We talked a little about the author's purpose in writing 'Friedrich'. One point that was raised was that perhaps the author wanted to give a German's perspective of what happened during that time.
Think about how the narrator and his parents were portrayed in the novel.
1) Name one incident in which the narrator's father was faced with a difficult situation in which he has to choose between his family and his support for Friedrich and his parents.
2) What decision did he make in the end? Put yourself in his shoes and explain why you reached that decision.
47 comments:
Hi everybody, this is Grace! =) (I'm the first person posting, yay.)
Anyway, I found that in the chapter "Reasons" (on pg 68, if you have the bk from the same publisher as mine), the narrator's father had to join the Party even though it meant that since the Party was pro-Hitler and thus anti-Jew, he was torn between two decisions: to go with the Party or to stick by his friends, the Schneiders?
That's my answer for Q1. For Q2, what was his decision and why he did that... He chose to say 'yes' to the Party but STILL (here's the good thing) he remained friends with the Schneiders (good friends at that) and even bothered to take Herr Schneider aside and tell him of his decision.
I think that he was right to do that, because after all he DOES need to put family first and earn money so that the narrator's family can get along financially, and YET, he remained loyal =) to his friends and did not turn into an anti-Jew, nor did he refuse his son the company of Friedrich whenever they wanted to talk or play.
So that's my view!
...**Grace Teo, 6/11**...:)
In the chapter 'The Picture' [page 129-132], the Friedrich was in the narrator's house when they had to go to the air raid shelter.
The narrator's father had to make the decision whether or not to:
1) Bring Friedrich with them to the air raid shelter and probably get his family thrown into jail by Herr Resch, or
2) Leave Friedrich out in the street to fend for himself, unlike what he promised Herr Schneider (page 74: Reasons)
The narrator's mother wanted to take Friedrich to the shelter with them but the narrator's father decided to leave Friedrich in the house. This way he and his family could stay safe in the shelter. He thought that if Friedrich stayed in the house nothing would happen.
This is Xin Yi.
In the chapter "The Picture", The narrtor's father had to decide whether to bring Friedrich along with him to the shelter or not.
In the end, he brought his wife and son to the air-raid shelter and left Friedrich at home, thinking that it should be safe for Friedrich.
For the fist question, I think it is when the narrator's father had a choice between joining or not joining the party. If he joined the party, Friedrich and his parents might start to feel down, and feel that even their best friends were not helping them and turning against them by joining an anti-Jew party,the Jungvulk. However, he made the choice to join the Jungvulk to support his family and tide through a financial crisis
The narrator's father had to make a choice between Bringing Friedrich into the bombshelter and probabaly getting himself sued by Herr Resch for protecting a Jew... or leaving Friedrich outside ( in the house) so that their family would not get into trouble.
In the end, he chose to leave Friedrich in the house, because if he brought Friedrich into the bomb shelter, their family and Friedrich might get into trouble ( possibly die), but if he left Frierich outside, which he did, his family will be safe.
I think that in the chapter where Herr Resch gave the Herr Schneider the notice to move out and the narrator's father was asked to be witness and he had two choices:
1) Be a witness, and let Herr Schneider be forced to move out by Herr Resch
2) Stick up for the Schneiders and risk the anger of Herr Resch, his landlord.
In the end, he decided to stick up for the Scheiders as:
1) The Schneiders were his friends
2) The Schneiders were kind to him and his family
Chen Jie
Q1. When the narrator's father had to choose between joining the Nazi Party and supporting the Schneiders. The poor man had to join the Nazi Party for safety even though he wanted to support the Schneiders. (I know everyone says this, but this is the first answer I have, off the top of my head)
Q2. He decided to join the Nazi Party, but still was friends with the Schneiders, even if it meant that he seemed like a hypocrite and was therefore subject to snide comments and criticism. If I were him, I would have reached that decision because I need to protect my family yet stay true to my friends. In the end, he stayed a friend of the Schneiders to the very end, even after Herr and Frau Schneider (wow, I just made five typoes while trying to type Schneider) had died and only Friedrich was left.
I think he was a righteous man in a time of so much hate and strife ((:
This is Sarah :).
This is based on the chapter "Conversation on the Stairs".
1)The narrator's father had to make the decision whether to support the Schneiders and risk getting a notice too.
2)At the end of the day, he stood up for the Schneiders because they had been living with him for quite a while and he considered them his friends.
