Vladek's Symptoms Of PTSD In 124 Holocaust Survivor

This character trait of Vladek’s is a result from his role within his own family throughout the Holocaust. We learn rather quickly that his entire family relied on him to be their protector as well as their provider. It was Vladek’s job to find work to make money and get food for survival and it was also his role to make sure his family was being protected in every way that he could. He was constantly putting himself in harms way and at risk to ensure the survival of his family. This manifested in Vladek’s mind as his role far longer after than the Holocaust lasted. Still in the present day, he has grown too accustomed too being the only one to make decisions that its hindered his ability to step back and let others to hold of their own lives.

For example, he burns Anjas diaries that Art wants so desperately. While to some, they may have been a beautiful and honest connection to the parted woman, he instantly destroys them so he does not have to deal with them. The work “Symptoms of PTSD in 124 Holocaust Survivors” briefly notes that it is not uncommon for survivors to avoid any and all things that remind them of the trauma they experienced (Kuch, Klaus, and Brian, 339). While these facts seem to burn within Art and Mala and cause them much grievance towards him we, as third party observes, tend to have much more patience and understand for Vladek. He has undergone so much abuse and betrayal that it is simply natural for him to have so much reservation towards others. While he loves Art very much and maybe even Mala deep down, he has had to overcome so much that he has lost sight of what these struggles have brought him today. In one novel, written by Katarzyna Prot, a fellow Holocaust survivor named Oliver says: You are beaten, hungry, thirsty, sick. You cannot imagine, being a young person, how you can continue your life. You have nobody, your home was taken away, robbed. There is nobody left, not even from your family, but no other Jew. I wanted to survive in order to tell my brother what happened to our family. That was my motivation to

In “Strength of Holocaust Survivors”, it explains that it is very common for people to utilize every trait that helped them survive the Holocaust in the present day (Prot, 174). This makes quite logical sense. Naturally, one would be inclined to keep using the traits that got them through the possible most horrendous years of their life. The problem for them is retracting from this “survival of the fittest” mindset and reintegrating into themselves (Prot, 174). Equally, it explains how starting a new with a family was also really important to survivors. There is a high degree in comfort in having people surround you that you love and care for. Almost all survivors lost members of their family in the Holocaust and by having a new family as soon as possible was incredibly important to them (Prot,