Primo Levi's "Survival in Auschwitz"

Paper Summary:

The author uses Primo Levi's autobiography, "Survival in Auschwitz," to describe the everyday life of a prisoner in the Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz. The author gives a brief biography of Primo Levi, and describes how he ended up at Auschwitz, including his experiences on the train ride from Italy. Some of the issues discussed are the day-to-day activities in the camp, and how Levi actually managed to survive the horror in which he was living.

From the Paper:

"Yet another element in his survival was his friendship with two Italians, Alberto, a fellow Hftling, and Lorenzo, an Italian civilian worker at the Buna installation whom Levi met by chance. Levi was assigned to Alfredo's block after a two-week stay in the Ka-Be (sick house.) Levi and Alberto shared rations and supported each other in their quest for survival. Lorenzo's friendship was of even greater importance. Lorenzo became Levi's protector and brought him a piece of bread and what was left of his ration every day for six months. Lorenzo's conduct was atypical of the civilian behavior toward the Hftlinge in the camp. The civilians saw the degraded and disfigured slaves as deserving of their fate even when they threw them potatoes or bread. Above all, Lorenzo treated Levi as a human being, and it was that treatment which Levi believes kept him alive."

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