In the poem “Treblinka Gas Chamber”, by Phyllis Webb and in the TRC’s “The History”, both texts share a common theme of inhumane treatment towards children within certain cultural and ethnical groups. While the two authors explore distinct historical contexts, both texts are centred on racial segregation with nationalistic motives.
Phyllis Webb appeals to a logos strategy through the use of allusion. In her poem, “Treblinka Gas Chamber”, Webb presents fictional and historical examples to display her knowledge and establish her credibility. For this reason, Webb alludes to the Greek God Thanatos and the king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah: David. The essence of her reference is to capture the reader’s attention and encourage deeper
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The lack of counter arguments does not constitute a problem; rather, it creates an effect of harmony of the universal disapproval of crimes against humanity.
The poem “Treblinka Gas Chamber” by Phyllis Webb is a snapshot of the horrors of genocide of Jewish people in Nazi Germany, describing children’s experiences to evoke a stronger emotional reaction. Similarly, the TRC’s “The History” explores the cultural genocide of Indigenous people in Canada as well as the barbaric treatment of children from the ‘superior’ race.
The TRC’s “The History” author appeals to logos through the use quantitative findings. The use of logical evidence from the collection of testimonials made by former residential school students is an effective way to aid the persuasion of a reader. Throughout “The History”, the author describes the memories of known First Nations peoples Frederic Ernest Koe, Marlene Kayseas, Lily Bruce and many others. In addition, the author quotes Vitaline Elsie Jenner’s use of ‘kaya nakasin’ (TRC, 2015, p.38) in describing her experience with residential school. The author’s example that contains the use native language reaffirms his credibility and detailed knowledge of the
The atrocities that the children of residential schools had to endure is not something that can be ignored, just as the lessons these children learned, like shame, humiliation, hate, compassion, and forgiveness cannot be overlooked (Borrows 486-7). Borrows raises an important point, which is that the children of the Residential schools, who survived, grew up to eventually become elders (487). Although there are some who feel Residential schools had positive impacts, the high suicide rates in Indigenous communities cannot be
Summary of the Book “Out of depths” represents the heart wrenching real story of the experience of the Isabela Knockwood in the Indian Residential School in Shubenacadie in Nova Scotia. Additionally, it involves her horrifying accounts of whatever she faced in the institutions. Isabela incorporates different accounts from other former individuals in the institution. The abuse that the kids faced is unfathomable. Worst still after going through the story, it is quite hard to understand the reason a group of individuals could have treated kids in such a horrifying and abusive way.
Indian Residential Schools is a horrible event that happened from the 1840s until the 1990s. From these past mistakes in judgement, the education system has added curriculum to bring more knowledge to the event. By doing this we read “Indian Horse” by Richard Wagamese which is a fictional novel based on true events. It is about an Ojibway boy who experienced the hardships before, during, and after the Indian Residential School. The importance of learning the past is to ensure that this can be prevented in the future, to recognize what happened, and to help those affected by Indian Residential Schools.
In Ishmael Beah’s memoir ‘a long way gone’, Beah describes his experience as a child soldier. A deep message that Beah conveys is that “children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings if given the chance”. During Beah’s journey as a child soldier, he commits multiple graphic acts under the influence of drugs, such as demanding that prisoners dig their own graves, then burying them alive (151). This event shows how far gone mentally Beah
This paper will review the first five chapters in J.R. Miller’s book Shingwauk’s Vision: A History of Native Residential Schools. These chapters examine the events that took place before residential schools were made, as well as looking into the historical context of Canada during this time period. The first chapter of the book explains the way in which indigenous communities educated their children before contact by the European settlers. The educational systems from these indigenous communities were much different than the European educational systems, in the sense of a formal, rigid, institution.
Introduction: In Theodore Fontaine’s work about his experience in the Fort Alexandria Indian Residential School, he narrates his perspective on the various methods, ideologies, and religious beliefs adopted by the school. His narrative describes the structure and purpose of the residential schools, it also helps point out the how this structures influence or affect the lives of students. The book helps to identify how the method adopted by the school was that of a total institution like that of the military. The method of a total institution striped away the individuality and culture of the students.
