Journal 7: A Good Day

Whenever some one asks me about my goal in life, my mind goes blank. What is my purpose in life? To which destination shall this path of life lead me to? Such questions often arise in my mind, and the answer is something I have still not been able to find. Primo Levi makes an excellent point about a purpose in human lives is an integral aspect of human existence. For Primo Levi and the detainees at Auschwitz, their only purpose was to see Spring, as he says on Page 71, “Today, in this place, our only purpose is to reach Spring.” It is amazing to see the zeal to survive in Levi’s mind. This chapter is an example of use of various symbols, and the two main symbols that can be seen in the text are Spring, and the colours, Grey and Green. The first symbol seen in the chapter is the season of Spring. In the story, spring connotes an idea of transitioning from one period to another, not only with respect to the natural environment, but also with respect to a change in outlook from being negative to being affirmative. Spring brought with itself, “A Good Day” for the detainees at Auschwitz, something they had been yearning for. Spring also marks a change in time, showing how seasons had elapsed since Levi’s arrival at Auschwitz. Another symbol used is the reference to the colours, Green and Grey. Green has been used to describe the lushness of the meadows, while grey has been used to describe the morose environs of the camp at Auschwitz. Rather than using black or white to describe Auschwitz, the use of the colour, Grey is a brilliant alliteration that adds depth to the contrast between the two, since despite they may phonetically be similar, their meanings are antitheses of each other. These two colors also contrast the grim nature of Auschwitz with the world outside its boundaries. While one side was like a prison, the other basked in the radiance of liberty.