Essay on Refugee by Alan Gratz

Can hope prevent death? The book “Refugee” by Alan Gratz, recounts the story of three refugees who each try to survive the challenge of being a refugee. Isabel lives in Cuba, but she became a refugee after her town riots because of a food shortage. Josef is a Jew living in Germany during the horrors of the holocaust. He flees to Cuba after Nazi soldiers storm into his home and take his father to a concentration camp. Mahmoud lives in Syria, but he leaves after his apartment gets hit by a missile because of the Syrian civil war. He becomes a refugee and he flees to Germany. All of these people go through terrible experiences and make it through looting, death, and rape by having hope. Hope is necessary to survive challenging times when Isabel falls off her boat when Josef escapes Germany to go to Cuba, and when Mahmoud survives crossing the Aegean Sea.

 One moment in Refugee where hope was necessary to survive a challenging time, was when Isabel fell off her boat. On Isabel's journey, she and her family want to seek refuge in Miami Florida in the USA. But when they are sailing to Florida a storm hits them and the storm forces Isabel off her boat. “Isabel fought her way back to the surface and gasped for air” (Gratz pg 136). This quote shows Isabel's fight to succeed and to make it to the US. This shows that Isabel has the hope to make it to the US because she wants to make a better life for her family and for herself, she wants to play her trumpet on the beaches of Florida.  ThisThis hope helps her get back onto the boat and fight through the storm. She waited for years in Cuba after Fidel Castro blocked all escape routes from Cuba. But now she can escape and make it to her dream where she could eat and have a great future. But Isabel succeeds not only in surviving, but she also makes it to the United States. “ Señor Castillo fell to his knees and kissed the ground. They had made it to the states. To freedom.” (pg 298). This quote shows how she and her family succeeded because of their success, and the hope that they had. They kissed the ground because of their hope to have a stable place to stay and where they can have the chance to succeed. This hope of surviving, helps them make it to their goal where they could thrive in the United States. Without that dying hope of surviving, they would not be so happy, in fact, they would probably die in the storm if they did not have the hope to succeed.

  Another moment in Refugee where hope was necessary to survive was when Josef fled Germany to go to Cuba. During the Holocaust Jews were put in concentration camps where they were tortured, starved, and forced to work for the Nazi war machine. “The landau family wasn't going to wait around to see what the Nazis would do next” (Gratz pg 2).  Josef and his family were not going to wait to be sent to one of the death camps. But they acted quickly because of their hope to survive. Many Jews at this time had no hope, and they stayed put and were killed. Therefore, because Josef and his family had the hope to survive the holocaust, he makes it to the boat and escapes Germany. “Josef watched as one of the other passengers got down on his hands and knees and kissed the ground. If he hadn't had his hands full, Josef might have done the same thing” (pg 273). This quote shows the hope that Josef and many Jews like him had during the tough times of the holocaust, and how they wanted to find a safe place for themselves. He is so hopeful to survive that he would kiss the ground. The situation was helpless in Germany but because of the hope of success Josef makes it to France where he could finally have the freedom that he was hoping to have for years. This means, that without this hope to succeed Josef would be another body put in the incinerator at Auschwitz. But because of Josef's hope and determination, he was able to survive the first part of the holocaust.

 A third moment where hope was necessary to succeed is when Mahmoud crosses the Adriatic Sea. Mahmoud was forced out of his home after a missile hit his home in Syria. In Syria, he was bullied for being a Shia Muslim, and he just wanted to fade away and become invisible. So he hopes to make it to Germany where he could not be invisible anymore, and he could become visible and where he could finally express himself. “We have to get to Europe, what choice do we have? God will guide us” (Gratz pg 142). This shows how the hope of making it to Europe can turn into determination. And this determination to survive explains how Mahmoud chooses to ride a dignity across the Adriatic Sea. This shows how hope can help you gain determination to survive tough situations. When he is crossing it, the boat floods, and he goes overboard. “ He kicked his way back to the surface and fought to keep his head above water” (pg 107). Because of his hope, he has a new determination to survive and to make it to Germany. “No we move forward. Always forward. And we don't stop till we get to Germany” (pg 107). This proves the determination that they have to survive and the hope of success. This determination was because of the hope to get to a safe country where they would be protected and where they would have a safe home to sleep in. Therefore, because of his hope, he makes it to Germany where he can finally not be invisible, where he finally could be a man, and where he finally can become visible.

In conclusion, to survive challenging times, you need hope. This is shown in the book when Isabel falls off the boat, when Josef escapes Germany, and when Mahmoud survives the Adriatic Sea. Hope helps people survive because without hope people do not have a good reason to survive. The people around these characters lost hope, and they stayed where they were. This caused them to be killed, tortured, robbed and raped. People need hope because sometimes that is the only thing that they have. Just like Joseph or Isabel or Mahmoud where they only had hope. They had no home no friends only hope, and that helped them survive.