“The Last One”

Chapter 16: The Last One
“To destroy a man is difficult, almost as difficult as to create one: it has not been easy, nor quick, but you Germans have succeeded.”
“We lifted the menaschka on to the bunk and divided it, we satisfied the daily ragings of hunger, and now we are oppressed by shame.”
A major symbol pervades this last part of the chapter. Until now, there have been prisoners who constantly were against the Germans, and strived to keep their status as humans against the atrocity of the persecution. Despite the infinitesimal number of these people, they still kept some of the humanity of the prisoners alive, as they opposed the Nazi’s goal to deprive the prisoners of their dignity. However, “The Last One” has finally been put to death. He who committed the final “crime” against the Germans by exploding a crematorium at Birkenau was executed. This is more than just a death of a single prisoner. This death symbolizes the final destruction of the prisoners’ humanity, as the first quote above says. They have been focused in surviving rather than keeping their dignity as human beings, and gradually this it has diminished. When the last person to actively advocate this dignity was executed, the destruction of man in the camps was complete.
I could feel the guiltiness and shame Primo Levi and Alberto felt as they saw the sight and couldn’t do anything of it. They have realized that they have only concentrated on surviving, taking advantage everyday, yet they did not even think of retaining their status as equal human beings as the Germans.
It worries me that there are less people in the world today who are like “The Last One”; a vast majority of people are concerned about their wealth and prestige. I am certainly not saying I am not one of those. We all should strive to think more of what is best for human kind and promote good morality in the world.