ADDRESS UNKNOWN

Chapter 1

What is your personal reaction about the short story by Katherine Taylor? Explain your reaction in 3-4 sentences and add a video that reflects your thoughts and feelings about the story. 

my personal reaction about the short story “Address Unknown”:

This is written in the form of letters (which are easy to get into), my reaction is a combination of shocking and I wanted to get everyone around me to read it (especially   because we are Jews), it is also a surprising story that began as an innocent conversation between two friends and turned into a very surprising direction that I didn’t expect.

It’s the sort of book that makes you think and stays with you long after you have finished reading it

video

Chapter 2

Although Martin is a supporter of the liberal Hindenburg in the beginning of the story, he starts feeling closer to Hitler and finally becomes a strong supporter of Hitler. What do you think is the reason for this change? What could be some personal motives? When answering this question, take into consideration a more general view of the German public at the time.

I think the process Martin went through in the story was predictable.

Although at the beginning of the story he was a supporter of the liberal Hindenburg, in the times of world war 2, the Germans did not have a choice but to support the Nazis. The lives of those who did not support the Nazis were in danger.

I think Martin’s personal motive for getting close to Hitler at first was to keep his life and his family’s life safe and give them the best life they could get at the time.

In addition, most German citizens supported the Nazis, and those who did not support were removed from their social circles before the war and considered as traitors.

It could be that Martin supported the Nazis to integrate into society and not stand out.

It could be he was a patriot and a nationalist from the beginning or after a while he became one:

After a while he had already wholeheartedly supported the Nazis – Like the say- “Fake it until you make it”.

 Chapter 3

 Who do we call a patriot, a nationalist and a liberal? Which of the three is closer to humanism in your opinion? Explain.

Patriotism – The word patriotism is a noun that means “devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty.

The term often brings to mind people directly involved with the defense of a nation, namely military service members as well as state and local government representatives. For example: The soldiers showed exemplary patriotism defending their country from attack.

Patriotism, however, can take many other forms outside serving in the military and public office, patriotism in the many forms of good they do in service of their communities.

Patriotism generally has a positive connotation. It’s used for various positive sentiments, attitudes, and actions involving loving one’s country and serving the great good of all its people.

Nationalism – Is “the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one’s own nation viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations.” In short, nationalism is a kind of excessive, aggressive patriotism.

Nationalism generally has a negative connotation. It’s used for political ideologies and movements that a more extreme and exclusionary love of one’s country—at the expense of foreigners, immigrants, and even people in a country who aren’t believed to belong in some way, often racial and religious grounds.

A liberal is someone on the left wing of politics — the opposite of a conservative. Also, a liberal attitude toward anything means more tolerance for change. There are many meanings for liberal, but they mostly have to do with freedom and openness to change.

In my opinion Liberal is closer to humanism:

Humanism: universal, human love. Man is at the center.

Liberalism: An aspiration for the freedom of the individual and the whole.

Chapter 4

 In contrast to what Martin did, there were a lot of Germans and Christians throughout Europe who helped preserve the Jews even at the risk of their own lives? What do you think their motivation was? Do you think they should be regarded as less patriot or nationalist compared to people like Martin?

During the world war 2 there were many Germans citizens who, despite the risk of their own lives, helped and saved Jews. This self-sacrificing protection of Jews can, in my view, truly be considered altruistic behavior-the kind of behavior that is “carried out to benefit another without anticipation of rewards from external sources. I think their motivation for these acts was Compassion for the helpless.

Most rescuers deny doing anything heroic; rather, they believe they only did what was right. Their stories represent the best of what we recognize in the human spirit and give truth to the premise that “one person can make a difference.”

I think people who helped Jews and saved them are considered more patriotic than people like Martin. Losing humanity when a person asks for help and leaving them to die is not patriotic behavior.

Patriotism is not blind acceptance of the status quo. Patriotism means constant asking whether the direction your country is headed in is the right one, and whether that direction makes your country a better place.

Patriotism is a spirit of comradeship for those who share your country, regardless of their background or walk of life.

Patriotism is representing what is best about your country, and putting its best face forward, to the rest of the world.

Patriotism isn’t about believing your country is always right. It means apologizing when your country has been wrong, and learning from the mistakes of the past to make a stronger future.

Chapter 5
Throughout the book we see the theme of “The writing on the wall”.

 a- Choose a current subject or topic (environmental, health, education, social…) that you feel people should be aware of and change.

The Global Warming is a term used to describe an increase of the average temperature On earth’s surface.

Global warming causes climate change, which poses a serious threat to life on earth in the forms of widespread flooding and extreme weather. The global warming that’s changing our climate is already having dire consequences. In just the past few decades:

• Rising temperatures have worsened extreme weather events.
• Chunks of ice in the Antarctic have broken apart.
• Wildfire seasons are months longer.
• Coral reefs have been bleached of their colors.

• Mosquitoes are expanding their territory, able to spread disease.

People need to be aware of the situation and drastically change their conduct as an individual and also as a society because the Earth is our home and if we will ruin it there will be nowhere for our descendants to live.

Climate change affects human health and wellbeing through more extreme weather events and wildfires, decreased air quality, and diseases transmitted by insects, food, and water.

Everyone has a role in the fight Against climate change, climate change has become a global problem and Everyone should take responsibility.

“The writing on the wall” – If we do not wake up and take action we will have no one to blame but ourselves. The earth will be destroyed. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us.

 b- Do you feel responsible to take part in the change or you think that it is a cumulative responsibility?

I feel a responsible to take part in the change Because this is our responsibility as a human race to keep our home and not destroy it. Each and every one of us has to take part in this fight even if it’s changing little things like walking instead of driving a car even when you don’t really need to.

“One person can make a difference.”

c- If you feel responsible to take part in the change, give an example as to what your contribution can be to deliver the change. If you believe it is a cumulative responsibility explain why you think so.

An example of my personal contribution against global warming is: Garbage separation and recycling, Shopping with reusable bags, don’t use Disposable plastic and put my food in Consumables bags.

Chapter 6

 a-Why do you think Katherine Taylor wrote this story? Was she trying to create a best seller or did she have a political and social purpose to warn people?

I think Katherine Taylor wrote this story to warn people.

The story was first published in a magazine in September 1938, and then in book form a year later. The story was published under the name of Kressmann Taylor, after Story’s editor, decided it was “too strong to appear under the name of a woman,”. The impact was immediate, the story credited with having “jolted America”, alerting it to the horror unfolding in Nazi Germany.

Address Unknown is a warning. We tell ourselves, as these characters do, that friendship is eternal, that some bonds will never be broken. This short story warns us that ideology, once it has turned to fever, is stronger than friendship.

This short story has lasted so long not only because of its artistic achievement, and not only because, written in 1938, it astonishingly anticipated the horror that was yet to come.

b- What do you think the function of literature is? Is it for fun/entertainment or does it have a different function/purpose?

I think the function of literature is all the purposes mentioned in the question.

Literature function include entertainment, cultural purposes, education, criticism of social ills, and more. There are various explanations for what literature means.

Some functions of literature:

• Knowledge sharing
• Upbringing – Literature affects the feelings and outlook of a person. Why do we read fairy tales in childhood? Well, mostly because they clearly distinguish between good and evil, which helps children to understand what is good and what is bad from an early age.
• Communication
• Entertainment
• Self-development – Literature helps us to develop ourselves. Thanks to books, articles, magazines, we have the opportunity to fill ourselves with new knowledge.
• Pleasure
• Shaping speech – The more a person reads, the more words they learn, as well as different designs and options for constructing sentences. People can enrich their vocabulary thanks to literature