Survival In Auschwitz By Levi Primo Summary

In the story “Survival In Auschwitz” by Levi Primo. Moral thoughts during the holocaust were proven to be adaptable during extreme circumstances. In the camps the Jews were treated as if they were animals as a result animalistic behavior was adapted, being human did not exist behind the barbed wires of the camp. In order to survive in Auschwitz also viewed as hell one has to lose their self respect and human dignity.

What was Levis Moral adaptation during his experience In Auschwitz? In ¨Survival in Auschwitz¨ Levi shows that in order to keep one's mental sanity. One has to focus on small distractions and never hope or show any desire. Showing any desire or hope would result as a mental death sentence in the lager, because no desire would be fulfilled. Therefore hoping for food in Auschwitz would lead to mental torture. So to survive one has to set unrealistic goals for example surviving until winter. “ Even in this place one can survive, and therefore one must want to survive, to tell the story, to bear witness; we must force ourselves to save at least a

skeleton, the scaffolding, the form of civilization. We are slaves. Deprived of every right, exposed to every insult, condemned to certain death, but we still have one power, and we must defend it with all our strength for it is the last. The power to refuse consent.” (Levi Primo Survival in auschwitz) . During the winter Levi trained his minds to focus on the horrible cold of the winter instead of focusing on the Hunger that was aching his stomach. But it slightly helped alleviate his pain. Levi describes that in In the larger one has to not have no mental value. Levi tells a story in the text about a man who “ has resisted annihilation from within because he was insane he was the most adaptable, the human type most suited for this type of living” (survival in Auschwitz page 97 ) . Levi accepted his death in thought that it will be the only way out of auschwitz . But by the next year Levi adapted to the constant cruelty of the germans. During his time in the camps Levi learned two things the ones who are saved and the ones who are drowned(hollow man). The drowned rarely exist in the normal society but in the camp Auschwitz the drowned are everywhere. Levi was one of many of the drowned enslaved Jews. He accepted his faith has of a lot of Jews lost their faith and hopes of surviving. Levi had to look in the blind side of evil because in the outside world evil is considered good in the camp. For example stealing was very common in the camp and it was considered a necessary good , because it was a way for jews to survive. Levi stated in a text “ SS; theft in the camp, severely repressed by the SS soldiers, stealing is considered by the jews as a normal exchange operation ; theft among the haftlinge is generally punished but the punishment strikes the theft and the victim with equal gravity “ (Survival in auschwitz page 86) . Levi had to lose his self humanity and self dignity to be able to survive in the larger. because eventually every prisoners work themselves to such desperate measures that every man fended for themselves. Friendships became based on selfish behaviors . Auschwitz was represented a period extreme circumstances , where the terms hunger, “tiredness, fear, pain,” was the definition of living in the camp Auschwitz. Levi “entered the camp like all others: naked, alone, and unknown.” However, he quickly learned the importance of defiance. And he quickly learned that to survive in the camp that a savage and inhuman attitude was a required .“To destroy a man is difficult, almost as difficult as to create one: it has not been easy, nor quick, but you Germans have succeeded. Here we are, docile under your gaze; from our side you have nothing more to fear; no acts of violence, no words of defiance, not even a look of judgment.” (survival in Auschwitz by levi primo)

During Levis experience in the camp Levi had a glimmer of hope inside of him he understood that every man needs to have compassion for each other.

Levi learns this from a man named Lorenzo he says that Lorenzo’s "humanity was pure and uncontaminated" and that because of him he managed not to forget that [he himself] was a man" (survival in Auschwitz by Levi primo) . Lorenzo was also an Italian man but a civilian worker and not a prisoner. Although Lorenzo could get punished for helping Levi. Lorenzo helps Levi without ever asking anything in return. Lorenzo risks his own life to provide Levi with extra soup, he teaches him about compassion and kindness. Lorenzo gives him a valuable lesson in cleanliness, which was a way to keep one's standard of civilization. And not buying into self dehumanization which the Nazis used to train the jews into losing their self-worth and

dignity.