifices her food and warmth to keep Magda alive and safe. • Magda- baby whose life is sustained only by the sacrifices made by Rosa. She is carried in the shawl • Stella- jealous of the support that Magda receives and plots against the baby

Heroic Quest Outline • Ordinary World - Everyday life in the camp • Call to Adventure - Surviving in the camp and keeping Magda hidden • Trials - Hidding Magda as she begins to walk - Not having enough food - Stella stealing the shawl - Magda being found and killed

Inmost Cave - Magda wanders off and Rosa can do nothing - Magda is thrown into the electrical fence • Return - Rosa accepts that she cannot save Magda • Transformation - Being consoled by the shawl - Not having to care for Magda or hide her anymore

Themes • Survival • Obsession • Suffering

Discussion • Do you think the shawl is symbolic of some other element? What could it mean? • Why is the title “The Shawl’ so important? • What do you think about “the voices” that are mentioned? • How could Rosa drink Magda’s Shawl “until it dried”? • Do you think you would have acted more like Rosa or Stella in these circumstances?

Short Stories Recruits by Eloise Holland Days at Auschwitz: Extracts from the diary of SS Dr. Johann Kremer Novels “Rosa” by Cynthia Ozick Related Stuff

This Way For the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen. By: Tadeusz Borowski