Words in Action

1. Describe the areas the Orpah and Elie Wiesel visit in Chapter 2 & 3.
   They visit the gas shower chambers, the place where the prisoners sleep and the place where the men and woman were separated.
   
   
2. Why do Oprah and Elie Wiesel refer to the camp as a "death factory"? how was it "industrialized"?
   They refer to the camp as a "death factory" because of the number of casualties they produced. It was "industrialized" through the use of toxic gas resulting in numerous casualties in a small amount of time.
   
   
3. What is the significance of the hundreds of labelled suitcases? of the baby clothes? of the shoes?
   The significance of the hundreds of labeled suitcases were that each of those suitcases belonged to a person with a story. The prisoners packed their most valuable items thinking that they would be reunited with their belongings later on. The guards gave the prisoners false hope in thinking this. The babies' clothes was significant because it showed how inhuman the guards were to have killed so many infants. The shoes showed all the different types of people that perished in the camp. Wiesel tells us how you can tell what kind of person they were by their shoes.
   
   
4. How is this video different in video technique and style from most videos or movies that you are used to seeing? (think about your answers to question 2 on the previous reflection)? Do you think the difference in style was effective? Why or why not?
   Instead of setting up a formal interview with Wiesel, Oprah decides to take him through the camp and simply let the memories flow back into his mind. I believe that this method was effective because it really helped to set the mood and send the message to the audience of how depressing this particular place is.
   
   
5. After watching the video and reading the book, what is your impression or response to this thing called the Holocaust? How did the experience of watching the video differ from that of reading the book for you?
   After learning about the Holocaust I feel that I have never seen nor heard about so much inhumanity in the world at once. It seemed like these people were not human and felt no guilt. I think the video made more of an impression on me because after seeing the pictures of the casualties I felt sick. Reading about it is nothing compared to the visual.