For the first question, I believe that the answer is when the narrator's father had to decide whether or not join the NSDAP which was against the jews since it was a Nazi party. He decided to join the party since he was jobless and coulld not support his family and thus by joining this party be able to get a well paying job. If I was in his shoes, I would have done the same thing as i believe that my family come first rather than friends
Q1. The narrator's father had to choose whether or not to join the Nazi Party. If he did, he would be able to support his family despite being jobless. However, he would not be able to help the Schneiders that much as he is in an anti-Jewish party.
Q2. In the end, the narrator's father did join the party; his family is more important that his friends. The Schneiders and the narrator's family did remain as good friends though.
candice :D
1) The narrator's father decided joined the Party just to save his family from their current poor state. Upon joining the group, he decided it was better to talk to Herr Schneider about moving out, so that his family would be safer.
2) When Herr Schneider stubbornly refused, the narrator's father could not change his mind and just let the matter rest.
In the "Picture", the narrator’s father had to make the decision weather to take Friedrich to the air-raid shelter.
If he did, his family might get arrested for helping a Jew.
He decided to leave Friedrich in the house. Even if he did decide to bring him, Herr Resch might not allow Friedrich to come in. Thus he took the risk and asked Friedrich to stay in the house and hope that he will be safe.
Sorry forgot to sgin off...
My post is the comment before this one.
Ong Jian Chong
Ashwin,
1)In the chapter "Reasons" the narrator's father had to join the Nazi Party. He did not know whether he should join the Party or not.
2) He finally decided to join the Party to improve his family's finiancial state. I think that what he did was the most appropriate in that situation as, even if he did not join the Party, there would not be any difference. The Schneiders would have still been mistreated. His intention was not to mistreat the Jews.
The narrator's father had to choose whether he should join the Nazi party or not. If he did, he had to go against the Schneiders, but the Schneiders are their friends! The Schneiders did many things for the narrator's family such as bringing Friedrich out to the fair. How could he betray them?
In the end, the narrator joined the Nazi Party in order to support his family but remained friends with the Schneiders.
Q1 In the Chapter Conversation on the stairs (pg42-44), The narrator's father had two choices:
1) To remain a witness and not doing anything, thus allowing Herr Resch to force Herr Schnider out of his home; or
2) To stand with the Schniders and defend them, thus facing Herr Resch anger.
Q2) He defended the schniders. They were only forced out in the chapter A Visit (pg 23-25)
Wow, everybody seem to say the Nazi Party, the notice or the air-raid shelter incident. I'm no exception.
The narrator's father was debating whether to join the Nazi Party or not (Reasons). Also, in "The End", after the part about the air-raid shelter, when they went back to their house, he did not know what to do when the mother found Friedrich.
In the end, the father joined the party but gave the Schneiders advice, his honest opinion to flee to another country. And in "The End", the father asked his wife, the narrator's mother if she was crazy and led her away. This shows that he was afraid and that stopped him from helping his friends (even though they're dead).
X3 Sandra
Hehe... my post is a little different from you guys.. :)
1)I chose the scene near the end of the book, in the chapter "The End", at page 138. In that chapter, the narrator's father had to decide if he wanted to help Friedrich or not, when he was unconscious and the narrator's mother was sobbing and trying to help him.
2)In that area, he had tried to pull the narrator's mother away from Friedrich, as at that time Herr Resch was present and, being a member of the Nazi party, his wife was "not allowed" to help Jews. He had done that for the good of his family, as they would most probably be jailed for helping Jews and if he had tried to help Friedrich, there was only a tiny chance that he would survive, as he had just gone through a BOMB RAID and he was already very lucky to have survived.
I think the part where the father had to shelter his family during the air raid. This meant either the safety of his family or Fredrich, and in the end he chose his family above fredrich. I think he made the right choice. I think he saved 2 lives, his wife and son. It is a world which every man is for themselves. I think he made the right decision
1) The incident would be when the narrator's father had to join the Nazi party so that he could support his family and ensure their survival. However, the Nazi party was Anti-Jew and that would mean that he could be unable to help the Schneiders in time to come.
2) In the end, he joined the Nazi party. The Schneiders were quite well off at that time, so his family was more in need than the Schneiders were. Furthermore, the narrator's father knew that the Schneiders would understand that he did not join because he was anti-Jew, but because he needed to support his family and joining the party could get him a good job.
-yongjie//*
1. The narrator's father had to:
a) join the Nazi (anti-Jew) party, so that he could get a job to support his family, or
b) help the Schneiders, his friends, who may feel threatened if he joins the Nazi party.
2. In the end, he decided to join the Nazi party. He did not have to be anti-Jew to join the party, and it would benefit his family, because of their financial crisis, and not affect the Schneiders. Though they had a slight disagreement (?) because of this decision, he narrator's father and the Schneiders still remained friends after this incident.
