Facing History Essay of Experience

The facing History course in my mind is a course that should be mandatory throughout high school classes in the United States and most importantly in Westborough High School. After taking the course I began to realize the true message that is portrayed through lectures as well the documentaries and films. Each affected me personally and allowed me to think of the person I really want to be in this life. Each film that was shown in the class made me stop and think a little, this included “The Boy in Striped Pajamas”, “The Grey Zone” and “Amen”. All of which helped me to fully understand the meaning and message of the course.

One of the more powerful films that the course provided fro us was known as “The Grey Zone”, this film was about the concentration camps in Germany and allowed me to get a real life perspective as if I was a prisoner. In the film the prisoners had an uprising and tried fight back against the German soldiers. This showed me that even the weakest still had the determination to fight for what was right and defend themselves against evil that the Germans had brought. Another main event that occurred in the film was during one of the gassing’s a young girl had survived, and the men at the factory tried to save her. In the end of the movie almost all the main characters were killed for trying to fight back including the saved girl. What I realized and took from this film was the horror that the Jewish community faced and the impact it had on everyone. After the film ended I noticed the reaction from all my classmates while everyone thought the movie would be a happy ending I soon realized this was based true events and that not everything has a happy ending.  I thought about what I would have done if I were in the camp with these people but to be honest I couldn’t even think about the horrors these people faced. “The Grey Zone” was an inspirational film to me which I ended up renting for my family to watch mainly because of the feeling you have after watching it I felt as if I should have been there to help these people.

Another film that the class watched which I felt changed my mind about the Holocaust a little was known as “Amen”. This film was mainly about a Nazi Officer who began to change his mind about what the Germans were actually doing. He was one of the only Officers who fought back against the Nazi's and tried to show the world the mass killings that they were performing because he knew deep down it was immoral. The officer ended up telling multiple churches as well as allies and other friends however no one would believe him. In the end he surrendered himself to the allies and was said to have killed himself but it is unknown. This is the kind of man who stood up or what he truly believed in and in my mind I think everyone should have the strength to do this and from now on I am going to try to do my best. The Facing History course has had a great impact on me it has led me to realize that not everyone is perfect however anyone can make a difference. “Amen” was a great film for this mainly because it portrayed a man who fought nonstop for something he believed in and he tried to make a difference. I realized after watching it that everyone has a choice to make in their life whether it’s good or bad it all depends on the one you choose. And I have been in multiple situations where I have chosen the worse choice, however I will now know to think twice.

The third film we watched in the overall course was called “The Boy in Striped Pajamas” now the film although it was not based on a true story was a very effective movie to the class. In the film a young boy made friends with a Jewish child in a work camp, and over the course of the film the two boys became close friends, the German son would bring the boy food and toys because he had none. The strongest part of the film was in the end where the German boy entered the camp to search for the Jewish boy’s father and ended up being gassed with many of the workers. When the film suddenly ended almost every student in the class was silent and I know why because although this did not officially happen it could have any day at these work camps and the thought of it was horrible. The film was a great eye opener because it was almost as if I were the boy in that film it was another example of how even though this German boy was told Jews were inferior he still knew in his head that the Jewish boy was his friend. It’s this choices people make in life that will be with you forever and even if no one else is on your side it’s right in your mind. I will remember the look on the two boys faces as they entered the gas chambers, and held each other’s hands like they had known each other forever. This film made me think about if I was one of the boys or even the German boy’s Nazi father who was crushed when he found his son.

All these film’s have had a great impact on me one that I cannot even describe, it’s the facing history course that I will remember for the rest of my life, if not the lectures and films it will most definitely be the lessons and experiences learned. I would have to say that I greatly appreciated everything learned over the course of this class and wish it would not come to an end. Overall I consider this to be a great experience and something that I will take a lot out of. Hopefully other students will because I know that I Tucker McKinnon will not forget.

Works Cited

"Concentration camp inmates during the Holocaust." Google Images. 11 Jan 2011. <http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/camp_inmates.jpg>.

"Concentration Camp at Auschwitz." Google Images. 11 Jan 2011. <http://greenreading.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/mass_grave_bergen_belsen_may_1945.jpg>.

"Holocaust." Google Images. 11 Jan 2011. <http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/holocaust.jpg>.

"Prisoners in Camp." Google Images. 11 Jan 2011. <http://halvfull.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/jpg>.

"Stop Bullying." Google Images. 11 Jan 2011. <http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/12/21/_narrowweb__300x451,0.jpg>.

Introduction

From the moment I entered this course I knew I was in for a life changing experience not only have I realized specific things about myself but also about the world and others. Facing History and Ourselves is a course I would most recommend to take in High school it will change your view on life as a person and help benefit you in times of difficult decision. Through important lessons and lectures I was able to understand the difference between a bystander and someone who takes action and initiative, leading me o make the proper decision when the time comes.