Question

read the excerpt from gelissens renas promise: two sisters in auschwitz.

thrown off balance, struggling to keep from falling into the abyss below, i plummeted out of reach. rolling down the steep incline, i grabbed at tree branches to break my fall as they ripped the mittens from my hands. biting my tongue, i splashed into a stream with no cushion but ice-covered boulders. the silence of the night shrank. icy water crept into my clothes. our ears pricked up for the sound of rudely woken dogs in the nearby kennels. there was the sound of water dripping off my elbows. neither of us dared move or breathe. no dogs barked.

which best describes the impact of this excerpt that reflects gelissens decision to tell her story in memoir form?

it provides a variety of personal accounts of world war ii and the holocaust.
it provides an objective and detached account of a major historical event.
it provides a history of the key events of world war ii and the holocaust.
it provides a unique and personal perspective on a significant historical event.

Explanation:

Analyze the excerpt's narrative style

The excerpt is written in the first-person point of view ("I plummeted", "my hands", "our ears"). It describes highly personal, sensory, and emotional details of a specific, intense moment—falling down an incline, splashing into icy water, and listening in fear for guard dogs. This subjective, deeply personal focus is a hallmark of Autobiographical Literature and Point of View.

Define the purpose of a memoir

A memoir is a form of Autobiographical Literature that focuses on a specific period or series of events in the author's life. Unlike a general history textbook, which aims for an objective overview, a memoir provides a subjective, deeply personal perspective on historical events, allowing readers to experience history through the eyes of someone who lived it.

Evaluate the given options

• Option 1: "It provides a variety of personal accounts..." — Incorrect. The excerpt is written by a single author (Gelissen) about her own experience, so it does not provide a "variety" of different accounts.
• Option 2: "It provides an objective and detached account..." — Incorrect. The passage is highly subjective, emotional, and sensory, which is the opposite of detached.
• Option 3: "It provides a history of the key events..." — Incorrect. A memoir focuses on personal experiences rather than a comprehensive historical record of World War II.
• Option 4: "It provides a unique and personal perspective on a significant historical event." — Correct. This aligns perfectly with the purpose of Holocaust Literature written in memoir form, capturing the individual human experience within a massive historical tragedy.

Answer:

• (A) It provides a variety of personal accounts of World War II and the Holocaust.
• (B) It provides an objective and detached account of a major historical event.
• (C) It provides a history of the key events of World War II and the Holocaust.
• (D) It provides a unique and personal perspective on a significant historical event. (Correct answer)