What Are The Similarities Between Sierakowiak's And Primo Levi

Even though Dawid Sierakowiak’s and Primo Levi’s accounts of the Holocaust took place in different locations, both of their accounts contain striking similarities, such as their experiences with antagonistic individuals (apart from the Nazis), as well as their experiences with positive and influential individuals. Their encounters with these encouraging people ultimately helped in shaping their experiences during the Holocaust, and it can even be argued that the people who positively affected both Sierakowiak and Levi can be labeled as rescuers. Regardless of the actions of the antagonists, namely Sierakowiak’s father and the men who taunted Levi about his number, both of these men were able to form and maintain positive relationships with

Sierakowiak’s relationship with his father was constantly strained: his father would steal food, threaten to leave the family, and would, as a whole, act as a pessimistic and damaging individual within the family structure. Sierakowiak’s mother, Sura, however, was presented as one of the most influential and kindest individuals in the ghetto. There were a myriad of instances where Sura Sierakowiak attempted to keep the peace within the family, as well as where she gave up portions of her own rations to help her family survive, even if she suffered because of it. When Dawid’s father stole a portion of his rations, it was Sura who begged Dawid to let it go and remain peaceful—anger and stress wouldn’t benefit anyone living in a ghetto. When Sura saw that her family was suffering without sufficient portions of food, she would give it away, cutting her ration short and offering the additional food to her children. When Sura was sent to death on September 5, 1942, Dawid mourned her greatly. He grieved for his mother because he knew she was a source of kindness and light within the ghetto. She was a comfort to both him and his sister, and she helped to keep Dawid alive, despite the awful conditions and lack of food in the ghetto. In the end, even though both she and Dawid died, she helped rescue him. Sura didn’t smuggle her son out or get him special connections that allowed him to live longer; instead, she performed small acts, simple acts, which ultimately kept Dawid alive until 1943. She made sacrifices for her family, sacrifices that she didn’t have to make, but she did so because she wanted to. It was her willingness to put her family above herself that makes her a rescuer; her health deteriorated greatly over her time in the ghetto, and she eventually died due to her poor health; however, her sacrifices allowed her family to live longer. Sura put