Imer Bauta
English 10
01/20/04
A Sunflower of Forgiveness
There are many possibilities and limits of forgiveness in this world. But
where do you draw the line? I never had an encounter with a dying SS man named
Karl before, but I understand Simon?s experience. It is tough to go through
such mental and physical pain for such a long time, and I am not talking about
Karl. Simon went from concentration camp to concentration camp taking beatings
every day suffering worse than Karl did. Having mental pains, by questioning
whether or not he did the right thing. Simon acted bravely upon his decision
and I agree with him.
During the Holocaust Nazis committed several acts of genocide and
during this time many Jews lost faith in their religion. ?In fact, religious
belief had declined a great deal in the face of God?s silence.? (As stated by
Moshe Bejski on page 115). For Simon this was also a problem because he also
stopped believing, he always waited for a sign, such as the sunflowers. Every
time Simon would see a sunflower he would think back to the Karl and how he
would have a sunflower at his grave, and Simon wouldn?t.
?Suddenly I envied the dead soldiers. Each had a sunflower to connect him to
the living world, and the butterflies to visit his grave. For me their will be
no sunflower. I would be buried in a mass grave.? (A quote from page 14).
For Simon he thought of this as a good life (or after life), It is though
to believe that Simon would rather die than live through this agony. I think
this had something to do with his decision not to forgive Karl. At this point
Simon lost all faith in religion and was already thinking about his after life,
and he could care less about what happened to Karl.
The Nazi?s were terrible people and committed such horrible atrocities, this
goes with Simon decision not to forgive Karl. On page 239 Josh Rubenstein gives
his reasons why Karl shouldn?t be forgiven, ?The Young Nazi did not have to
obey the order to burn and shoot unarmed men, women, and children.? He
continues his argument by saying another way Karl could have not killed those
innocent Jews: ?He could have shot himself in the foot?. I agreed with Josh,
not only because his talks about not forgiving Karl, but also when he talks
about Karl being Callous and Egotistic. What kind of man can do such things?
A few years after Karl died, and after Simon got out of the concentration
camps, Simon felt like an unfinished book. Thoughts about Karl passed
throughout his mind daily, he wasn?t sure whether he did the right thing or
not. Simon had one more mission to complete, before Karl died he begged Simon
to go see his mother, and that is what he did. When Simon arrived at the old
lady?s house he had mixed feelings upon what he was going to say. ?Should I
tell the old lady the naked truth? Should I tell her what her ?good? boy had
done in the name of his leaders?? And through the heart felt conscience of
Simon, he told Karl?s mother nothing of the atrocities Karl committed. I agree
with Simon?s actions not to say anything, because it wasn?t his mother killing
those innocent Jews it was him, and why punish his mother by giving her a bad
image of her only son. Simon lived through such horrible things in his life.
?We are under obligation to forgive our neighbor even though he has offended
against us seventy times seven.?(Christopher Hollis page 177). Karl would be
happy that Simon told nothing of his actions to his mother. And Simon should be
happy that he forgave someone in their afterlife, even though he has offended
against Jews seventy times seven.