Because he spent almost a year as an inmate in Auschwitz, Levi is able to give us—via Survival in Auschwitz—a personal and methodical view of life inside the barbed wire. From the prisoners being stripped of their belongings, hair and very names, to the senseless rites and rituals that take place every day (marching to the beat of a band, lice control, the shoe exchange ceremony), every aspect of the prisoners' lives are controlled. They are starved, cold, miserable, and living in cramped, unsanitary conditions, forced to do the harshest of hard labor until they died from the effort. And this labor supported the very German war effort that was bent on destroying them.
Questions About Visions of Auschwitz
- Why are so many of the activities in the camp referred to in terms of "rituals" or "ceremonies"?
- Shaving all of the prisoners is arguably done for reasons of usefulness: it cuts down on lice. What might be another reason for this shaving?
- What is Levi's attitude toward the Jewish "prominents," those who are put into positions of power over other Jewish prisoners? Does he have any empathy for them?
- Why do you think there are so few SS officers in the camp?
Chew on This
Shoes symbolize life in Auschwitz, since so much relies upon the quality of one's shoes.
Despite being forced to live like animals, there is still a system of ethics and morals within the camp.