Responding to a Poem

Holocaust
by Barbara Sonek

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, 
for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.




1. Construct a response to this poem using the same style and structure.


2. Be mindful of your perspective. Your poem should be from your perspective.


3. Utilise the same techniques employed by the author.


We saw, we cried
we where horrified.
You where torn from our loving arms
and alive they burned you upon a pyre.
You where nothing more than children.
You had a future. You could have become lawyers, rabbis, wives or mothers. You had dreams, they took away your hope. They stole you away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, all bunched together smothering, crying, starving, dying. disconnected from our world to be no more. From ashes, we heard your plea. This abomination to mankind must not occur again. Remember them,
for they where our children whose dreams and lives where stolen away.

Holocaust Poetry

Holocaust
by Barbara Sonek

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.


    1. What is your initial reaction to this poem?

It's horrifying. Children where taken away from their families and brutally murdered. Anyone who can't see the evil in that might as well be shot.

    2. How does the author use 'we' in this poem?

The author uses 'we' as if she herself was one of the children, giving her a connection to the slaughter going on under peoples noses. Includes all the Jews (collective Pronoun). Repetition (Emphasises the 'we').

    3. What are the verbs used in the first sentence?

Played, laughed, loved.

    4. What are the verbs used in the second sentence? How do they contrast with those used in the first sentence?

Ripped, thrown. To play, laugh and love is to be a child. If you tear them away from there families and burn them it is one of the worst crimes you can commit. To rip and through is to portray those actions. Sentence 1 is positive, sentence 2 is negative. Juxtaposition.

    5. What effect does the listing of 'lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers'? What is it meant to signify?

It makes you visualise what they could have been, giving more connection to the children. It is meant to signify the futures that could have been. Diversity of the children. All occupations help others. Forced not to do what they want.

    6. What simile is used in the poem and what effect does it have?

Like cattle. It gives the affect that the Germans thought of them as no more than animals and also the vast quantities of the children killed. Alliteration.

    7. How has the poet represented herself in the last sentence?

A child whose dream and life where stolen away. 1st person view of the situation. 'Remember us' is assertive.
    8. If you could communicate to this person, a victim of the Holocaust, what would you want to say? What do you feel that you must do in your life as a response to this poem?
I would want to apologise for all the wrongs that the Nazi's did, even though it wouldn't mean much I would try to repay them by helping other children around the world. Don't give up dreams. Not be racist as the Jews where victims of racism.

Auschwitz 65 Years Later

This is an image of Auschwitz taken 65 years after the closing of the camp. Take a moment to look at this photo and consider that approximately 1 million people were killed at this camp (that would be 1 out of every four people living in Sydney).

Key Visual Techniques

There are some powerful visual techniques being used in this photo. Take 5 minutes to point out at least 5 aspects of the photo which stand out to you and how they relate to the great anguish that was experienced at this site (create a post on your blog with the photo - don't try to copy and paste photo it won't work).

• Consider the use of vectors, line, contrast, composition, colour, and perspective (there are more techniques)
• How can the visual elements in the photo evoke empathy and reverence from a viewer?
• How is Auschwitz represented in this photo?
• Find another photo of Auschwitz that you feel has an important representation of this place that caused so much pain and destruction. Analyse the use of visual techniques which make it particularly engaging. How does it represent this location?

• The picture is dull, there are no vibrant colours, not even for the sun has any colour as it is hidden behind the clouds.
• The picture was taken at eye-level. This allows you to see the fence much further and even then it still seems to drag on endlessly because of the enormity of the camps and this picture helps to show that they didn't just do this on a whim. To build something of this size would have taken around a year so they where obviously planning to murder thousands of people.
• The bleak, colourlessness of the snow on the ground symbolizes the cold hearts of the German. They wouldn't care how much the Jews suffered. To them the Jews where nothing but animals.
• Everything is geometric. Even in a place of murder and death, which are usually horrible and messy, they still find that everything must be even.
• The whole place has no life, there are no plants, animals or people. Even the sun is not shining as brightly.
• Auschwitz is represented as a place where good men are forced to do evil things, where people suffered and died and where people place their fear.

This picture represents Auschwitz because it shows Jewish children in a concentration camp. It shows that the Germans didn't care how old you where. If you where Jewish you where in there.

The Boy in the Striped PJ's - Chapter 2

• Using quotes, how is the new house described?

Bruno see's the house as almost the exact opposite of his old house. His old house was near friends and his new house was no where near anyone. His old house was extremely big and his new house 'only' had three floors. 'Everything about it seemed to be the exact opposite of their old home and he couldn't believe that they were really going to live there.' This is a quote that describes this.

• How does it compare to the house in Berlin? How is this an example of juxtaposition?

Compared to the house in Berlin this new house is extremely isolated. In Berlin there where many houses but here there weren't houses to be seen for miles. The reason that this is an example of juxtaposition because he is comparing the two houses judging to size and population.

• How is Bruno's reaction and discussion of the new house taken by the other characters? What is ironic about the way people treat Bruno's comments regarding the new house?

He is complaining about the house and the others say it's bad even when they feel the same way. This is hypocritical. Also while he is complaining about the house thousands of people are being killed just a few hundred metres away

• Do you feel empathetic towards Bruno's new home? Why/why not?

I do not feel empathetic towards Bruno's new home. No matter what he thinks it's still a great place to live. Also there are people being killed all around but he doesn't notice because all he cares about is himself.

Boy in Striped PJ's - Chapter 1

Bruno's Voice, introduction of characters, and victims

• Describe Bruno's voice. Give examples to support.

