Since Trudi is a dwarf, I thought it would be nice to learn more about the conditions and symptoms of dwarfism and what it is. The link below gives more information on the different kinds of dwarves and their medical conditions.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dwarfism/DS01012/DSECTION=symptoms
Monday, February 16, 2009
More About Bullying
In this book, Trudi gets bullied by other children and adults. I think it's important that everyone should be treated equally and with respect. That's why I chose the following link to include in this post. It talks about bullying and how to know if you are a bully or being bullied. It offers help and also has some cool games.
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/15plus/teens/
http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/15plus/teens/
Archetypal Settings and Events
The hardships that Trudi had to face, such as her mother and her many friends that died, could be seen as rites of initiation. At some point in our lives, we all experience that same feeling and emotion. Her journey could be how she finds herself and accepts her heighth.
The sea represents the chaos of the war and the deaths that have occurred.
The sea represents the chaos of the war and the deaths that have occurred.
Archetypes
The main character, Trudi, would have to be a seeker. She lives her life trying to find her true being. Trudi always wanted to be normal like other people, but came to love her difference. She could also be seen as an innocent because she found who she really was by accident after many years of trying to be normal.
The unknown benefactor, Emil Hesping, could be seen as a caregiver because he helped families in time of need. When somebody needed something, he was always there to give a secret gift that would help.
Leo and Trudi could also be seen as heroes. They helped to hide fugitives from the Nazis in times of need. They fed and sheltered them, even though they were risking their own lives in the process.
Hitler could be seen as a hero or a villian; depending on which way you look at it. Some believe he was doing good by providing new jobs and providing food for the people, but others see him as a villain because he is cruel and a killer.
The unknown benefactor, Emil Hesping, could be seen as a caregiver because he helped families in time of need. When somebody needed something, he was always there to give a secret gift that would help.
Leo and Trudi could also be seen as heroes. They helped to hide fugitives from the Nazis in times of need. They fed and sheltered them, even though they were risking their own lives in the process.
Hitler could be seen as a hero or a villian; depending on which way you look at it. Some believe he was doing good by providing new jobs and providing food for the people, but others see him as a villain because he is cruel and a killer.
Judgement
I thought this book was pretty good, although I was often depressed throughout it. The things that happened in the book were real things that were actually happening during this time all throughout World War I and World War II. I recommend this book to readers that are not easily depressed and like survival/war stories. I, personally, was very sad when I read it, but it helped me to appreciate who I am and where I live. I'm glad that I don't have to live with the struggles and discrimination that Trudi had to live with.
Best and Worst Parts
There are many good and bad things about this book. The best part about it is that, I think, everyone can relate to it in some way. During our lives we all lose someone that is very near and dear to us. It helps us to appreciate our lives as they are now because things have changed since the early 1900's. We are judged less on appearances and more on personality. There isn't as much racial conflict, and that helps to appreciate the story and how things were.
There are also many bad parts about this book. There are so many deaths and discrimination. I, often times, felt that America was fighting fire with fire. They were supposed to be helping the people and treat them with respect, but sometimes they could be cruel. I felt like that every time I got close to a character, they died. It was a rather depressing book.
There are also many bad parts about this book. There are so many deaths and discrimination. I, often times, felt that America was fighting fire with fire. They were supposed to be helping the people and treat them with respect, but sometimes they could be cruel. I felt like that every time I got close to a character, they died. It was a rather depressing book.
Conflict and Resolution
The conflict in this book would have to be the fact that Trudi is a dwarf. She is treated differently than other people, and this angers her. She lives her life trying to find a way to fit in, but, instead, finds a way to love who she is; different. She takes her life experiences and learns from them helping her to cope with her size. She finally meets a man that she falls in love with and who truly loves her back. He loves her for what's inside; not her appearance.
Character Development
Trudi experienced many changes during her lifetime. She was always an outcast because of her size and knew that she was judged based on conformity. She hated children when they wouldn't include her in games. She would plot revenge against them and then hate herself for it. Once she made friends, she became a much happier person, but once they betrayed her she would loathe them and make elaborate stories to hurt them in some way. That one fateful day in the barn, with the four boys, changed her life in so many ways. Not only was she vengeful, but she learned to take that experience and turn it into something good. It helped her realize that she was a person to and they knew it. She also learned that you have to take the bad things that happen life. Without them, life would be full of lies and you would never learn how to react in the future. Her dwarfism made her strong.
500 Page Update!
Now, Klaus' wife, Jutta, was pregnant. She had a girl that they named Hanna. Trudi came to love the girl so much and wished she was her own. She offered to take care of little Hanna while Jutta did her painting. Trudi was always sad that she could never have a child of her own with Max gone, and Trudi's father realized this. He did not like that she became so close with Hanna, so Trudi decided to keep some distance between them.
