A World At War

“We are all of us made by war, twisted and warped by war, but we seem to forget it.” - Doris Lessing

The horrors of the Holocaust have been recorded in many books, movies, and TV programs. Write down what you most clearly remember about depictions of the Holocaust. What feelings did these facts and images evoke in you? Why is it important to remember the unspeakable atrocities of the Holocaust? Finally, what can you do (no matter how small or large an effort) to help ensure “history does not repeat itself”?

from The War, by Marguerite Duras 1. How do we know that Robert suffered the same dehumanizing treatment as did Primo Levi and his Jewish colleagues? 2. Were you surprised by the order the American soldiers were given to abandon prisoners who were beyond hope? 3. Why won’t Robert L.’s wife let him have any of the sponge cake? 4. Why do you think the women are weeping after denying him the cake? Is the doctor a hero? Why or why not? Whom does Robert L. blame for his sufferings? Why do you think he does this?

“The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” - Anne Frank