There are a plethora of adjectives one could apply to the survivors of Hitler's nightmarish concentration camps during the final years of the Second World War World War; lucky, miraculous, willful and many others. However, this is what we need to start thinking about when we think about what the future will be like for these survivors after their release from the camps. Many, if not all, of these poor souls were scarred for the rest of their lives, having to live every day with the images of crematoriums, skeleton-like human beings, and countless other atrocities that were etched into their spirit. The fact of being released from the camps alive at the end of the war is surely due to many factors, some of which are even beyond our control. The story of Primo Levi and his account of surviving one of the most terrifying times for the Jewish people in perhaps all of history reveals what some of these factors were. From retaining what little dignity/humanity they had left in the camps to using cunning and wit to increase the chances of survival, Primo triumphed against all odds. Knowing that "man is obliged to pursue his own ends by all possible means, while he who makes a mistake only once pays dearly" (1.3), perseverance and the desire to escape alive fueled the determination of a man trapped in a land of fleeting trusts and moldy crusts. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Perhaps the most important contributor to the explanation of how Primo survived when so many others around him did not want to hold on to what the Nazis sought to destroy. inside the barbed wire of the camps: humanity. If there's anything Hitler's concentration camps did better than destroying the lives of all those unfortunate enough to be imprisoned there, it was robbing the prisoners of their humanity. Primo became interested early on in the inner workings and motivations of these camps, realizing that "if we want to keep [our names], we will have to find it in ourselves to do it, to manage in some way or on the other so that behind the name, there still remains something of us, of what we were” (2.21). Before it was too late, Primo began to hold on to every fragment of his past life that he could, using skills and actions performed before his imprisonment that reminded him of his humanity. The prisoners began to trade and bargain with their portions of bread, which somewhat resembled the structure of a makeshift economy in the camps. Bread became the currency of the country in place of paper/coin money, which was clearly absent in this environment. One individual in particular, a former sergeant in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I, was one of the first assets that helped Primo cling to his humanity. Steinlauf spoke words of supreme wisdom to Primo that he would remember so well that they would be included in his book years later. Steinlauf desperately wanted Primo to recognize that "[they] must shine [their] shoes, not because the rules require it, but for reasons of dignity and propriety" (3.41). The importance of maintaining routine order apart from that imposed by Nazi guards was essential to keeping a cool head in this hellish world. If one could clean oneself, dry oneself in one's jacket, and even find time to shine one's shoes, then the decline of reason would slow considerably. Although Primo is skepticalbeginning as for this advice, wondering whether or not it would be better to simply recognize the futility of having personal rules, it's undoubtedly one of the only reasons he escaped the war with a little of his humanity. intact. Another fateful action that Primo chose to perform was to analyze and befriend selected prisoners during his stay in the camp. From reuniting with his childhood friend Alberto, to maintaining his territory at the Ka-Be Medical Center with Charles and Arthur in the final days leading to their freedom, Primo would have almost certainly long since perished if not for the interactions he had with all the people he met along the way. He considered anyone who found himself completely deprived of everyone he loved to be "a hollow man, reduced to suffering and need, forgetting his dignity and self-restraint" (2.26), therefore taking it upon himself to ensure that he wouldn't be there without someone to take care of. Although Alberto was lost on Nazi death marches as the Russians closed in on Auschwitz, Primo came to think so fondly of Charles and Arthur that he even went so far as to say that he had exchanged letters with Charles after their release, “[hoping] to see him again one day” (17.22). Through the combination of tactics and friendships that Primo developed as he adapted to life in the concentration camp, the Jewish chemist was able to prevent what little humanity he had left from being viciously ripped from him. by the dehumanizing Nazi regime. much of the knowledge that allowed him to survive triumphantly within the walls of his enclosure, it would be ignorant to overlook Primo's naturally admirable intelligence that he possessed before his arrival at Auschwitz. In addition to being a formally recognized chemist in the life he lived before the war, Primo was able to analytically observe his environment and those around him, which allowed him to discover ways to live his day while spending as little energy as possible. . In one particular case, Primo recruited the help of a man named Resnyk to help him with a task requiring the lifting of heavy wooden beams weighing nearly 175 pounds each. Shortly after meeting his fellow inmate, Primo wasted no time in making a mental note of the benefits of partnering with him, calling him "a good worker [whose] being bigger would bear the greater part of the weight” (6.10). Levi's natural ability to seek out talents and usefulness that would benefit him if he needed their help certainly played an important role in his survival at Auschwitz. Also returning to his specialty in the field of chemistry, Primo's choice to take the chemistry exam offered by the German officers seeking a chemical Kommando for the camp gave him an unprecedented head start on the other prisoners. Although it took a while for the benefits of this action to finally become apparent, Primo found himself receiving better clothes at a more frequent rate, a warm workspace, and even the privilege of shaving every week once the position was obtained (which was only deserved). by two other men). Using the strong mind he had at birth to find ways to make his situation even a little more bearable undoubtedly gave Primo Levi the resources he needed to hold out until the end. the inevitable arrival of the Russians at Auschwitz. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. There were a few viable reasons that could help better explain why Primo Levi survived while,.