Journal Five-6/29/2010

Amy Blackman
Journal Five
The Sunflower
Eli, is the Last child that Simon had seen in the ghetto. When Eli is first spoken of in this novel, we learn that Eli was “six years old with large questioning eyes-eyes that could not understand-accusing eyes-eyes that one never forgets” (Wiesenthal 43). Children are used to represent purity and innocence. In this book, Eli is that child. He soon becomes of representative of every starving and lost Jewish child. Also to Simon, Eli is the represents the last shred of innocence in humanity. When he thinks of Eli he thinks of hope, he has hope that innocence and purity are still alive. Clearly it is not, the Nazis have persecuted everyone’s dream.
Also, as it says in the book, “Eli” is a pet name for Elijah-Eliyahu Hanavi, the prophet” (Wiesenthal 43). Children looked to Eliyahu as a protector, and he took every possible form. Simon remembers a story his grandmother had told him about the prophet Eliyahu. “My grandmother told us that he was rarely recognizable; he might appear in the form of a village peasant, a shopkeeper, a beggar, or even a child” (Wiesenthal 44). Simon sees the great protector Eliyahu in the little Jewish child, Eli. Simon recalls leaving the camp from day to day looking for Eli. If he saw Eli that day, at that moment there was no danger (Wiesenthal 45). Eli’s instincts were so powerful that the day they had decided to send the children in the Jewish kindergarten to the gas chamber, Eli had stayed home.
Eli was a representation of all suffering Jewish children for Simon. If someone would refer to a child, Simon’s mind would always think of Eli. Karl spoke of a family that he killed when he was a soldier, “I saw a man with a small child in his arms. His clothes were alight, “By his side stood a woman, doubtless the mother of a child. With his free hand the man covered the child’s eyes…then he jumped into the street. Seconds later the mother followed…We shot” (Wiesenthal 43). Karl spoke of never forgetting the family especially, the child who had black hair and dark eyes. This description made Simon think of Eli.
During one particular evening, Simon dreamt of Eli. In this dream he remembers seeing Eli’s eyes which “expressed the unanswered question: Why?” (Wiesenthal 68). He recalls seeing the child’s father bringing “Eli” to Simon’s arms. Also in the dream, Simon wanted to take and hold the terrified Eli but couldn’t. They had escaped from a burning fire and “all that existed was a bloody mess” (Wiesenthal 68). I feel that Simon dreamt of Eli because Simon had just been brought face to face with so much crime and sin (which represents the burning fire and bloody mess in the dream) he began to long for peacefulness and innocence (which represents Eli).