The Tragedy Of The Holocaust - 1708 Words

The Holocaust is, by definition, a tragedy. HaShoah, the Hebrew word for the Holocaust, translates to â€Å"the catastrophe.† The very notion of humor during the Holocaust may seem incongruous, appalling, and wildly inappropriate. Tragedy is seen as serious, while comedy is typically lighthearted in nature. However, there is precedence for ‘comic relief,’ the presence of humor in tragedy with the desired effect to relieve tension. Frequently, comic relief is used so that tragedy does not overshadow us in darkness. Humor is simply an alternate, often more effective, lens through which we can approach history. Yet people still tend to draw red lines on especially tragic events, as analyzing the Shoah through the comedic lens is generally frowned upon, especially in the Jewish community. But, the taboo of ‘Holocaust humor’ is already being challenged by various holocaust jokes, Joan Rivers, Viktor Frankle’s Man’s Search for Meaning, Sarah S ilverman’s â€Å"Wowschwitz†, and Sander L. Gilman’s article, â€Å"Is Life Beautiful? Can the Shoah Be Funny? Some Thoughts on Recent and Older Films.† This norm of keeping humor out of the Holocaust should be challenged on the basis that it serves as an outlet for which to cope with tragedy, a means of solidarity and unity for the oppressed, and a vehicle for Nazi criticism. Living in a Nazi-occupied ghetto or concentration camp during the Shoah would be disturbing, traumatic, and certainly depressing. During the Shoah, however, the oppressed andShow MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust945 Words   |  4 PagesSince the terrorist attack on Paris, to the natural disasters in Haiti; there have been a variety of tragic events that have occurred throughout history across the world. Perhaps one main tragedy that leaves people feeling baffled is the Holocaust. Eric Lichtblau described the Holocaust in his article, The Holocaust Just Got More Shocking, as a genocide in which Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany and its associates killed approximately six million Jewish people because the Nazis believed that exterminatingRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust1599 Words   |  7 Pagesassigned Adolf Hitler as their chancellor. Once Hitler had finally reached power he set out to complete one goal, create a Greater Germany free from the Jews (â€Å"The reasons for the Holocaust,† 2009). This tragedy is known today as, â€Å"The Holocaust,† that explains the terrors of our histories past. The face of the Holocaust, master of death, and leader of Germany; Adolf Hitler the most deceitful, powerful, well spoken, and intelligent person that acted as the key to this mass murder. According to a researchRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust922 Words   |  4 PagesFrom the terrorist attack on Paris, to the natural disasters in Haiti; there have been a variety of tragic events that have occurred throughout history across the world. Perhaps one main tragedy that leaves people feeling baffled is the Holocaust. Eric Lichtblau described the Holocaust in his article, The Holocaust Just Got More Shocking, as a genocide in which Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany and its associates killed around six million Jewish people because the Nazis believed that exterminating the JewishRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust1063 Words   |  5 Pages religious family and a tough culture surrounding him, the Holocaust effected his life to the extreme but along with all his suffering and the tragedies in his life the Holocaust did not take him. He stuck by his believes and made it out alive. Born in Vilna with pride, it gave an eminent name to the Jewish people. He has four sisters, Rachel, Sonia, Doba and _. Also his mother and father, nephews and nieces. All but Rachel and he died of the Holocaust. In Vilna the Jews lived on one side of the street andRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust1540 Words   |  7 Pagesdiverse in the cause; it is the indifference and ruthlessness that an individual portrays. This sort of behavior accommodates society and encourages people to accept and follow its routine and principles, such as the events that took place during the Holocaust. During the time period of 1933 to 1945, Adolf Hitler, an Austrian World War I veteran, decided to partake in twisted behavior. Hitler believed that in order to do his nation justice, the nation needed an ethnic cleansing. This ethnic cleansingRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust3499 Words   |  14 Pageshowever, the holocaust seems to be the huge adversity to overcome. The holocaust has taught the s ociety many things; although the world has not exactly learned from the experiences entirely. The holocaust is a learning experience still today, so that this generation will not repeat the same drastic measures. Many people today seem to think that the holocaust never happened; in spite of this, there are those that disagree. I have had the opportunity to listen to a firsthand account of the tragedy that happenedRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust1415 Words   |  6 PagesPrior to the holocaust, however, he exhibits none of these characteristics. He was kind, wealthy, and uncommonly resourceful, and his marriage to Anja was filled with compassion, intimacy, and love. Where now Vladek is now stubborn, irritable, and almost comically stingy with his money. His experiences in the Holocaust undoubtedly played a role in these dramatic personality changes. It wasn’t until the war started that Vladek got a little more precautious about a few things. Whenever a bad thingRead Mor eThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust Essay1118 Words   |  5 PagesWithin the era of 1933 to 1945, races struggled through times of gloom, torment and hopelessness. The Holocaust was hard on numerous people, with little survivors and still influences individuals present lives today. The majority of the anguish was brought about as a result of one man’s conviction, that had the capacity to impact a whole nation. The holocaust was a genocide that was exclusively centered around hatred found in Germany. Propaganda was one of the main causes, which conditioned the peopleRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust1034 Words   |  5 PagesIn every moment, people make choices that impact society, continually shaping history. During the Holocaust, when the Nazi Party incarcerated millions of Jews, ordinary European citizens and their everyday decisions and shaped history through an amass of cause and effects. Their decisions were greatly influenced by their understanding of the universe of ob ligation, which sociologist Helen Fein defines as â€Å"the circle of individuals and groups ‘toward whom obligations are owed, to whom rules applyRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Holocaust1970 Words   |  8 PagesThe Holocaust, 9/11, wars and assassinations are common events that come to mind when thinking about history. These events tend to make people think that mankind is evil and will always choose to be evil. However, when looking at the people behind the evil doings, are they really killing for a selfish reason? Mankind will always do good for their nation, no matter the cost. While most powerful leaders end up hurting many people, they either have good intentions behind the mask of people suffering