---Aileen
Jonathan Lee here.
1)When Grandfather visited, he launched a tirade about the Jews and a story about his boss(which was a stereotype). He also told off the narrator's father for being friends with Friedrich's family.
2)The narrator's father not only did not go along with what Grandfather was saying, he also spoke up for Friedrich and his parents, although Grandfather was giving them money each month.
22nd person to post(my register no.)
The chapter "Converseration On the Stairs" (pg42-44) is one example
it was when Herr Schneider was ordered by Herr Resch to move out of the apartment he and his family was living in just because he was a Jew.
then, the narrator's father stood up for him and said " Herr Schneider has rights as a tenant." By saying that, he also could have been asked to move out too as he was siding a Jew and not a non-Jew. He also did not want to be a witness for Herr Resch as Herr Resch was not being a fair person.
But he did that as he felt that there should be equal treatment towards Jews and non-Jews. He also is a friend and has been a neighbour with Herr Schneider for many years. he probably did not want to betray him.
Anyway: jian Chong's "whether" was spelled as " weather"
Q1- In the chapter The Picture, it was Father who had to decide whether to leave Friedrich in his house or bring him to the air raid shelter, where he was safer, but he would risk getting in danger with the police.
Q2- In the end, he left Friedrich in his house to protect his family from getting into trouble.
Mostly from Chapter 16
‘Reasons’ (pg 68-74)
Q1
Earlier in the story, the narrator’s father had to make the decision of whether or not to join the Nazi Party. If he joined the party, his family would acquire great benefits and he would be able to secure a job. However, his membership would be, in a way, a betrayal to his friends, the Schneiders. The party was anti-Jew and if the narrator’s father became a member, he would appear to be against Jews as well even if he did not claim to be so.
Q2
In the end, he chose to join the NSDAP as he felt that his family would profit from his membership. Herr Schneider seemed slightly upset at first until after they talked things out in his apartment. The narrator’s father explained that he had joined the party solely because of the benefits that it brought and not because he was against the Schneiders. And even after the incident, the two families remained close friends until their separation towards the end of the novel.
-Natasha. =)
Ok, so my comment is different from the others. I chose the chapter "School Begins" (pg 19-25)
Q1)The narrator's father had to choose between going to the amusement park and sacrificing the family's dinner and whether to decline Herr Schneider's offer to go to the amusement park, just so that the family could eat their meal.
Q2)He finally decided to go to the amusement park with the Schneiders. I think he did that so that he would not lose his dignity just because of financial problems. I also think that he did that as he also did not want to let the narrator down. It was the first day of school and was supposed to be a happy occasion. The narrator's father did not want to spoil the atmosphere, and thus sacrificed the family's dinner to go to the amusement park.
Midnight posting xD
For Q1, the incident chose is from the chapter "Reasons" where the narrator's father tells Herr Schneider that he had joined the Party. For Q2, he did what was best for his family which is prioritised in front of the Schneiders. He may have chosen to join the party and be anti-Jew in a way that joining the party meant that one supported Hitler(though I doubt the narrator's father supported Hitler fully) but he explained to Herr Schneider why he had done so and remained friends with the Schneiders and even advised them to flee from Germany which he felt was best for them.
~~kimberleyy
1) That would be when the narrator's father had to join the Nazi party so that he could support his family as he was jobless. But the Nazi party was Anti-Jew and that would mean that he could be unable to help the Schneiders.
2) He joined the Nazi party. The Schneiders were quite well off at that time, and his was poor and he needed a job. His family tom him was more important.
1) The narrator's father had to choose whether to help Friedrich or his family (at the air-raid shelter)
2) He chose to help his family instead of Friedrich as he would probably die in helping Jews at that period of time and er, there's more people in his family? (1 more)
I seem to be very late...anyway, here are my answers:
Q1) It is in the end of the chapter "The Picture" when father was faced with a life and death situation and had to decide whether Friedrich was to enter to bomb shelter during the raid and therefore endanger his family as Herr Resch would have probably reported them to the police or stay inside the apartment where his life would be in danger as there would be a possibility of him being bombed.
2) In the end he put his family first and did not let Friedrich into the bomb shelter but instead left him in the apartment(to die). If I were in his shoes, I would have done the exact same thing as I would not want to risk being reported to the police, losing my house and getting kicked out of the NSDAP. Though this would seem selfish it would have been the better choice as Friedrich still might have had a chance of survival and Herr Resch would not have allowed him into the bomb shelter either. Also, if he did enter the shelter, not only would my family be reported to the police, Friedrich would have been too for sure! Obviously, I would have rathered Friedrich have a chance of survival and escape than have him be reported to the police and die in the end for sure so that would have been why I would make Friedrich stay in the apartment.
