Hope Pierce - Prisoner B-3087

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Prisoner B-3087 really got to me. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. Yanek is so inspiring. Very few, if any, could endure a fraction of what Yanek did and not he entirely changed by it. Yanek was such an old soul, and I don’t mean like a cute old person. He is very mature for his age. The first line of the novel is, “If I had known what the next six years of my life would be like, I would have eaten more” (p.11 – I have an Ebook, so my pages will be different). I know that I would never sum up my life like this. To think that his life was so horrible, that his main focus would be getting enough food really puts things into perspective. Yanek is so strong, because let me tell you, I would have given up a long time ago. All of that moving around from concentration camp to camp, I would have said just shoot me! Yanek does not see life like that. He views it as something precious that he can never let go of.  Although there are times when he wants to give up, and even begs for death. “Go on! I yelled at the showerhead. Go on, do it! I dare you. What are you waiting for? Kill me! I give up! You win!” (p.310-311). Later on in the passage after he doesn’t die, he determined more than ever to survive until help arrives.
This was a great book. I would definitely recommend young adults in middle school reading this. Yanek speaks in a way that invites all people to hear his story. Along the lines of teaching, you could do a lot with this novel. For everyone else, it is just an enjoyable and inspiring read. I don’t know how he survived, but he did. Yanek’s story is influential to all. Everybody can take something important away from how Yanek does not give up. He’s a fighter. One who wins his hard fought inner war.

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 25, 2016 at 9:35 PM

    I agree with what you've said 100℅. If I was in that situation I don't know how long I could endure what he and others had gone through. I think he is also strong and wise which could possibly have been his survival mechanism. This novel has to be one of my favorites we've read so far, really enjoyed it.

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