Monday, May 25, 2009

The Boy Who Dared pages 40 to 60

As we continue on this remarkable journey with Hulmeth, we follow him once again with him into his past in the year 1938 and graduated from primary school and started at the Oberbau, the middle school at Barackdamm. As Hulmeth begins his new year in a new school he sees that most of the other boys in the class wear Hitler Youth uniforms. Hulmeth also meets his new teacher, who's name is Herr Vinke. Hulmeth also quickly relies how Hitler is not only aiming to teach his new ways of thinking to adults but also to students, as his teacher introduces a new curriculum "That surpasses anything of its kind in history." Hulmeth also learns fast that in order to get a good grade in school he must unwillingly write about Hitler and how he is a blessing to the fatherland. Because of Hitlers reign he has taken over the school and this troubles Hulmeth. Hulmuth also becomes even more confused as he knows that he is supposed to support his country but somehow the Nazi make him fell dark and make everyone seem inferior to them.

As we continue the journey into Hulmeth past we discover that internally he struggles more and more everyday trying to figure out what is right and what is wrong. His head seems to spin because of the very many bias and different opinion about Hitler, and the inforced ideas that he brings into the school.Then in the spring of 1938, Austria becomes reunited with Germany, and almost immediately following this historic event a Nazi official or an SS officer comes to recruit the rest of the boys in Hulmeths class that are not already in the Hitler Youth. As Hulmeth is questioned about his ancestral tree to assure that he does not have one single drop of Jewish blood in him he learns from the SS officer that his mother boyfriend Hugo is know as a very good Nazi. This causes Hulmeth to dislike him even more.

As Hulmeth drifts back from his brief flashback and into his present state and situation we learn that Hulmuth is infact in a prison. A guard comes knocking on his door to take him out for exercise time,along with a few other prisoners. A Hulmeth does what he is told by the guard he drifts off to his past again .

This time it is the summer of 1938 and the city becomes more discriminatory against Jews, forbidding them to enter certain places and restricting and limiting there ability to go many places. Sign's forbidding Jews to enter are even hung at Hulmeths church as the prieasts and prisoners fear that the Nazi will come to deal with the matter in a brute and violent way as many they usually do. As everyone knows the Nazi watch everything, places people work , churches, and schools. The Hitler Youth meetings that Hulmeth must attend are now taking up most of his time and limits him from seeing his good friend Rudi Wobbe. A new idea forms in Hulmuths head now and he trusts his good friend and shares with him the idea of becoming detectives who solve real crimes. Rudi agrees with this idea as he despises the Nazi and teams on with Hulmeth to accept this challenge.

As the book progresses Hulmuth starts to get the idea that the Nazi are not good people. He beings slowly and steps out of his shell by forming his own opinion about them. In each new even that takes place Hulmeth begins to dislike the Nazi even more. I still think that it will take some more time for Hulmeth to come out openly and rebel against the Nazi, but with his friend Rudi by his side and as he gets older and understands the problems all around him more clearly he will soon realise that what Hitler is doing is wrong.

Many of us face challenging tasks in our every day lives but usually with the help of our trustworthy friends we can stand on our own two feet and they can stand behind us to support us in out beliefs. In times of struggle we should consider ourselves luck to have a friend standing by our side and helping us to do what is right. Hulmeth was very blessed to have a friends like that and that is probably what is helping him take a stand and truly relies what is going on. Friends are a truly great blessing in our lives and apparently in Hulmeths life to.

The Boy Who Dared pages 20 to 40

As the book progresses Hulmuth once again goes back into a flashback during which time we see once again that Hulmeth is beginning to see the terrible things that the Nazi are starting to do to the Jews. Now suddenly Hulmeth begins to see how Jews are beginning to be discriminated against. Hulmeth takes us back to a time in his childhood when he was in school and a young Jewish boy in his class is being picked n by his teacher. Hulmeth sees how his German teacher twists his Jewish students words to portray him to the class as untrustworthy. The teacher tells the class that Germany must defend themselves against the the Jews worldwide plot to take over Germany. The teacher also makes false remarks such as saying that the Jewish are trying to boycott everything German and that the Germans should do the same to the Jewish.

As Hulmeth Continues his regular day to day life, he begins to see more discrimination against the Jews. Another time Hulmeths mom Mutti asked him to get pie crust from a Jewish bakery but when Hulmeth arrived he found a disturbing scene. He sees many men in brown and black uniforms plastering posters and banners on the walls of the many different Jewish shops reading" GERMANS! DO NOT BUY FROM JEWS! WORLD JEWRY IS OUT TO DESTROY US! There are also Hitler Youth participating in this.

