English: Courageous Characters

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"Terrible Things" an Allegory of the Holocaust

An introduction to theme 3: Courageous Characters

Allegory: a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one
Bystander: a person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out

because I was not a communist.

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out

because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the labor leaders, and I did not speak out

because I was not a labor leader.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me, and there was no one

left to speak out for me.

--The Reverend Martin Niemöller, a pastor in the German Confessing Church who spent seven years in a concentration camp.

Guiding Questions:
What forces either internal or external kept the animals from taking action?

How might the different actions of the bystanders changed the outcome?

In what ways do you see persecution happening in today’s world? Who are the bystanders?

Is it worse to be an oppressor, a victim, or a bystander?

Do bystanders harm or help others? or are they neutral? How so?

Big Picture view of theme 3: courageous characters

Universal Theme: Conflict

Conflict is composed of opposing forcing.

Conflict may be natural or human made.

Conflict may be intentional or unintentional.

Conflict may allow for synthesis and change.

Guiding Questions

Why is it important to know the qualities of character?

How do characters actions reveal or convey who they are?

How do a characters traits affect the events and outcome of a story?

How do different people handle inequality and what does this show about their character?

What segregates or separates people from one another?

How has inequality changed over time?

How is the theme of inequality communicated differently through fiction vs. non-fiction?