FRQs

In the novel Grenade, Alan Gratz employs a character intentionally deceiving others in order to convey a way in which characters can get what they want, ultimately illustrating propaganda and misinformation has a drastic result in peoples views and beliefs.

Alan Gratz initially utilizes a character intentionally deceiving others in order to demonstrate how Hideki and all soldiers are given misinformation about the war, altering their views and further actions. Gratz demonstrates the Japanese military officers instilling fear in all the Okinawa soldiers so that they see the American soldiers as the enemy and nothing else. Because the military explains horrific qualities about the Americans, it allows the Okinawa soldiers to dehumanize the Americans and to truly fear them. Consequently, many Okinawa soldiers kill Americans and themselves as that is what they believe is right, although Ray's mercy changes everything Hideki believes about the American soldiers. Therefore, Gratz shows how propaganda manipulates children and pushes them into violence. Gratz shows the theme of characters deceiving others by showing how the Japanese military misleads its soldiers  about the real progress of the war. Hideki finds the truth out from his dying dad, when he is speaking his final words to him. Because the military spreads this false information, young soldiers believe they must sacrifice themselves. Since they think there is no way out, they push themselves toward violent actions that they otherwise wouldn't  take. Thus, Gratz uses deception to show how feeding people false information can lead them to do things that they would regret if they knew the real truth.

Gratz also uses the deception of characters with the intention of bettering situations. Gratz uses deception when Hideki pretends to be loyal to his fellow soldiers when trying to get them to surrender. Hideki pretends to still have the Japanese military mindset when talking to other Japanese soldiers. Because he acts as though he still thinks like them, it builds unearned trust between them. Consequently, the soldiers do what Hideki says, leading him to save their lives. Therefore, Gratz displays the use of deception so that Hideki can do what’s best for his fellow shoulders without them second guessing him. Moreover, Gratz continues to use a manipulating character for good when Ray acts calmly in his first encounter with Hideki. In Hideki and Ray's first encounter, Ray realizes Hideki fears him as he knows what he is taught about the American soldiers, so he acts calmly hiding his initial intentions. Because Ray deceives him in this way, it calms Hideki as he does not feel threatened anymore. Since they are both calm in the situation, it saves both of their lives. Thus, Gratz portrays an example of a character deceiving someone with the intention of calming a situation in which they could both die.

Ultimately, Alan Gratz employs a character intentionally deceiving others in order to convey a way in which characters can get what they want. Through many different approaches, Gratz demonstrates many ways characters act and deceive others to accomplish their ultimate goal, whether it's good or bad. By characters deceiving others, it makes people act in ways they wouldn’t initially act in, ultimately illustrating propaganda and misinformation has a drastic result in peoples views and beliefs.

In the novel, "Prisoner B-308”, Alan Gratz employs meaningful scenes of violence in order to convey the dehumanization of the Jewish people, ultimately illustrating the strength needed to survive in the world where everyone is against you. 

To begin, one of the first acts of violence Gratz employs is when the Nazis clear out Krakow ghetto. Nazi soldiers violently clear out the ghetto, killing many people and separating Yanek from his family. Because the nazi soldiers did this so brutally, it more clearly shows how they think of the Jews so little, not even as human beings. Consequently, Yanek’s separation from his family foreshadows the brutality that is to come for him, and what he will have to endure. Therefore, Gratz includes this violence at the beginning of the novel to set up the storyline and reveal what Yanek will endure. Gratz also includes this scene to initiate a theme of violence that will continue throughout the book. Gratz decides to start the novel before Yanek is at the concentration camps because we can fully see his timeline and all the experiences he has with the Nazis. Since the taking away from his family was brutal and done with intent, we can expect where he is going and what will happen. Thus, Gratz uses an intentional scene of violence to set up the rest of the novel and to establish a theme.

Gratz also includes the death marches of the concentration camps for long distance and in cold weather near the end of the book. Because the violence here is so relentless, people would be killed for being too weak and falling behind. Consequently, this highlights the Nazis view of the Jews and how they see them just as numbers, not as people. Therefore, we see how harshly the jews were treated and through this scene of violence, we know just how inhuman the Nazis were. Furthermore, we see the strength needed to survive these experiences. The march further explains how strong Yanek is. Since he survived the last couple of months on little to no bread and water and working all day, we see his true strength and what is needed to survive the concentration camps. Thus, we see that even when Yanek was treated this way, he never gave up and quit, he always had the instinct to survive. 

Ultimately, the scenes of violence Yanek experiences are included for a reason. Through them we see how the Jews were dehumanized by the Nazis and the strength, both mental and physical, needed to survive. From Yanek's first experience with the Nazis to one of the last, we see in what ways he was mistreated and his strength needed to survive in the world where everyone was against him.