The Nazi behaviour surprises and disgusts Hulmeth he begins to see that What Hitler is doing to the people of Germany and that he is beginning to poison there minds with his evil thinking. Mutti, Hulmeths mother is outraged with this and comments that she should be able to by her food from whatever store she want. No one should tell her what and when to do anything. Hulmeth begins to see more people talking about how Hitler is taking away the freedom of Germany. But Hugo, Mutti's new boyfriend who is a committed Nazi disagrees and persists that Hitler will bring peace and prosperity to the fatherland , and to Hulmeth's disapointment his mother decides to move the family into a new flat that is bigger and far away from his granparents with Hugo. Hulmeth is still unsure of Hitlers motives and is starting to question his judgement and actions against the Jews.

We are once again taken back within Hulmeths mind into his present situation where he sits in the prison listening to the outside world. Then we here the footsteps of a guard and Hulmeth relaxes a little when the guard goes to the door a couple away from his cell. Hulmeth hears the guards shrill voice say o his neighbouring prisoner "Come with us ", "It is time" Hulmeth knows in his mind that his fellow prisoner is going to bee hanged and as he is killed Hulmeth bows his head and prays for another soul that has been killed and thanks the lord that it was not his time . During this time in the book we begin to understand more about where Hulmeth is and what probably will happen to him. I predict that Hulmeth will eventually be killed, but I think that he is in prison because he rebelled against Hitler and the Nazi Regine because Hulmeth is beginning to see and understand that Hitler is not a good leader and is only looking out for his best interests.

This part in Hulmeth's life reminds me of the struggles that people face everyday such as bullying. Sometimes like Hulmeth we are unsure of what is wrong and what is right. And like many other people very few of us have the courage and bravery to stand up for what they believe is right. Even though or circumstances may not be as detrimental as Hulmeths It still will eventually end up in the same conclusion. That is if we continue to watch the bad things that are happening in the world and do nothing about it it will only get worse and then we cant help anyone not even ourselves. Many of us struggle everyday with trying to make some of the same decisions that Hulmeth faced as a young boy.

Friday, May 22, 2009

The Boy Who Dared pages 1 to 20

In the first 20 pages of the book we are introduced to the protagonist of the story, a boy named Helmuth Hubner Who is 17 years old and being held in some kind of prison. Not many details are given to us about where Helmuth is exactly or why he is there but we begin to go with him on a journey into his past when he was a young boy before he was put into prison. Frequently during this chapter Helmuth drifts back in a flashback to his past giving us a look into his life During the time that Adolf Hitler was coming into power.

We first learn about Helmuths family when he describes his mother Mutti, and his two older brothers Hans and Gerhard. Helmuth lives in a Small flat with his mother and brothers while his Oma and Opa, (grandparents) live next door to them. We discover earlier on in the book that as a young boy Helmuth is a strong willed and independent child. He also shows great interest in fighting for the fatherland even though he does not know much about what is going on around him. Helmuth who is only the age of about seven attends local German school. During which time Hitler is elected into power. From Helmuths understanding Adolf Hitler will get Germany out of the mess that it is in and save the fatherland. During this time Helmuth See's problems beginning to arise since Hitler came into power. He sees that the Jews are beginning to be put down and discriminated against as the Nazis, the antagonists of the story, begin to take over Germany.

As time passes more problems begin to arise as Hitler gains more power. Helmuths grandparents also become upset and discuss in front of Helmuth between each other about how Hitler is starting to take the Germans rights away and and is all to protect them. Helmuth hears his grandma tell his grandfather how Hitler scares her and that he seems very evil and conniving. Just as we follow Helmuth back to his past we also stay with him in his future. He often drifts back and forth from both times, and in the present Helmuth fears for his life everyday because he does not know when he will be killed by his captors.

This book reminds me of my grandparents from Germany because they were born around the same time as Helmuth was and probably experienced the same things that Helmuth did. Although not much information is given yet about where Helmuth is I believe that my grandparents went through the same things as he did as they were both placed in concentration camps, but luckily for a short period of time. As I begin to read this book and take a look into Helmuths past as a young boy and in his present as a young man at the age of 17, I begin to get somewhat of a vague idea of what my grandparents endured during the reign of Hitler. This book reminds of just how much Hitler caused people so much suffering and pain.

I predict that As a young boy Helmuth will grow older and soon learn just how bad Hitler is. I still think that he will want to fight for the fatherland but I do not believe that he will publicly rebel against Hitler but just in secret among a small group of other people. I think that as a character and with the influence of others Helmuth will become more and more daring and start to rebel against the Nazi Regine.