Refugee by Alan Gratz Literary Analysis Essay Example

Every traumatic encounter will eventually reveal its long term effects. The popularized novel, “Refugee”, written by Alan Gratz exhibits the realistic outcomes of unjustified ways. In this fictionalized bestseller, three young characters named Mahmoud, Isabel, and Josef go on separate journeys to escape their abusive countries and seek new futures in forthcoming destinations. While Josef grieves over the emotional loss of his father, Mahmoud  revisits the memories of holding his sister safe in his arms. Last, Isabel endures the pain of erasing her best friend, Ivan’s, morbid death from her mind. Alan Gratz deploys speech to signify the concept that struggling through discrimination will likely mold one’s maturity.

Instinctively, one will always step into adulthood as soon as their lives crumble. When reminiscing over his childhood, Josef was struck with the harsh idea that, “...he wasn’t a kid anymore. He had responsibilities. Like keeping his sister and his mother safe” (Gratz 253). In most cases, children are able to live out their childhood stress free and unaware of the harsh experiences ahead of them. Lamentably for Josef, he did not have the privilege of manifesting his future experiences. His life became derelict, leading him to develop growth rather than immaturity. From another perspective, one refugee taught himself how to save another’s life,“Mahmoud fought down his fear and dumbbells with the straps on the dead man’s life jacket” (Gratz 181). As difficult as it was, Mahmoud remained in the waters waiting for what felt like an inevitable death. Adapting to the idea that only few can imagine, Mahmoud took charge so that he could save his mother’s life, rather than selfishly applying it to his. One again, this proves that one can only initiate frightening plans if their motive is life-threatening. One last quote that proves the necessary steps to maturity is when, “Mahmoud watched as these two boys attacked the boy… “I should do something,” he whispered. But he knew better” (Gratz 17). Early in the story, Mahmoud had faced little adversity with an oblivious idea as to what was to come. As he watched as a stranger was beaten up in front of him, Mahmoud could not step up and prove his maturity because it was not his life that was in danger, it was a stranger’s.

You can not understand the necessity of cognizance until you struggle without it. During a sudden invasion by the Nazis, “The Nazis laughed, and Josef’s face burned hot with shame. He struggled in the men’s arms, trying to break free. “I’ll be a man soon enough,” Josef told them. “I’ll be a man in six months and eleven days” (Gratz 4). Early in the story, Josef had only experienced discrimination as simple as a teacher pointing out his features. Because of his innocent mindset, Josef was unaware of how to fight against anything else. As he continued to lack this understanding, he adjusted to the view that he needed to grow cognizant to overpower the consciousness of his villains. While stuck in Syria, Mahmoud displayed his thoughts, ignorant of the possible outcomes, ““Please, take us with you!”... “No! No room!”... “At least take my sister!” Mahmoud begged” (Gratz 163). In the final moments of the novel, it is disclosed that Mahmoud and his family continued to mourn the absence of their beloved Hanna. Not only did they regret making the decision to put her through their journey, but Mahmoud would guilt himself the rest of his life for his idiocy over eliminating the future of him and his sister.

To conclude, “Refugee”, by Gratz represents that apprehension of the idea of pursuing one’s maturity through facing predominant discrimination is crucial. The particular reason for this is that it depicts the morbidity of our world while simplifying one’s opportunities to improve it. When one has been in a scary situation, they often grow numb to the pain and powerful to knowledge. This knowledge will help defeat the prejudice to come.