Introduction

          Facing History and Ourselves is a course that would forever change anyone’s life that chooses to take it. The course teaches you about civic agency; where you can put yourself in the time period of the Nazi’s. During the course you learn all about the Holocaust. Besides gaining knowledge about what actually happened, you more importantly learn how and why it was able to. What people don’t understand before taking this course is there is never someone solely in power controlling the mass extermination of people; that’s impossible. In reality it is those people standing idol by and ultimately condoning and allowing it to. With all situations there is a perpetrator, a victim, bystanders, a resistance, and a rescuer. From the class you will learn day by day to never be a bystander. You will also realize to never be a perpetrator nor a victim because in the end, like I have, you will learn to love yourself and love people for who they are.

            I am a senior at Westborough High School, when deciding what courses to take the first one I wrote down was History and Ourselves. I had heard so many great things about it and wanted to have Mr. Gallagher again as a teacher before I graduated. I didn’t want to lose the chance to be forever changed and transformed into someone that wants to do everything in my power to do the right thing. I’ve realized I have all the opportunity to do great things. I have to fight for myself and never give up because giving up is letting the perpetrator, whether it is myself or someone else, win. 

Make A Difference Essay

               Facing History and Ourselves can either be everything or it can be nothing. It depends on the individual. Either you learn a lot or you shut out the information like it was never there. To me, well, History and Oursleves has been one of the most beneficial experiences I have ever had. I don’t call it or address it as a class because even though its in school and your sitting in a desk, each and every day was an interpretation and insight of my own self, which is an experience in my eyes.
         Everything about the course, from what you learn on day one to the activities you do at the very end is a journey. A journey of yourself and a journey through the Nazi reign, but most specifically the concentration and labor camps. Not only did I learn about the Holocaust, obviously, I couldn’t stress enough how much I learned about myself. I transformed into a bigger person than I was in September. I gained a world of insight from this. By insight I mean when I look at myself I have become wiser, more mature and I just see things in a different light. There is no more judging people or saying harsh things; that is petty behavior; I wish others could realize it. Through this realization I have become more emotional. I feel for those who have to suffer through injustice, I will stand up next to some one who is being picked on, and I will pull someone out of a hole they just can’t seem to climb out of. After seeing everything that happened to the Jews and other people I just cannot bare to be a bystander. I have learned that bystanders are evil; bystanders are the reason the Holocaust was able to unfold and grow into what it did. A real life example, a bully will continue to be a bully until some one has the guts to put an end to it. I personally am comfortable with myself enough, now, to be that person. I don’t care if people judge because I made a difference. I have a voice, and I have the right to be heard. I have a better understanding of people and emotions. I get that not everyone can be everything you want them to, but what type of society is that. Hitler and the Nazis tried to make a perfect society, look what happened. The bullies didn’t win, they never do. At the end of the day, when I add all the things I learned, I taught myself how to love myself. I apply everything the course did for me into my life and well I have a kind heart. Jews and others were scrutinized because they may not have been as good looking, had the same faith and whatever excuse Hitler could have made but where was the heart. In the chest cavity of those who didn’t do anything; there’s a hole. Everything that I just described well is proof that I have a heart. And I truly believe that because of what is in my heart and what is in my mind makes me beautiful and I should love myself for it. I would give up myself to save a thousand; I would give up myself to save one.

            With everything that we did in the course, while everything made an impression, there were specific things that stood out to me. We had a lot of class discussions that were very passionate and I learned a lot from them. There are two discussions that I probably could have started a brawl and not because I was mad at anyone I just got so into them. Those two are when we were talking about Sandusky and the Penn State scandal, and when we spoke of bullying and how serious it has gotten. People are now committing suicide and while that has always gone on, its more prevalent and just some of the things that people said about the issue I’ll just never forget. I thought it was kind of ridiculous how, in my opinion, people can be so arrogant. We also watched a ton of film. They varied from documentaries to actual productions, all very powerful. The two movies that I will never forget are the Boy with the Striped Pajamas and the Grey Zone.

            These facets of the course were so important to me not because of what they were about necessarily but the emotions I felt were so strong. Class discussions were intelligent conversations and I was able to let out my anger and frustrations that I had. I was able to vent without feeling like I had to hold back. I find that, it was almost therapeutic in a sense. When you’re in a class setting and there are so many different thoughts and ideas, while some can be similar, we’re all different. You feel your emotions in a different way because your being conscious of people and you really have to filter your opinions in some cases. The complexion of conversation is much different when you’re arguing with a family member or friend. When watching movies, I also felt emotions in a different way then I did with class discussion. During movies I had to suppress my anger and sadness and even happiness. It made an impression on me because I wanted to be able to apply things I learned. I wanted to stand up and say “no” or “stop”, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t believe some of the things I saw and heard and the outcome of things are sometimes too hard to accept in my mind. Even though I wanted to do these things the best thing I could do was interpret what I was watching. I could learn from the thoughts that were running through my mind. Regardless of whether I liked it or not, I sat and watched, I felt, and I engraved in my brain and never will forget what I learned from taking this course. 

Works Cited

Two Young Jewish Boys. Google Images.  Image. 13 January 2012

Young Kids Through Barbed Wire. Google Images. Image. 13 January 2012

The Grey Zone. Google Images. Image. 13 January 2012

Starving Men. Google Images. Image. 13 January 2012

Loading Train. Google Images. Image. 13 January 2012