English Holiday HW

Arshiya.
S 12/19/23
1. Find a section of your book which uses imagery or figurative language. Cite the examples
and explain the effect they had.
Throughout the first chapter of the book, we see a lot of descriptive writing and imagery. Visual imagery is
used in the following lines: “He hears the grumbling of empty stomachs and the rasping of dry windpipes.
He smells piss and shit and the odors of bodies too long unwashed. The men take advantage of not being
thrown around to rest without the need to push and shove for a piece of turf. More than one head now
rests on Lale. Loud noises come from a few wagons back, gradually creeping closer. The men there
have had enough, and they are going to attempt an escape. Throwing themselves against the wooden
sides of the wagon and banging on what must be one of the shit buckets rouses everyone. Before long
every wagon erupts, attacked from within” (lines 15-21, chapter 1.) The author describes the gruesome
and disgusting sights of the concentration camp and really lets the reader envision themselves being
there with Lale. Another literary device that is used in the book is symbolism. The tatooing system in
Auschwitz attempts to uncover broader and deeper themes. “Tattooing the arms of men is one thing;
defiling the bodies of young girls is horrifying.” (Prologue) Here, the author could possibly be talking about
dehumanization and the loss of one’s identity. These are two examples of how imagery and figurative
language are used in the book.
2. How has the author developed the main character(s)? Give specific examples as to how
you get insight into their personality/perspectives.
Lale Sokolov, the main character of the book, starts off as a young Slovakian Jew who has been
transported to an Auschwitz concentration camp during WWII. Throughout the story, Lale faces
tremendous obstacles in the path of living to see another day. As the book progresses, Lale learns how to
adapt to his environment, becomes more resilient and compassionate, and finally faces moral dilemmas
to question ethics and what is right. At the beginning of the book, Lale is an unbothered young man who
just wants to get this trial over with. This can be seen towards the beginning of the chapter, when Lale is
being taken to the camp: “Lale rattles across the countryside, keeping his head up and himself to himself.
The 24-year-old sees no point in getting to know the man beside him, who occasionally nods off against
his shoulder; Lale doesn't push him away. He's just one among countless men stuffed into wagons
designed to transport livestock.” Here, Lale doesn't care much about anyone or anything, but Heather
Morris (the author of the book) constantly puts Lale in situations where he chooses to change who he is
for the better. When he meets the love of his life, Gita, he changes his view of everything he has done.
From a man who didn’t care to a man who smuggled food into the camp and distributed it to his friends
and people in need while putting himself at risk with the Nazis. “The thing is,” Jakub says, “I can’t let you
give me any names.” Lale stares, confused. “You were kind to me and I will make the beating look worse
than it is, but I will kill you before I let you tell me a name. I want as little innocent blood on my hands as
possible,” Jakub explains. “Oh, Jakub. I never imagined this would be the work they found for you. I’m so
sorry.” “If I must kill one Jew to save ten others, then I will.” (Chapter 19.) Here, we can clearly see that
Arshiya.S 12/19/23
Lale deeply cares for all those around him, and this truly shows his character development over the
course of the book.
3. Target one theme the author is developing throughout your book and explain how they
address this theme. (Remember: theme is different from the plot! Examples could be love,
justice, human nature, perseverance, etc.).
The author of “The Tatooist of Auchwitz," Heather Morris, portrays various different concepts and themes
throughout the book. Some of these themes could be: surviving and morality; the effects of faith, love, and
optimism; and finally, sacrifices and unity through hardships. All of these ideas are well portrayed
throughout the book, with the implementation of many different characters and situations that contribute to
these concepts. One theme that particularly stood out to me was: “the effects of faith, love, and optimism.”
One line in the book where this theme can be seen is: “As they disappear into the darkness, Lale makes
a vow to himself: I will live to leave this place. I will walk out a free man. If there is a hell, I will see these
murderers burn in it. He thinks of his family back in Krompachy and hopes that his presence here is at
least saving them from a similar fate.” (chapter 1, lines 32-35.) From the previously quoted text, we can
see that even though Lale was a tatooist in the grieving camp of Auchwitz, his optimism to leave the camp
and punish those who captured him never ended. His faith in himself and his optimism to wake up to see
another day are incredibly well portrayed here.

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