The story told in Between Shades of Gray is one that has been obscured by the sands of time. While the Holocaust was taking place under the orders of Adolf Hitler, a similar genocide was being conducted by Joseph Stalin. After Lithuania is invaded by the Soviet Union, Stalin attempted to suppress any and all possible dissidents. Around 1941, professors, librarians, and other Lithuanians who might have posed a threat to Stalin were rounded up and deported. Men were held separately from women and children, an act that tore families apart. The death toll was high, as the Lithuanians were treated harshly. They were not given food or medical treatment. The women and children were shoved into train cars and sent away without ever being told where they were going. Due to the continuation of Soviet rule after World War II, information of this genocide was kept away from the outside world. As the daughter of Lithuanian refugees, Ruta Sepetys wrote this book to provide a picture of the experiences of deportees.
Hey everyone! Here are some questions I thought of when reading this first section.
1. Towards the beginning part of the book, page 30 or so, Lina asks herself what a life is worth. In this case, she was talking about her brother's life. She ends up saying something along the lines of; "My brothers life was worth a pocket watch" (Because Lina's mom had to bribe and officer to basically not kill her brother) When you read that, what emotions did you feel and did this quote and whole scene strike you at all? What did it make you think about as this whole war is going on and what situation the Lithuanian people are in while dealing with Stalin?
2. In one part of the book, Lina's Mothers cousin is seen calling for her outside of the hospital. Why do you think Lina's mother ignored her?
3. Lina's mother seems like the type of person to help others before herself. Did anyone come to mind when you think about Lina's mother in this way?
Any other interesting questions or comments you might have drop below! I'd love to hear what you think.
I'll respond to the first question. First, I believe that Elena's hope and insistence on keeping the family together is what really gets them through the conditions they have to endure. She really fulfills the role of protector. It's also shocking that Jonas' life was worth so little to the Russian. It really emphasizes that the Lithuanians were nothing more than animals to the Russian soldiers at that time.
It definitely does show how they were not viewed as humans and I think that it is terrible that people could be able to view other humans in that way. I truly cannot understand it.
As far as question 2 is concerned, I think she wanted to protect as many people as she could and she was doing that when she didn't acknowledge her cousin.
Lina, her family, and a group of other Lithuanians end up on a collective farm in Siberia, where they’re ordered to work as beet farmers to earn their food. The Altaian woman that they’re living with is rude to them, and even makes them pay rent. The conditions are horrible, and the NKVD is cruel. First, the group has to make preparations to survive the Siberian winter. Things start taking a turn for the worse when the NKVD attempts to make the Lithuanians sign a document that would doom them to twenty-five years of hard labor. Some refuse to sign, yet those who do sign are granted certain privileges, and morale is lowered. People turn to desperate means. Andrius’ mother becomes a prostitute to get extra food for the Lithuanians and to ensure her son’s life. Families scavenge for food scraps among garbage heaps. Despite the horrible conditions, hope still survives. Letters are mailed and received from a nearby village. Lina earns food for her art services, and finds out her father’s in Krasnoyarsk. Christmas celebrations raise spirits. Jonas survives a bout of scurvy. After the winter passes, some of the Lithuanians, including Lina’s family, are taken into a truck and transported away. Their destination is a mystery.
This is a good summary of the events that occurred in the section. I would also like to note the relationship that developed between Andrius and Lina. This relationship went through a rollercoaster in this section.
I wanted to know why Andrius was so mad a Lina, for so long? Could he really blame Lina for thinking that his mother could have been spying? People in their situation have to be careful who they trust.
I was also wondering if Lina has a mental disorder which causes her to see things like she did when trying to draw the portrait.
How was Lina's mother able to keep such a positive attitude? With how bad the conditions were, how was she able to keep her light?
Lastly, how were the "prisoners" able to get away with so much? Thankfully, it seems like the soldiers sucked at their jobs. There was a lot of stealing that occurred throughout the section and the soldiers did not notice a lot of what was happening.
I wanted to cry when I finished reading. So many Lithuanians lost their lives to disease and the elements. Even Elena died. She was a brave and wise woman who helped save others’ lives. I wanted her to live.
1. Who is Kretzsky? What is his role in Lina’s life? What does he do for the people in the second forced-labor camp in the novel? Why does he do this?
2. When the American ship came, even if the NKVD forced everyone into their huts, why did they not rebel in order to inform Americans of what happened here?
3. Throughout the novel, the bald man is cast as an unsympathetic and selfish character. At the end of the novel, the bald man shows a little kindness. Why does he change over time?
4. Many flashbacks are included throughout the novel. Do these memories help Lina endure the horrible conditions she lives in, or are they provided just to give a background of her life before she was deported? Or both? Why?
