Primo Levi On The Bottom Essay

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In reading “On the Bottom,” by Primo Levi, there are very deep interpretations made about the hardships happening in Europe during the holocaust. By reading this story, there is greater understanding of what was actually happening under the command of Hitler during WWII, informing you with great detail. In this memoir, the story is told by Primo Levi, as himself, talking about what happened to him while he was trying to survive in the camps and things he had to go through. In all honesty, this story brings great realization to what was going on and how wrong it is that the slaughtering of millions of Jews came to be just because of the will of one man. First off, one main reason why this was so messed up is the fact that there was Germans treating other human beings like absolute filth. In the story, it is talked how Primo, and others were treated, “The outside door opens; a freezing wind enters and we are naked and cover ourselves up with our arms. The wind blows and slams the door; the German reopens it and stands watching with interest how we writhe to hide from the wind, one behind the other. Then he leaves and closes it.” From that quote, it describes how the officer treated it like a game, as entertainment, to see these poor freezing people cower for protection from the wind, as they stand there…show more content…
An example behind this is, “‘The officer says, take off the truss, and you will be given that of Mr. Coen.’ One could see the words coming bitterly out of Flesch’s mouth; this was the German manner of laughing.” and in this quote, shows how the Germans didn’t even have enough decency to let this man keep on this tross, something to stop a hernia from getting worse. The German officer laughed at the amount of pain this man would have gone through and how crushed he would be feeling as he removed it and the amount of

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