Trudi's father was getting rather old and weak. Trudi did most of the work in the pay library while he read. He was constantly in pain and the doctor had to come over daily to give him shots. One day, Trudi cooked him a very nice meal. He died the following day. His funeral was the largest funeral Trudi had ever been to, and she had been to many. So many people admired her father and his bravery. He was a kind man that everybody liked. Trudi lived the rest of her life with her memories of him.
Trudi's father was getting rather old and weak. Trudi did most of the work in the pay library while he read. He was constantly in pain and the doctor had to come over daily to give him shots. One day, Trudi cooked him a very nice meal. He died the following day. His funeral was the largest funeral Trudi had ever been to, and she had been to many. So many people admired her father and his bravery. He was a kind man that everybody liked. Trudi lived the rest of her life with her memories of him.
450 Page Update!
People always told Trudi to focus on the positive things in life and it's not good to dwell on the things that were terrible, but it's not like Trudi liked to bring about terrible things, but she understood that no one could escape the responsibility of having lived in this time.
Georg returned from the war. During this point in his life, he had a wife and two twin daughters. He drank heavily and gambled his life away, but he was still a good man at heart. In fact, all four of the boys that abused Trudi when she was a little girl were still alive, and she felt suffocated.
America had been involved in the war trying to help, but some felt that they treated every German as if they were Hitler. They were kind on occasion.
Trudi and Max's relationship was strong. They decided they would go visit his aunt in another town, but then Trudi's father got sick and she decided to stay home with him. She told Max to go on ahead without her. Trudi did not know that this would be the last time she would see her lover. There had been a firebombing and she was sure he was dead. She waited for many years for him to return to her, but he never came. She was always making up new stories to console herself.
Now that the war was over and many people dead or missing, it was hard for things to resume as they were, but over time things would become normal again.
This time after the war also brought about other bad things. Ingrid returned with her two small children and was a widow. She thought she was the "sin" for having children. One day she sprayed them with holy water and she threw her oldest daughter into the river which killed her. She tried to throw her other daughter in the river, but someone grabbed her and saved her. Ingrid was sent to a hospital and died a week later. Ingrid's parents took care of the remaining daughter.
Georg returned from the war. During this point in his life, he had a wife and two twin daughters. He drank heavily and gambled his life away, but he was still a good man at heart. In fact, all four of the boys that abused Trudi when she was a little girl were still alive, and she felt suffocated.
America had been involved in the war trying to help, but some felt that they treated every German as if they were Hitler. They were kind on occasion.
Trudi and Max's relationship was strong. They decided they would go visit his aunt in another town, but then Trudi's father got sick and she decided to stay home with him. She told Max to go on ahead without her. Trudi did not know that this would be the last time she would see her lover. There had been a firebombing and she was sure he was dead. She waited for many years for him to return to her, but he never came. She was always making up new stories to console herself.
Now that the war was over and many people dead or missing, it was hard for things to resume as they were, but over time things would become normal again.
This time after the war also brought about other bad things. Ingrid returned with her two small children and was a widow. She thought she was the "sin" for having children. One day she sprayed them with holy water and she threw her oldest daughter into the river which killed her. She tried to throw her other daughter in the river, but someone grabbed her and saved her. Ingrid was sent to a hospital and died a week later. Ingrid's parents took care of the remaining daughter.
400 Page Update!
Trudi and her father continued to house people for several months. Trudi met many wonderful people that she would never forget. She found it easy to lie to the police, but, afterward, she would shake uncontrollably because she knew all their lives were in danger.
Eva's husband, Alexander, would not talk to anybody after his wife was taken away. He kept to himself. Trudi always went to talk to him, but he would never see her or anyone else.
During this year, Matthias, one of Trudi's piano pupils, invited her to one of his recitals. She always loved listening to the piano, so she and her father were excited to go. She was irritated by the flag, the uniforms, and the anthem of the Germans that were there. They were rude and talked during the recital. During the intermission, Trudi said she would enjoy the recital without the flag and the anthem. She was overheard by one of the men, and once the playing started again, she was taken from the building and jailed for several weeks. She was only released after she told one policeman the story about being a dwarf and how she was the same as everybody else on the inside, just different on the outside. Everyone was amazed that they had let her go, but Trudi was always good at telling stories and manipulating people.
Max also came by to see Trudi again. This time she agreed to have dinner with him. She didn't want to believe that he was only drawn to her because she was different. He told her that he admired her strength. They fell for each other fast.
Eva's husband, Alexander, would not talk to anybody after his wife was taken away. He kept to himself. Trudi always went to talk to him, but he would never see her or anyone else.
