4.2 Gonzalez-Rychener. Rebels’ Gradient: A Comparison of Different Kinds of Rebels and Rebellion in Epics sins. Primo Levi has a different viewpoint; he writes, “...I can affirm that you did well, in this situation, to refuse your pardon to the dying man. You did well because it was the lesser evil: you could only have forgiven him by lying or by inflicting upon yourself a terrible moral violence” (pg 191). This is apparent by Wiesenthal’s restlessness; he did not listen to the story in complacent silence, he was deeply uncomfortable the entire time. He is already wracked with guilt, to the point of visiting the Nazi’s mother after the war. If Wiesenthal went the route of forgiving the man, the reaction would cause himself further pain, which is the greater evil. Levi continues, “The act of ‘having a Jew brought to him’ seems to me at once childish and impudent. . . Did Himmler not believe something similar when he ordered the suspension of the Lager massacres. . . ?” (pg 192). This connection is the strongest point of the argument, solidifying the Nazi’s utter disrespect for human life. The demand to talk to anyone about his experience hints to the idea that he is motivated by a desire to repent for fear of imminent death. Would he acknowledge his crimes if he continued living?
39
camp for being a Polish Catholic. In the grand scheme of things, it is unrealistic, borderline nonviable, to hold one person or nation responsible in the legal sense. However, it is well understood among citizens of Germany that they are responsible for what happened during the Holocaust. This generation is not guilty of any crime, but bear the burden of reckoning with their past to come to terms with the atrocities committed by their fore-bearers. I don’t hold any German personally responsible, but I maintain that this genocide was perpetrated by an entire country, with many other complicit countries. A question brought up in a past discussion stuck with me: how was an entire nation and people readily willing to kill? For crimes as hatefully motivated and as systematically perpetrated as ones committed by the Nazis, forgiveness is not an option. The time to reprieve was years ago, before the first act of genocide was committed, before it was conceived. It is unfair to appeal to the descendants of survivors to take decisive action or on behalf of their relatives. The time for repentance is now and a forevercontinuous undertaking. As a community, the world is rightfully beyond forgiving. There can only be understanding of the past, how Germans today are responsible, and a desire to uphold the legacy of those who fought back and condemn those who murdered for a living.
While I have not personally met a survivor, my generation will likely be the last to have that opportunity. Nonetheless, I have a personal connection to the Holocaust. I recently learned that my great uncle was killed in a concentration camp. My mom always says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time whenever I bring up the Reference topic, but I’ve never been satisfied with that. I do firmly [1] Simon Wiesenthal. The Sunflower. Schocken (cited believe my great uncle was intentionally sent to a death on page 38).
4.2 Rebels’ Gradient: A Comparison of Different Kinds of Rebels and Rebellion in Epics By Vanessa Gonzalez-Rychener ’24 Nothing monumental ever happens without someone doing something against the rules or norms, and because this is such a vital element of change, it is also a vital element of stories. The novels Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera [1] and The Odyssey [2] by Homer are very different, yet their protagonists are both rebellious. In The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, is on a journey to return home from the Trojan war. On his way, he encounters many challenges and creates quite a few challenges for himself. The way he combats these obstacles is through rebellion (in the form of trespassing on property, killing people, etcetera) and enlisting the help of the gods – who favor him greatly. In Signs, Makina is on a journey from Mexico to the United States illegally to find her brother and bring him home. The story is also an allegory for the Aztec underworld, where each level corresponds to one chapter in the book. In this book, the journey itself is an act of rebellion, but there are many specific cases where Makina’s rebellion shows in other
ways too – such as standing up to sexual harrassment and helping those who have previously hurt her. According to the Cambridge English dictionary, the definition of rebellion is “action against those in authority, against the rules, or against normal and accepted ways of behaving” [3]. While rebellion is often used to describe the breaking of rules and the disregard for authority (both of which are blatantly present in Signs especially), the third part of the definition – going against societal norms – is displayed again and again as Makina navigates the macho crime world. The definition of rebellion almost every dictionary has very closely matches Makina’s journey, but Odysseus’ journey is a less close fit. These definitions, however, leave those in power in charge of setting the standard for rebellion. How can authority rebel from authority, or the norm-maker rebel from norms? In order to fully hold powerful people accountable, I will be using a slightly different definition: “action against those in authority, against the rules, against morals, or against
