Leon Ginsburg The Ordeal Analysis

A world without literature would be one stuck in constant reoccurrence, ignorant to others collective advancement and defeats. Telling a story whether it be a first or second hand account always has an underlying purpose for writing. This elemental component of writing allows authors to reflect and evaluate their personal accounts and decisions, it prevents readers from making the same mistakes as their past ancestors, and educates those in forthcoming centuries what trials and tribulations have led them to their current liveliness. Literature is the integrating mechanism that keeps all educational subjects at a progressive pace. When studying such topics as mathematics, science, health, art and music one must first analyze past literary works …show more content…
This is where literature is essential in presentation of facts to the public; an instrument countless survivors of the holocaust have been taking advantage of in support for global awareness. Leon Ginsburg illustrates his journey and success at “outsmarting the bully” in The Ordeal and further demonstrates the importance of not forgetting history. His story opens in parallel with the beginnings of the war, at this time he is a very young boy whose normal life quickly turned into a constant daily fight for food, water, protection and concealed shelter in fear of captivation by the German soldiers. Among the first of many hideaways, Ginsburg is exposed to an astonishing event of mother abandoning her ceaselessly crying baby, he proclaims “it was certain death for that little girl… of course if she’s stay below with us, we’d all have been caught” (382). This event explained in the text so nonchalantly truly shows how death defying the atmosphere was among all the targeted individuals at the time of war. Literature not only shows how malicious the German soldiers where, but also how quick people lost all sense of moral judgment, both equally important to reflect on years later. There is no logical way to justify the mistreatment of other people in retaliation because someone at the time is mistreating you. When reflecting back on World War II, most people only recognize the exploitation of the Jewish community by the Germanic Nazi’s, a one-sided view not beneficial in effort to fully sanctify the acts of the war. This reiteration of facts to the public would not be possible without literary works such as the one revealed by Ginsburg, and other Holocaust survivors. Being absent-minded and