Never Give Up in 'I Have Lived a Thousand Years'

Have you ever given up on something that you could have done? It is important to not give up because after giving up you will not be able to succeed at what you are trying to do. During the Holocaust, many Jews were faced with a challenge of whether to give up and go to the Gas, or continue trying and try to continue on for a chance of being liberated. In the memoir I Have Lived a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson, she is able to survive the Holocaust by not giving up through many events which helped her survive. The theme is to never give up. Elli didn’t give up when she had to sneak back into the selection line after supposed to be sent to the Gas, she also didn’t give up when she had to sneak her out of the infirmary, and when she started a new life after the Holocaust.

Most certainly an example of Elli never giving up is shown when she is able to sneak her mother out of the infirmary with the help of Mrs. Grunwald and Isla. Elli's mother is sent to the infirmary after a bunk bed collapsed on top of her, causing her to become paralyzed. Mrs. Grunwald and Isla agreed to help Elli sneak her mother out of the infirmary knowing that the consequences could end with all of them being killed. (Bitton-Jackson 4:18). This shows that she never gave up since she knew her mom was an invalid and the consequences could end with all four of them being killed. They could have been caught and shot right away or brought to the gas chambers. They are able to successfully sneak her mother out, which proves to never give up. Even though many people would save their parents in a situation like this, many did not in the Holocaust. The people that were on the top bunk did not get off when it fell on Laura (Bitton-Jackson 4:18). That evidence shows that saving others was not what many people cared about during the Holocaust.

In addition another way it proves to never give up is when she is able to sneak into the selection line again. Elli was sent off to the Gas chamber line after an infected cut was found on her leg. She was able to hop over the fence and get back into the line in which then she was able to hide the cut under the piece of clothing she had. Elli was successfully able to trick the guards and made it to the shower where she found her mom (Bitton-Jackson 4:24). This shows to never give up because if Elli gave up and stayed in the Gas Chamber line she would have been killed in the Gas and would have never had a chance to be liberated.

Finally, another way Elli never gave up was when she started a new life free of threat after the Holocaust Free from threat. After the Holocaust Elli was left with nothing. All she was left with was her mom and brother and her old house which was broken apart. When Elli got back to her home in Somorjia all she found where rooms with human waste in them (Bitton-Jackson 6:18). This shows to never give up because if Elli did give up she wouldn’t have been able to start a new life free of threat in her new home.

Even though terrible things happened during the Holocaust, Elli never gave up multiple times during the story I Have Lived a Thousand Years. There are so many times that Elli, her mother, and brother could have died, but did not because they never gave up. This is shown when they are able to sneak Laura out of the infirmary. Elli also showed the theme of never give up when she jumped over the fence to get to her mother in the shower. There are many Nazis who are cruel and treat Jews inhumanely, but because of Elli’s ability to never give up she was able to start a new life free from threat after being liberated. Many of us will be put in a situation where you might not know what to do and think that the only way to find a way around the problem is to give up. It can be really easy to give up and not find a solution. People need to be willing to try before giving up in the future to ensure that you should never give up.