5. Some members of the NKVD, like Kretzsky, may have felt guilty due to their involvement in the deaths and misery of so many people. Might some members have sent notes of apology to the Lithuanians, or kept in contact with their former prisoners?
I was also very upset when Elena died. Lina worded it perfectly when she said that the sun was now hidden behind a cloud now that she was dead. Elena had been the light to everyone that was in their group, even the bald man was touched by her kindness. 2. I think there were a lot of things that convinced them not to rebel. Firstly, how could they know if the United States was on their side? They were bringing food to the soldiers, so why would they think that they were going to help them even if they knew what they NKVD was doing. 3. I think the bald man became kind because he felt bad for what he had done to such a wonderful like Elena. He felt responsible for her death and needed to help. 4. I think they do both, it depends on the timing for each flashback. I think that it mostly provides context for her character and the way that she behaves and I think it shows how complex and intelligent she is.
In the epilogue, the letter that Lina wrote states that they were imprisoned for twelve years. The entirety of World War II was not that long. I believe that because of Hitler's hideous acts, Stalin was able to get away with a lot of terrible acts himself. When we learn about Stalin in school, we just barely learn anything of what he did. I remember learning that he was a bar man, but that is all I remember from school. According to worldhistoryproject.com, he had many people in the Russian government assassinated, he was named TIME magazine's Person of the Year twice, he tried to create a completely socialist state, and many other things. Stalin form may pacts with our enemies in World War II, so I am unsure as too why he is so overlooked in our history courses.
What I also found interesting in epilogue was that in 1954, when the letter was dated, she was still living in fear of death from speaking about the "terrors," which was more than a year after Stalin's death. I am in awe that they all survived that long and it is a real testimint the will of people to live.
I agree that Stalin’s actions are not given enough attention in history courses. Before reading this book, I had no idea of the horrors that he had carried out. Perhaps it’s glossed over a little because the United States worked with the Soviet Union during World War II, but that is purely speculation. I also admire the people’s will to survive. It’s amazing that they were able to go through such terrible conditions.
Here is the video that I made for the section: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2qMqInmo7g3OGJDX0kwSG5sZ28/view
ReplyDeleteVery creative! You covered all the key points with your nice drawings.
DeleteCool video! I never would have thought of doing one. Nice job
DeleteRole--historian
ReplyDeleteThe story told in Between Shades of Gray is one that has been obscured by the sands of time. While the Holocaust was taking place under the orders of Adolf Hitler, a similar genocide was being conducted by Joseph Stalin. After Lithuania is invaded by the Soviet Union, Stalin attempted to suppress any and all possible dissidents. Around 1941, professors, librarians, and other Lithuanians who might have posed a threat to Stalin were rounded up and deported. Men were held separately from women and children, an act that tore families apart. The death toll was high, as the Lithuanians were treated harshly. They were not given food or medical treatment. The women and children were shoved into train cars and sent away without ever being told where they were going. Due to the continuation of Soviet rule after World War II, information of this genocide was kept away from the outside world. As the daughter of Lithuanian refugees, Ruta Sepetys wrote this book to provide a picture of the experiences of deportees.
Role- Questioner **Sorry for the Delay**
ReplyDeleteHey everyone! Here are some questions I thought of when reading this first section.
1. Towards the beginning part of the book, page 30 or so, Lina asks herself what a life is worth. In this case, she was talking about her brother's life. She ends up saying something along the lines of; "My brothers life was worth a pocket watch" (Because Lina's mom had to bribe and officer to basically not kill her brother) When you read that, what emotions did you feel and did this quote and whole scene strike you at all? What did it make you think about as this whole war is going on and what situation the Lithuanian people are in while dealing with Stalin?
2. In one part of the book, Lina's Mothers cousin is seen calling for her outside of the hospital. Why do you think Lina's mother ignored her?
3. Lina's mother seems like the type of person to help others before herself. Did anyone come to mind when you think about Lina's mother in this way?
Any other interesting questions or comments you might have drop below! I'd love to hear what you think.
I'll respond to the first question. First, I believe that Elena's hope and insistence on keeping the family together is what really gets them through the conditions they have to endure. She really fulfills the role of protector. It's also shocking that Jonas' life was worth so little to the Russian. It really emphasizes that the Lithuanians were nothing more than animals to the Russian soldiers at that time.
DeleteIt definitely does show how they were not viewed as humans and I think that it is terrible that people could be able to view other humans in that way. I truly cannot understand it.
DeleteAs far as question 2 is concerned, I think she wanted to protect as many people as she could and she was doing that when she didn't acknowledge her cousin.
