Analysis Of I Have Lived A Thousand Years By Livia Bitton-Jackson

People live. People die. People believe in a God. People believe in many gods. It is all human nature; to live and die and have faith. In the memoir “I Have Lived a Thousand Years” by Livia Bitton-Jackson, life, death, and faith are all aspect of humanity that the main characters of this memoir had to deal with. However simple these three words may seem, they are more complex than any human could possibly perceive them to be. Elli Friedman is the main character in this memoir, and her family and she are subjected to the evils of the Holocaust. Elli, who is just a young girl when she is captured, deals with both life and death and faith. Her story reveals how evil humans can be, but also how easily humanity can replace its morals and become …show more content…
Elli's elegant poetry and alluring daydreams were put to a halt when she was forced into multiple concentration camps. She was not ready for the treatment or way of life the camps would give her. Elli continued to worry about her looks when she was marched through the dirt and dust of the camps. “There’ll not be a next time. By then the war will be over, and we’ll be free. This cannot last much longer. It’s impossible to survive this much longer” (Bitton-Jackson 95). Elli thought three weeks was too long to try and survive in the dreadful camps. What she did not seem to realize was that she would have to do much more than survive. It is human nature to become used to a routine; a way of life that is appealing and comfortable. Unfortunately, there are time when people have to face death as well. Elli’s outlook on her life changed rather quickly the more time she spent in the camps. She had to do much more than live, she had to survive. She had to fight everyday to not only keep herself alive but her mother as well. After being led into a group Elli thought for sure would be shot, and surviving, there were multiple questions Elli had. Why was she not shot? Was there some mistake? But just as soon as the questions popped into her head, they left. “I had known with all my heart that Mommy or I would be …show more content…
They may live a life and continue to live their life without any life-changing experiences. Others may live their life and have it all change in the blink of an eye, similar to Elli. Depending on whether the experience positively affects a life or negatively affects a life, death is apparent in any human’s life. Faith is a large part of humanity. The idea of a higher power aids people in living their best lives and having an idea of what exactly will happen to them when they die. “I Have Lived a Thousand Lives” illustrates how Elli was able to thoroughly experience it all; life and death and faith. These are aspects of humanity that occur frequently throughout the memoir. Elli’s story is one of living, coming close to death, and having the faith to keep moving forward to survive whatever may have come her way. All humans experience these aspects of humanity in their own ways. They live, encounter death, and seek their own higher power to get them through it