Recent Changes

Refugee Historical 1-12
Cuba is so close to us, but, you're right, we've known so little about it.

Chapter Quotations
Fine selections, Aeriel. The one that often haunts me, "I am a man." I think maturity takes a combination of so much: experiences, selflessness, courage, moving forward...

Reader Response
I'm so sorry you had to go through the divorce of your parents. Being young yourself, you had to learn the lessons given to Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud.

Refugee, Images in Text
Each situation so often included water.

Refugee, Theme Analysis
Really special quotes, Aeriel!

Ending
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.
Sir Francis Bacon
English author, courtier, & philosopher (1561 - 1626)

Ending
The ending of Refugee was very emotional. I was very emotional drawn in to the story and caught myself tearing up throughout the ending. I did really like how the stories all tied together. I love an ending that makes sense. An ending that makes you realize why you've been reading what you've been reading. I wasn't anticipating a happy ending but those are always the most satisfying to me. I learned a lot from this book. I'm very happy I read it. Not only did I learn about the different places and struggles the people from there have to face, but I learned a variety of life lessons that I took personal and applied to my own personal life.

Refugee, Theme Analysis
Josef: You have to be at your strongest when you're feeling at your weakest.
Isabel: There's light at the end of every tunnel, keep moving.
Mahmoud: Once you choose hope, anything is possible.

Domestic Life & Adventure
After reading more on domesticity and adventure, I would say that Refugee illustrates adventure. Each individual story and character are on a non-stop adventure. They have to overcome many trials on a day-to-day basis and go from one extreme to the next. Although they do face these trials with there families, it's not necessarily by choice. They have to face the trials and "adventures." It's not planned and they don't know what they may face next. They are all hoping to see the finish line and light at the end of the tunnel, they just don't know when that may be. Until then, they will continue on their non-stop journey, hoping to make it until the end.

Refugee, Images in Text
The author does an amazing job at helping me put his words into images. Throughout the entire book, I picture what is going on in my head. In Josef's story, I can picture the cabin getting destroyed by Otto Schiendick and the two firemen. Everything being destroyed and torn apart was so vivid and alive in my head. I think it helped that I felt it on an emotional level because I could picture how the family must have been feeling and the expressions on their face. It is such an overwhelming feeling trying to picture and imagine what these families must have been going through.

In Isabel's story, I could picture perfectly the dangerous water and her family trying to survive and stay afloat. Like Josef's story, I could feel the emotions of Isabel losing her grandma. Because of those emotions, I could see the heartbreak and pain on her face. I could see the fear that she must have felt throughout her journey. I could feel the fear her family must have felt when everything began to go wrong in their boat. I couldn't imagine having to experience and fear a situation so much. Having things be completely out of your control is one of the hardest things to have to face. All you can do is have hope that everything will be okay.

Mahmoud's story is one that I can picture the most. Because of the current and continuous situations going on in Syria, I know what it looks like. When his family was struggling in the ocean, I felt like my heart was outside of my chest. When it was described how his family continued to go under the water and only coming up long enough to catch their breath, I could feel that. I could picture it so vividly and couldn't imagine having to ever experience something like that. That is a situation that would have a long-term affect on someone. Forever. To be stranded in the middle of a giant body of water, all alone, is absolutely terrifying. The feeling of hopelessness would drown me even more.