The excuse for last week’s non post, as excuses go, merits little explanation. For my birthday last weekend, among all the many kindnesses, someone gave me a cold.
On we go…
Striped Pajamas. It’s not about the children’s song I learned from Captain Kangaroo about the horse in striped pajamas sung by Eddy Arnold and his daughter JoAnne.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L88T0MMrJaE
Last night, I decided to take a break from the Polish language thriller on NetFlix, UltraViolet. I do get tired of reading dialog, but it is great to be able to rewind!
I chose a movie that I had heard was good, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Focusing on two-eight year old boys during WWII in Germany, I thought it would be interesting, maybe gentle or touching and about children. I am interested in history. I did not know the end of the story ahead of time. Knowing the end does not change the power of the story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pyjamas_(film)
Teaching the book by John Boyne with care to young people.
https://www.prestwickhouse.com/blog/post/2019/01/how-to-teach-the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas
Has anyone else noticed the plethora of books coming out about this time period?
Working in a book shop, I noticed it some time ago.
We are living in the same sort of time.
Some scenes in the movie are so familiar.
Telling the truth can change your life.
As in the movie, when the young Nazi soldier did not report his father had left the country and thus was not supporting the fatherland, the young soldier was then shipped to the front line of the war. Currently, we have honest, trained to follow orders, truth tellers being punished for doing what they were trained to do, the right thing. And all this by corrupt power.
As in the movie, the film of the camps shown to Nazi officers did not show the truth of the situation. Pablum passively absorbed. Entertainment rather than news. Palatable, but untrue. Are we paying attention?
As in the movie, , when the mother finds out what the smoke is, she was helpless to change it. When we learn truth, we are not helpless.
How has power so great again gotten in to the hands of evil that would destroy us?
I cry for my country.
Imperfect as it is, we are still a Democracy. We must recognize the truth, not as it is told to us, but as we see for ourselves and act to change our path.
Like the song, there just might be a horse in striped pajamas even though some might call it a zebra.
Think for yourself.
Pay attention.
The boys in the movie certainly knew that they were both human even though the political view was different. And they were friends, to the end. Shmuel and Bruno.
Again and always …
Thank you for being.
Thank you for purchasing my art and/or giving me venues.
You are my POTA (Patrons Of The Arts).
Almost all of the work posted is for sale.
Please email me if interested in making a purchase.
doublecomfortstudios@gmail.com
xSuzanne