Individuals, who are surrounded with agony by mistreatment at an early phase, often leave with wounds in which can trouble their lives. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, the Aboriginal children struggle with traumatization caused by dreadful brutality from the white people at the St. Jerome’s Residential School. Unfortunately for the children, the abuse leaves them upset for a lifetime. The children experience cruel abuse, which leading to leaving them mentally damaged.
No longer allowing Aboriginal language had virtual made speaking the native language extinct. Genocide in the past has been trying to kill of people of a certain culture. In this situation, the residential school are trying to kill the culture not so much the
After the residential school system was put to an end, there were thousands of people searching for compensation on the unnecessary abuse they had faced. From the 1980’s onward, former students have inaugurated legal campaigns in order to receive the acknowledgement, reorganization, and compensation needed from the federal government and the churches involved (Miller 10/10/12,03/04/15). The Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) was put into place. It has established multi-million dollar funds, recognized the damage inflicted upon our indigenous peoples cultures, and help formers students recover. The IRSSA was implemented on September 19, 2007 and includes five main components; The Common Experience Payment, Independent Assessment
Two extremely differentiating documents of the Holocaust relay to their audience unlike tones, yet similar purposes. Both authors use specific writing tolls to share their insightful information about the Holocaust with their audience. Devil's Arithmetic, by Jane Yolen, concerns the inexplicable the inexplicable dehumanization of people in death camps. The fact that she is a Jew in real life contributes to the tone of compassion through pure demoralization. However, Peter Fischl poem, “To The Little Boy Standing With His Arms Up,” has a tone of regret, ignorance, and what it is to be a bystander, Both authors have a universal message.
We Were Children, the documentary on residential schools, is a re-enactment of two aboriginal children and their first hand experiences in the residential school system. The kinds of problems this documentary presented include mistreatment faced by the children who attended these schools, corruption and scandal inside the administration of the schools, and the false perception about these schools that resonated amongst Canadian society. These two children talk about the bullying they had to endure from the nuns which show that the children were not seen as equal to a child of non-Aboriginal decent. Furthermore, the types of abuse administration would put these kids through was immensely disturbing considering this was a state run institution.
In 1996, the last of a number of schools in Canada created for the purposes of assimilating indigenous youth into Canadian society was shut down. The residential school phenomenon can be traced back to the late 1800’s, when the government authorized the taking of indigenous children from their families to be placed in church-run schools. While the schools did provide some education, many students suffered physical, mental, and sexual abuse while being stripped of their language and culture in favour or European language, culture, and values (Legacy of Hope Foundation, n.d.). Here, I will look at the residential school phenomenon through a picture of a young indigenous boy getting his hair cut in a classroom of a residential school, approached
The families of the children were also affected as they were unable to pass on their cultural and traditional knowledge to their children. The impact of residential schools can be seen in the high rates of poverty, addiction, and suicide among the indigenous community today. The legacy of residential schools has also contributed to the loss of indigenous languages, cultural practices, and
This book shows how the Holocaust should be taught and not be forgotten, due to it being a prime example of human impureness. Humans learn off trial and error, how the Jewish population was affected, decrease in moral, and the unsettled tension are prime examples of such mistakes. The Jewish population was in jeopardy, therefore other races in the world are at risk of genocide as well and must take this event as a warning of what could happen. In the Auschwitz concentration camp, there was a room filled with shoes.
The story you have just heard is not fictional. In fact, the vast majority of residential school alumni have either: died—through homicide or suicide; turned to drug abuse; or at the very least, have been utterly distressed. More importantly, these schools were actually built, and managed, by the Canadian government. With this being said, it becomes quite clear how this would pertain to me, and any other decent human being, so I should just stop here, right? Actually, no—there is much more to it than that, I am afraid.