Skip to main content

In Chapter 2, why does Maria change her behavior when the soldier comes in? What does this suggest?

In Chapter 2, Bruno seeks Maria's opinion on their move from Berlin to "Out-With." Maria is the family's maid or housekeeper, and she tries to avoid speaking her mind. However, Bruno continues to lament about his father and their situation. Maria eventually tells Bruno how his father took care of her mother and offered her a job. While Bruno comments that he is tired of hearing about his father's important job, there is noise outside...

In Chapter 2, Bruno seeks Maria's opinion on their move from Berlin to "Out-With." Maria is the family's maid or housekeeper, and she tries to avoid speaking her mind. However, Bruno continues to lament about his father and their situation. Maria eventually tells Bruno how his father took care of her mother and offered her a job. While Bruno comments that he is tired of hearing about his father's important job, there is noise outside in the hallway, and a young blonde soldier enters the room. When the soldier enters, Maria bows her head towards the ground and holds her hands before her like a person praying. Maria only relaxes when the soldier leaves. One way to interpret Maria's behavior is as a suggestion that she may be Jewish. Her solemn attitude and refusal to look into the soldier's eyes may imply that she feels inferior to or threatened by the German soldier. She is also nervous and is careful not to move or speak in front of him. Readers are never explicitly told about Maria's ethnic or religious background, but it is possible to read her cautious behavior as implying that she may be Jewish, and that she may fear for her well-being in the presence of German soldiers.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more