Short Story #2

“The way the hair fell on my face was beautiful, they told me so, but I could not believe that”

That was the last thought I had in my very own house, about 25 years ago. I came to America with my family all the way from Germany now living in the Midwest. I could be happier. My name is Maria and I’m not married, no kids, I’m 35 and lonely. So lonely that I decided to clean out my attic, that’s where I found my childhood diary. This diary however, contained entries from when we came over from Germany to Ellis Island.

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December 10, 1856
Hello diary, I just got you, so I’m going to tell you all about me! My name is Maria Heimrich. I’m ten years old today! My hair is brown and my eyes are blue. I have a puppy and I haven’t named him yet, I just got him today for my birthday. My mommy’s name is mom, I asked her and she told me so. I don’t know where my daddy is, mommy says he’s on vacation. I hope he brings me presents! But I have to go blow out my birthday candles. Bye bye!

December 12, 1856
Mommy says we’re in trouble and have to leave. She said something about Uhmereeca, I don’t know what she’s thinking. She says daddy is over in Uhmereeca, so we can go see him on vacation!

December 15, 1856
We are going to Uhmereeca for sure, I don’t want to leave my friends and I’m scared. I don’t know when we’re leaving. Mommy now says that we’re in urgent trouble. But I didn’t do anything wrong. We are going to the middle west. I hope I can take my puppy Sparky, My daddy would love him!

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A few pages are ripped out. December 17 through the 23rd are gone…That’s just my luck. From what I can remember from my childhood was my mother going out a lot. I remember the help my mother hired but my Nanny was special to me, like a grandmother. I had no grandmother. It was just me, my mom, and the help. I don’t even know if my father was alive or just not there for us. He never wrote or came in contact with me. My mom worked two jobs as a shoe repair woman and eyeglass case assembler. I thought to myself sometimes that she led two lives, working so hard and never having any money for anything arose curiosity in me. But she did hire the help for me, to keep me company.

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December 26, 1856
My Nanny and me went to the market to get food for celebrating something called Christmas dinner. Mommy never told me about Christmas. Nanny says it’s a belated dinner because Christmas was a day ago in America. She says I should get ready to celebrate American holidays and know what they are. I hope mommy shows up this time, nanny’s making ham.

December 28, 1856
I got presents! Mom says you get presents and Sparky got some too! I got a new dress and a book that I can almost read all by myself. Sparky got a ball and a cute little sweater. We ate dinner and it was yummy and mommy came late but at least she came. Mommy says that at the New Year we will be leaving shortly after.

December 31, 1856
We have to pack today and I don’t want to. I want to bring my bed but mommy says it won’t fit. I don’t know what to do. Nanny is coming with us too! We have to go on a big boat with lots of people. I have to wear something covering my mouth so I don’t get the scary disease.

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I remember being scared, I couldn’t tell anyone though. I was afraid I would be left with the help if I complained. My mother was not like that though, she loved me. I was scared my mom would be late to get to the ship and I would be left there. I remember something else too, Oh yeah. It was a terrible ride.

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January 3, 1857
We are on our way to the ship. There are lots of people. Sick people mommy says. Mommy says to be careful and not to touch anything. She says daddy wants to see a healthy Maria. Nanny has lots of things to keep me healthy.

January 5, 1857
The ship is crowded. There are too many people and I’m worried about Mommy, she isn’t doing good. Nanny says it’s the weather change. I lost some luggage and I hope the trip gets better. I hope Mommy’s going to be okay too.

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I loved my mother more than anything and the day she died ruined me. It was the disease that killed her, no one could trick me into thinking otherwise. I loved you so much mom and I still love you more than anything. I just wish God had taken me instead. After we got off the ship in rough condition I went to live with my Nanny and I learned that my daddy deliberately left us. I grew up very anti-social. I was different to the kids and new to this wretched country.

Unfortunately the diary ends here. I had lost my diary and only kept the first few pages, it was taken by a sick man for reasons that could never be explained. America was supposed to be the land of opportunity for all who came. But it has altered my life terribly, and wish I could go home in the worst way.

Critique #2

Arbeit Macht Frei is the name of the painting, Marcus Jusherwood is the artist. To look at this painting is at first very frightening. The victims in the canter convey fear and look almost dead. Scaling up to their foreheads there lies the Star of David. The Star of David declares that they are Jewish, in some way explaining they’re extreme looks of death and decay. Te background is very dreary, the most significant and noticeable contrast is in the sky, symbolizing a sense of hope.

Besides the two almost zombies there is a man behind them, a walking rotting corpse. To the left of the scene there is a wagon of bodies ready to be hauled to the crematoria. A gate blocking their freedom behind them reads Arbeit Macht Frei translating to work will set you free. This gate is the entrance to Auschwitz death camp, the setting of the painting. Also giving more reason to why the people look so miserable and frightened. From what it looks like the prisoners are entering the gate, because the letters appear backwards.

The dark, almost black colors in this painting make one believe that there was no hope or happiness intended for the people in the death camps. A cluttered background of both decaying and fresh bodies leads one to believe that they don’t just kill and massacre victims once a day, it happens every time the chance came along. The gray skies look smoke filled, smoke and ash coming from the crematoria. This painting says to me that there wasn’t any hope of survival.

My Declaration

I am declaring diversity as my concept. I've noticed that diversity has taken a turn for the worst. No longer respected, diversity is looked down upon. It's no longer good to be different. I want to highlight the positives of being different, and that diversity in our country is something to be proud of.

Critique #1

There is alot going on in this picture. A very noticeable aspect of this picture is that the diversity of the species of animals is very wide. It is a very peacful image, very tranquil. The diversity of the painting does not show violence which is commonly shown when it comes to diversity in todays world. The colors in the painting are very bright, touching from one side of the rainbow to the other. The range of colors is very great, and just like the animals, the colors go together with a sense of peace and tranquility. When looking at this piece of art, it would remind one that humans also have quite a few differences between every race and nationality. The diversity between people for the longest time was not appreciated but degraded. So when looking at this it shows that even animals are different, but they still learn to appreciate one another and live in the ocean or rainforest peacefully together. Of all the creatures on the earth, animals, like the animals seen here will not discriminate.