Role-- Storyteller
ReplyDeleteLina, her family, and a group of other Lithuanians end up on a collective farm in Siberia, where they’re ordered to work as beet farmers to earn their food. The Altaian woman that they’re living with is rude to them, and even makes them pay rent. The conditions are horrible, and the NKVD is cruel. First, the group has to make preparations to survive the Siberian winter. Things start taking a turn for the worse when the NKVD attempts to make the Lithuanians sign a document that would doom them to twenty-five years of hard labor. Some refuse to sign, yet those who do sign are granted certain privileges, and morale is lowered. People turn to desperate means. Andrius’ mother becomes a prostitute to get extra food for the Lithuanians and to ensure her son’s life. Families scavenge for food scraps among garbage heaps. Despite the horrible conditions, hope still survives. Letters are mailed and received from a nearby village. Lina earns food for her art services, and finds out her father’s in Krasnoyarsk. Christmas celebrations raise spirits. Jonas survives a bout of scurvy. After the winter passes, some of the Lithuanians, including Lina’s family, are taken into a truck and transported away. Their destination is a mystery.
This is a good summary of the events that occurred in the section. I would also like to note the relationship that developed between Andrius and Lina. This relationship went through a rollercoaster in this section.
DeleteRole-Questioner
ReplyDeleteI wanted to know why Andrius was so mad a Lina, for so long? Could he really blame Lina for thinking that his mother could have been spying? People in their situation have to be careful who they trust.
I was also wondering if Lina has a mental disorder which causes her to see things like she did when trying to draw the portrait.
How was Lina's mother able to keep such a positive attitude? With how bad the conditions were, how was she able to keep her light?
Lastly, how were the "prisoners" able to get away with so much? Thankfully, it seems like the soldiers sucked at their jobs. There was a lot of stealing that occurred throughout the section and the soldiers did not notice a lot of what was happening.
Role---Questioner
ReplyDeleteI wanted to cry when I finished reading. So many Lithuanians lost their lives to disease and the elements. Even Elena died. She was a brave and wise woman who helped save others’ lives. I wanted her to live.
1. Who is Kretzsky? What is his role in Lina’s life? What does he do for the people in the second forced-labor camp in the novel? Why does he do this?
2. When the American ship came, even if the NKVD forced everyone into their huts, why did they not rebel in order to inform Americans of what happened here?
3. Throughout the novel, the bald man is cast as an unsympathetic and selfish character. At the end of the novel, the bald man shows a little kindness. Why does he change over time?
4. Many flashbacks are included throughout the novel. Do these memories help Lina endure the horrible conditions she lives in, or are they provided just to give a background of her life before she was deported? Or both? Why?
5. Some members of the NKVD, like Kretzsky, may have felt guilty due to their involvement in the deaths and misery of so many people. Might some members have sent notes of apology to the Lithuanians, or kept in contact with their former prisoners?
I was also very upset when Elena died. Lina worded it perfectly when she said that the sun was now hidden behind a cloud now that she was dead. Elena had been the light to everyone that was in their group, even the bald man was touched by her kindness.
Delete2. I think there were a lot of things that convinced them not to rebel. Firstly, how could they know if the United States was on their side? They were bringing food to the soldiers, so why would they think that they were going to help them even if they knew what they NKVD was doing.
3. I think the bald man became kind because he felt bad for what he had done to such a wonderful like Elena. He felt responsible for her death and needed to help.
4. I think they do both, it depends on the timing for each flashback. I think that it mostly provides context for her character and the way that she behaves and I think it shows how complex and intelligent she is.
In the epilogue, the letter that Lina wrote states that they were imprisoned for twelve years. The entirety of World War II was not that long. I believe that because of Hitler's hideous acts, Stalin was able to get away with a lot of terrible acts himself. When we learn about Stalin in school, we just barely learn anything of what he did. I remember learning that he was a bar man, but that is all I remember from school. According to worldhistoryproject.com, he had many people in the Russian government assassinated, he was named TIME magazine's Person of the Year twice, he tried to create a completely socialist state, and many other things. Stalin form may pacts with our enemies in World War II, so I am unsure as too why he is so overlooked in our history courses.
ReplyDeleteWhat I also found interesting in epilogue was that in 1954, when the letter was dated, she was still living in fear of death from speaking about the "terrors," which was more than a year after Stalin's death. I am in awe that they all survived that long and it is a real testimint the will of people to live.
The website that I got my information from was https://worldhistoryproject.org/topics/joseph-stalin/page/1
DeleteI agree that Stalin’s actions are not given enough attention in history courses. Before reading this book, I had no idea of the horrors that he had carried out. Perhaps it’s glossed over a little because the United States worked with the Soviet Union during World War II, but that is purely speculation. I also admire the people’s will to survive. It’s amazing that they were able to go through such terrible conditions.
Delete