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Cassandra
Cassandra was a figure in Greek mythology who received the gift of prophecy with the simultaneous curse that no one would ever believe her. Compare Cassandra to Mrs. Schächter. Are there other Cassandras in Night? Who are they?
Mariana
ReplyDeleteThe comparison between Cassandra and Mrs. schachter is when they start saying things that will happen people don't believe until they see it. Just like when Mrs.Schacter was on the train and it was very dark that she saw fire in the sky. She kept screaming and the Jews did not believe her until they got into the camp and saw the crematory. The other Cassandra is Moshe the Beadle. He told everyone the Germans took babies, and throw them in the air, and shot them as targets. As he told the story no one believed him. He was the one that left before the soldiers came. He was the smart one.
I agree with Mariana's comment that Cassandra and Mrs. Schachter both told people what was happening, but no one believed them. They only believed what they saw. When Mrs. Schachter was screaming, Fire! I can see fire! I can see fire!" No one would pay attention to her. Everyone thought she was just a crazy, annoying lady. Then when they got to Birkenau, reception center for Auschwitz and saw the flames in front of them, that is when they believed what she was saying, although it was too late to pay attention to her now.
ReplyDeleteThe part when Mrs. Schachter was screaming was very disturbing. I can't imagine being in that train car with her and hearing her scream like that.
ReplyDeleteOn a less depressing note, FYI, a common phrase is that "hindsight is 20/20." Who can explain what this means?
As Cassandra, Mrs.Schächter is condemned with no one believing her when she was warning everyone about the horrible agony that soon the Jews would be facing. Honestly, the idea of someone randomly being burned to death alive, so instead of hearing where the idea came from they tied Mrs.Schächter up and abused her infront of her child. When they realized in Birkenau she was completely right, it was too late. Another "Cassandra" is Moshe the Beadle. After being taken in captivity and coming back to his town in Trannsylvania, he made several attempts to warn everyone about the horrid lives they'd lead if they stayed. Like Mrs.Schächter, no one believed him. They avoided him completely unlike before when he was beloved. When The Officers invaded their town in Trannsylvania, he came to the door of the Wiesel family to say that he was right, he fled. Then everyone belived him.
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