Blog Post #3 - Gabby

Once again, Elie’s memoir has had my emotions riding one big, endless roller coaster. He experiences some bad and some good luck at the camp: “‘They’re bombing the Buna factory,’ someone shouted. I anxiously thought of my father who was at work.” (60) In this passage, the first thing Elie thought about was his father. What had happened to him? Elie’s father is Elie's only sign of relief and comfort. “Happily, I caught sight of my father. ‘Buildings were flattened,’ he said, ‘but the depot was not touched…’” (61) Elie’s luck here is great for his father is alive. Many lives were lost during the bomb though, but everyone on the camp knows that each day could be their last. Elie’s luck was determined for different situations- sometimes his luck would be amazing and would give him some relief. Other times it seemed like luck was not a thing, but just a word without real meaning. During the winter, Elie’s foot froze and could’ve been amputated but luckily was not. Right after he went to the infirmary, the Red Army, also known as the Russians, were coming to invade the camps: “After the war, I learned that the fate of those who had remained at the infirmary. They were, quite simply, liberated by the Russians, two days after the evacuation.” (82) Elie could’ve stayed at the infirmary due to his foot, but went on the evacuation march, not knowing that the Russians were going to liberate them. He and his father were unlucky for leaving and having to walk for days and nights without stopping. Therefore, Elie and his father had much good and bad luck during this time. Elie and all of his fellow prisoners have so little control over their lives, that it's hard to make certain decisions. This overwhelmed every one of the prisoners. They could no longer control their everyday way of living and had to rely on luck to buoy their spirits. They were almost all hopeless, but at times a little hope would peek around the corner for a little hello, and a long goodbye.