Alicia Appleman-Jurman Vs. Primo Levi

Free Essay Submitted by blaine on 04/09/2008 10:17 PM

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Alicia Appleman-Jurman Vs. Primo Levi

The memoirs Alicia: My Story and Survival in Auschwitz provide two very different accounts of the same event: the Holocaust. There are very basic and obvious differences between Alicia Jurman and Primo Levi, which are shown in the table below. Although these differences seem minor, they had a major affect on the differences between the events Alicia and Primo faced.
Age Gender Country of Origin Concentration Camp v. Hiding
Alicia Jurman 9 yrs - 15 yrs Female Poland Hiding
Primo Levi 24 yrs Male Italy Concentration Camp - Auschwitz

Alicia was only nine years old when Poland was invaded by the Germans. Alicia’s young age during the Holocaust earned her the right to be called a “child hero”. It is possible that her young age added to her determination. She knew she was in constant danger, but it did not seem that she had a full understanding of just how serious that danger was.
Primo was also very young, and even described how his young age contributed to his naivety: “I was twenty-four, with little wisdom, no experience and a decided tendency….. to live in an unrealistic world of my own…..I cultivated a moderate and abstract sense of rebellion”. Although Primo discussed his immaturity, it still seemed that he had a better understanding of the gravity of the situation.
The gender differences also played a role in the different experiences. As a female, Alicia was more able to go into hiding. Even if Primo had escaped, it was too risky for men to hide. Most men, especially young men of Primo’s age, were either in the army or Jewish. If he had tried to hide by attempting to blend, anyone who encountered could easily realize he was hiding from something.
It was possible for Alicia to hide not only because of her gender, but also because she was able to escape the Nazis. Her first escape came after she was captured at a friend’s house and placed on a train to a certain...

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