During this year, Matthias, one of Trudi's piano pupils, invited her to one of his recitals. She always loved listening to the piano, so she and her father were excited to go. She was irritated by the flag, the uniforms, and the anthem of the Germans that were there. They were rude and talked during the recital. During the intermission, Trudi said she would enjoy the recital without the flag and the anthem. She was overheard by one of the men, and once the playing started again, she was taken from the building and jailed for several weeks. She was only released after she told one policeman the story about being a dwarf and how she was the same as everybody else on the inside, just different on the outside. Everyone was amazed that they had let her go, but Trudi was always good at telling stories and manipulating people.
Max also came by to see Trudi again. This time she agreed to have dinner with him. She didn't want to believe that he was only drawn to her because she was different. He told her that he admired her strength. They fell for each other fast.
350 Page Update!
At this time, Ingrid is off in another town teaching.
Many Jewish families were being relocated; many of them being Trudi's close friends. They would leave and then nobody would know what if they were still alive or dead.
After about nine months of waiting, Max Rudnick returned to see Trudi. Although she insists she does not want to see him or think about him, she secretly does. He asks her to go for a walk, and she turns him down. He leaves and comes back awhile later. He asks Trudi to dinner, and, again, she refuses. Secretly she was delighted with the invitation. He leaves again.
Then one day Trudi finds a woman and her son hiding in the earth nest that her mother used to hide in. Trudi tells them that they can trust her and her father and they want to help. They let them into the house and fed them. Over time, Trudi came to be really close to the boy, Konrad. She wishes that he were her own son. Times are really starting to change, and the mother and son were not going to be safe if they didn't have an escape route in the house, so they built an underground tunnel that led from their house to their neighbor's house. They stayed there for several weeks until Eva came to hide there. Soon it was time for the mother and son to hide elsewhere. They left and Eva remained. Eventually she needed to go home to see her husband, and when she got there, she was taken away by the Gestapo. Her husband was heartbroken.
Many Jewish families were being relocated; many of them being Trudi's close friends. They would leave and then nobody would know what if they were still alive or dead.
After about nine months of waiting, Max Rudnick returned to see Trudi. Although she insists she does not want to see him or think about him, she secretly does. He asks her to go for a walk, and she turns him down. He leaves and comes back awhile later. He asks Trudi to dinner, and, again, she refuses. Secretly she was delighted with the invitation. He leaves again.
Then one day Trudi finds a woman and her son hiding in the earth nest that her mother used to hide in. Trudi tells them that they can trust her and her father and they want to help. They let them into the house and fed them. Over time, Trudi came to be really close to the boy, Konrad. She wishes that he were her own son. Times are really starting to change, and the mother and son were not going to be safe if they didn't have an escape route in the house, so they built an underground tunnel that led from their house to their neighbor's house. They stayed there for several weeks until Eva came to hide there. Soon it was time for the mother and son to hide elsewhere. They left and Eva remained. Eventually she needed to go home to see her husband, and when she got there, she was taken away by the Gestapo. Her husband was heartbroken.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
300 Page Update!
In these fifty pages, it shows how the Jews are starting to be treated. If you were simply being polite to a Jew, you would go to jail. Their houses would be burned down or broken into. One of Trudi's neighbors was beaten up. Many were taken to investigate, and they never returned. Trudi is starting to see the evil in the world. She is upset because she knows these people who are doing harm to others. She's known them all her life. Trudi, and her father, hide their friends' belongings in their basement until they come back for them. They turn down no one. Helmut Eberhardt and Hilde Sommer get married; Helmut is one of many men that idolizes Hitler. He has hurt many people. Helmut turns his own mother in to the Gestapo because she will not give her house to him. His wife, Hilde, loves him so much, but she does not like how he treats other people. Helmut goes off to war, and Hilde has their son. She names him Adolf to please her husband, but she secretly calls him Adi and hides the portrait of Hitler until he comes back home to visit.
At this time, Klaus has been engaged for nine years. At the last minute, he leaves his soon-to-be wife and marries another woman that is half his age. Trudi is still very jealous, but she loses all jealousy when she sees them walking down the street with their arms linked; she is finally able to let Klaus go. Instead, she answers a personals ad, again, and meets with a man named Max Rudnick. He takes her home and returns a week later to borrow a library book, but Trudi waits for him to return the book as his library fine mounts.
300 down. 225 to go.
At this time, Klaus has been engaged for nine years. At the last minute, he leaves his soon-to-be wife and marries another woman that is half his age. Trudi is still very jealous, but she loses all jealousy when she sees them walking down the street with their arms linked; she is finally able to let Klaus go. Instead, she answers a personals ad, again, and meets with a man named Max Rudnick. He takes her home and returns a week later to borrow a library book, but Trudi waits for him to return the book as his library fine mounts.
300 down. 225 to go.
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