Topic > Hope and Its Meaning in Surviving Auschwitz

In his memoir, Survival In Auschwitz, Primo Levi defines hope and expresses its meaning as a key feature of our humanity through the use of style, characterization and tone. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Levi poignantly defines his personal definition of hope through the use of authorial style. For someone who may not know what it means to live without hope, it paints a physical picture. With words like “bleak” (39), “muddy (40),” and “small” (32), along with a lack of color, vibrancy, excitement, and light, (135) Levi creates a lack of visual appeal. This creates a feeling of loss and emptiness in the reader's interpretation of the setting, as well as the atmosphere within the camp. The “darkness and cold of sidereal space” (56) and the shades of gray (37) that he uses as descriptive adjectives are intended to discourage and provoke deep feelings of resentment, lethargy, and weakness. Levi also uses images as a means of manipulating emotions; create a connection with the victim within the scene. Use suspense by telling the story in a particular order. Some events in the story are told in chronological order, but most of the story is told in order according to its relevance to the tale. In terms of intention and point of view, the author controls the flow of information, dictating the facts available to the reader, which creates an interesting parallel to the guards who controlled the lives of prisoners within the camp itself. The lack of warm (40) is a strong evocation of emotion for an experience of mental depression and a cold, lonely place in the mind. It reflects the desolation of the camp environment. Levi also gives the prisoners no hope for a future and avoids the theme of times to come, living and surviving only in the moment. He discusses a word in camp slang that means never (133). The literal translation of this word is “tomorrow morning” (133), directly linking hopelessness with the language and culture of the camp. Levi uses imagery in an attempt to convey the incomprehensible environment within the camp, the utter desperation and absence of hope. He also demonstrates this through his account of the actions and reactions of humans within the camp; how they treat each other and how they express their need for hope. Although Levi clearly expresses the pain he experiences within the camp (45), he also talks about what it feels like to be liberated and have hope again (71). On “a good day,” Levi radiates the light of good fortune through his imagery and shares the excitement of changing moods (71). When referring to his experiences after release from the camp, and on the days in which he demonstrates hope, Levi speaks of 'horizon', showing his attention and trust in the future, and of 'brightness', clarity and sunshine. The sun has a healing power of warmth and new life (71). Warmth holds regeneration and comfort, while sunlight chases away the figurative storm clouds. (168) This brings hope, not only for him, but also for the reader on the journey (73). By relying on the imagery, the tone of the memoir further enhances one's understanding of hope, as well as influencing a reaction to what is written. This is calculated to make a specific judgment on the humanity within the field. Because the tone is so detached, the story is open to interpretation. The fact that the story is told from the prisoner's point of view is powerful as the story remains one man's personal experience and the (173).