Bruno's voice is that of a small boy . He is innocent as he has no idea about his father's job. He is given the impression that he is to be going away for only a few weeks. An example of his innocence is when he says 'Who's going to take care of it while we're gone?'

• What characters are introduced? Describe each and give examples to support.

Bruno: young innocent, no care in the world besides moving house.

His mother: kind and loving.

His father: powerful and mysterious, rude, cruel.

His sister (Gretel): cruel to Bruno and has little love showing for him.

His three friends(Martin, Daniel and Karl): not much is told about them, they are assumed to be good friends of Bruno.

His house maid (Maria): unimportant, blend into the background, not treated with respect.

The butler: doesn't speak unless spoken to, not treated with respect.

• Who are presented as victims in this chapter and what are the victims of? Do you think that it is fair to consider them victims?

Bruno and his sister. No it is not fair to consider them as victims because all that's happened to them is that they have to move house while other's are dying.

• Irony is an important element of the story. How is it used here in the first chapter? Give examples to support your answer.

Irony in the first chapter is created by Bruno thinking that the family is just going away for a couple of weeks, and that he has no idea about the job which his father completes. 

• How is the setting presented in this chapter?

It's a nice house, which is really big. There are places in the house that he is forbidden to go into. He loves his grand-parents. His favourite thing in his house is a banister.

Finding Visual Techniques - Life is Beautiful

key words/focus:
camera angle (low, high, eye-level), vectors, lighting, composition


(4:20) How are camera angles used when Joshua says 'Thank you' (not in German)? Which angles are used to view each of the characters? What does each of these angle signify?

High angle for Joshua and low angle for the German. The low angle makes the person seem taller and more powerful while a high angle makes the person seem small and insignificant.


(4:45) What shot distance and angle is used to show Guido's concern for Joshua when the German waiter leaves the room? Describe the composition)

Eye-level angle, medium shot. This allows for people to see how he feels through his facial expressions and also his body language. He is tense as he fears for his son's life.


(4:46) How is shot of Guido contrasted to the shot of the German waiter walking away to tell someone what has just happened? Describe the composition and compare it to the previous shot of a concerned Guido.

The German is the focal point, there are horizontal and vertical lines that make the place seem geometrical. Guido's shot is asymmetrical. It shows the difference between the Nazi's (tough, order) and those that fear them (weak, disorderly).


(5:02-05) How is the shot of the German's contrasted to that of Guido teaching the children to say 'Thank You'?


Guido teaching the children is at a high angle and the Germans are at a low level. The Germans are stiff and rigid while Guido is portraying emotion.

HW: How are visual techniques utilised to evoke empathy from the audience and clearly delineate (indicate) who are the heros, villains, and victims in this scene?


Joshua looks cute and he feel sorry for him as his innocence and ignorance is made obvious.

Donald Duck in 'Der Fueherer's Face'

1. How are the Germans (and Japanese) portrayed in the opening sequence? How is irony created?         They where fat or deformed in some way even though they believed that they are better than everyone else. The entire song they where singing made it seem like they where superior but really they weren't.
2. How is propaganda and the effect of propaganda portrayed with the introduction of Donald Duck?               The Germans are the master race and the Nazi sign is everywhere and even the clock does the master salute.
3. How is irony continued into the breakfast scene?                                                                                 The people even though part of the 'master race' they are treated like the Jews at the concentration camp
4. How is Naxi Germany portrayed in the opening shot at 3:30?                                                                  Geometric, and red to symbolize evil.
5. What is ironic about the song lyrics regarding work and what is happening in the scene?                          They say they'll never be slaves and Donald duck is being treated like a slave.
6. What does the conveyor belt portray regarding the lifestyle of Germans?                                                Mechanical, full of work and all that they are really there for is to help the Nazi's win the war.
7. Why do you think that there aren't actually any people that force Donald to work? We only see the ends of bayonets and a speaker.                                                                                                                       If you don't see there faces they don't draw attention to them and they seem above Donald. It also makes it seem like it's the entire race instead of a few people.
8. What is ironic about the vacation?                                                                                                         It wasn't even a vacation. Throughout it he was forced to work and exercise to exaustion.
9. In the dream sequence, how are the Germans portrayed? Why?                                                              The Germans are displayed as bullets or really weapons, because the Germans are actually just weapons to Hitler, waiting to be used.
10. What do the pyjamas when we see Donald in his bed tell us?                                                                  It shows that he is an American citizen because they are stereotypical American pyjamas.
11. What is the Statue of Liberty used to convey?                                                                                       The Statue of liberty also conveys that he is American but being the statue of liberty it shows that he should be free.
12. How is Hilter portrayed at the end of the film? What is it about his face that is important?                          Hitler is only seen by his face, It is important because it shows that even his face would be worshipped, such as at the beginning when Donald says "hail hitler' every time a picture of his face showed up on the conveyor belt.
13. Why is this a representation of propaganda? Why is it actually ironic considering the way the Nazi's are portrayed?                                                                                                                                         He is the face of the Nazi's, when we think of Nazi's we see him and the Nazi's themselves are really a force hiding behind him.
14. Who are the villains, victims, and heroes?                                                                                                Villains are Nazi's/Hitler, the victim is Donald duck and you could almost say that the hero was the realisation that the whole experience was just a dream, even though it is not a physical entity.
15. How are the portrayed?                                                                                                                         The Nazi's are portrayed as fat disfigured people and Donald is depicted as a hard working citizen.
16. What can you conclude about how these characters are portrayed knowing that this was produced in 1943 USA? (write a short essay including a discussion of the director's use of film techniques.)                          It is used to say 'Hey, look at how much better we are then these Nazi's, their own people hate them. Help us win the war!'