~P.S. Jian Chong spelt "whether" as "weather"
~P.S.S. John spelt "Jungvolk" as "Jungvulk"(The Junky Hulk???)
~P.S.S.S. Daniel spelt "to" as "tom" (So many people made spelling errors!!!)
Sorry Mrs. Simon, late posting.
Q1)In the chapter "The end" when Herr Resch found Friedrich fainted in the shadow of the stoop. The narrator's father had two choices that is
1) Stop Herr Resch from kicking Friedrich and have himself in trouble OR
2) Let Herr Resch kick Friedrich...
Q2)The narrator's father decided to not harm himself and his family by not stopping Herr Resch from kicking Friedrich.
The chapter 'The Picture' The narrator's father did not know whether he should bring Friedrich along with him to the air-raid shelter or not.
He brought his family to the shelter and left Friedrich at the house, in case they did not allow Friedrich into the shelter.
This is Marcus Ooi.
Ooi. not Chia.
okay..... so Q1, The narrator's father had to choose between supporting "grandfather", or standing up for the Schneiders on page 14, Chapter 4, Grandfather.
Q2, He decided to side Grandfather because he was intimidating, and so the narator did not go upstairs to the Schneider's place.
-Marcus Ooi
Sorry, for Q1, the page is 15, not 14. Sorry about that.
-Marcus Ooi
1) During the pogrom on Friedrich's house, the narrator's father had to make the decision to stop the from destroying Friedrich's house and risk being injured or being reported or to stay in his house and let them destroy Friedrich's house.
2) He decided to stay in his house in the end. If i were him, I would also seek shelter in my house then offer the Schneiders help after the crowd left.
Hi, sorry I'm late. Hehe...
Anyway...
In the book, the narrator's father had to make a decision. Should he join the Nazi party or not?
After all, if he joined, he and his family would be better off. But then, he would be sort of betraying the Schneiders. Tough.
In the end, he joined the party. He could get a good job and knew that his family would benefit from it.
He still warned the Schneiders about the Germans' plans, though, which proved he was still friends with the Schneiders and wanted to help them out.
I guess he joined the Party for his (and his family too) own good. As the person in charge of the family, he surely cannot stand to see his family suffering as he does nothing.
Perhaps I would do the same if I were him.
Nicolette Lee
1) When he was listening as a witness to Herr Resch insistance that Herr Schneider leave the apartment,
2) he refused to be a witness even though it may affect his standing with the landlord
I think that one chapter which the narrator's father is in a catch 22 situation is in the chapter "Reasons".
The narrator had two choices:
1)Be jobless forever
2)Join the party, get a job
Why he chose to join the party is because he did not want his father-n-law to supply him money and he wants to have a job and be the breadwinner of the house.
If I were him I would probably do the same thing as what he did. me him a good job, tells plans on what they are going to do but I would probably help the Schienders by telling them what is going on so as to stop them from getting into any trouble.
(Sorry for popsting late)
1) The incident was probably when the narrator's father had to decide whether or not he should join the Nazi Party. He knew that it had anti-Jew polices, so he would be a member of an organisation that hated Friedrich, his family and all other Jews. But at the same time, the financial benefits would help his family a lot, and they would not be persecuted for helping Jews.
2) In the end,he had to choose the Nazis, for otherwise his family simply would not survive. After all, the Schineiders were still coping at that time. But he contradicted the party because he secretly loved the Schineiders as good friends and neighbours, so he supported Hitler only to an extent that he would not betray the trust of the Schineiders.
Ka keng here.
I think that one of those instaces was in the second last chapter.
FriedRich wanted to come inside but their landlord was the air warder forbid it
He chose to keep quiet because herr had threated the entire bunker to report them as they also wanted FriedRich to come in
1) when the narrator's father had to make the desicion whether to jion the party or not. if he had jioned, he would practicaly be saying that he supports hitler and hates jews. but his friends, the schneiders were jews, so this might break them up, on the other hand, if he joined, he would get a great improvement to his and his family's life.
2) he joined the party, but yet still remained whith the schneiders. he did so as he did need money desperately for his family, but he also wanted not to loose such faithful friends like the schnieders
1) The narrator's father had a choice whether to attempt to bring Friedrich into the air raid shelter with him, but by doing so, he would endanger his family.
2) The decision I would make is to leave Friedrich outside as I will try to protect my family, even though I would have broken my promise with Herr Schneider.
Post a Comment