Milkweed review
By Meghann Nielson
Brocton Central School
Grade 8
During the Nazi occupation of Europe in the late 1930s to mid-1940s, more than six million people lost their lives as a result of the Nazi’s attempt at ethnic cleansing. The horrors of the Nazi occupation are unimaginable. It is hard to comprehend how anyone could physically survive, let alone triumph over the destructive actions others. Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli, tells of a twelve-year old orphan who was relocated to the Warsaw Ghetto. As a Holocaust survivor, the boy is a leading example of how the human spirit can overcome anything life throws at them.
At the beginning of the novel, the boy is shown kindness by Uri, another orphan, who gives him everything he was missing. When the boy is first introduced to the reader, he has no name, no family, no identity. The boy with nothing becomes Misha Pilsudski, a gypsy with seven brothers and five sisters. Uri gave Misha a past, which in turn gave him hope, one of the few things that kept him alive.
The kindness shown to Misha allowed him to open up and develop relationships with others, especially Janina Milgrom. After meeting Janina, Misha risks his life to steal extra food to help feed her family. His kindness is rewarded by Janina, and eventually by her family when his is, in a sense, adopted by her parents. When Misha is told he is not really a member of the Milgrom family, Mr. Milgrom states “He is now.” This provides Misha with love, protection and a sense of belonging and purpose.
After Misha and Janina are separated at the deportation trains, Misha becomes emotionally crippled. Although he has survived physically, his spirit appears broken. Following his immigration to America, Misha spends much of his time standing on street corners and telling his story to anyone who will listen. This act allowed Misha to cleanse his soul, heal the mental and emotional wounds created by the ghetto, and renew his shattered spirit. Misha explains “…the important thing was not that you listened, but that I talked.”
Although students hear the term “Holocaust,” are aware of the events that took place, I don’t believe they truly understand what occurred during this time period. Spinelli’s book takes the atrocities of the Holocaust, and personalizes them, placing readers in the center of the Warsaw ghetto. Through Misha, the reader can see for himself how the human spirit can triumph over the destructive actions of others. Rather than let his memories of Janina, Uri, and his time in the ghetto destroy him, Misha uses them as a way to appreciate what is truly valuable in life. Milkweed has taught me that the Holocaust is no longer just a random event to be studied in History class. It is a time that should be remembered and discussed so that future generations can prevent similar events from occurring again.