Armenian Genocide In Karnig Panian's Goodbye Antoura '

Karnig Panian’s “Goodbye Antoura” is a memoir of the Armenian Genocide that took place during the period of World War One. Panian reflects on his heartbreaking and shocking struggles he had to endure throughout the genocide. Being only five at the time of the deportation he was forced to be introduced to the loss of family, exhaustion, and severe starvation. The genocide was planned and administered by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian citizens of this mainly Turkish state from the year 1915-1918, resulting in approximately one and a half million Armenian deaths. The author begins his memoir describing the beginning of his childhood before the genocide reshaped his life. Panian reflects on the happiness his life entailed, being able to enjoy his days playing with friends, attending school, the ability to live relatively safely and peacefully. …show more content…
After weeks of travel they were lead to a camp in the desert by the name of Hama. The camp was occupied by thousands of Armenians with a lack of food and shelter, resulting in death and disease. While at this camp Panian loses his mother, siblings, friends, and other members of his extended family to the harsh conditions of the desert. Following his time at the desert his grandparents sent Panian to an orphanage where he was brought back to health and cared for. Not long after his time at the orphanage he was relocated to a Turkish run institution created to “turkify” young Armenian boys. During the course of several years the author reflects on his ability to adapt with the other boys to make decisions that would ultimately grant them their survival. Karnig Panian’s “Goodbye Antoura” shows us that even young children can organize against the injustice directed towards them through persistence, maturity, and