Writing Prompt: One SUMMARY; One PARAPHRASE; One QUOTE:
1) Using paragraphing and apt quotations, summarize Part I.
2) Paraphrase a significant passage from Part I and in a brief paragraph explain to your reader why the passage is significant to the text as a whole.
3) Find a significant quote from Part I, and in a brief, well-developed paragraph, explain to your reader why the quote is significant to the text as a whole.
NOTE: After posting on the blog, open up the CANVAS assignment (by the same name) and DO copy and paste the URL address into the CANVAS "WEB URL" text box so that I have record of your submission on Canvas. Thanks.
During part one of Erik Larson’s “The Garden of Beast’s” the main character William Dodd talks about how he got to where he is now. How his life as a child on a farm was, where he went to school, and why he traveled to Germany. Dodd is unsatisfied with where he is in life as a writer and as well as a teacher. Which he indicates when he says “Though he loved teaching history, he loved writing it more.” He talks about his conversation with the President that changed his life.
ReplyDeleteA quote that really stood out to me about the text as a whole was “August 16 he found himself in the Oval Office of the White House for a meeting with President Woodrow Wilson.” This is a big moment in the passage because he Dodd thinks that this is his way to get his writing noticed. He has been looking for a way to get off from under his family’s shadow and build his own reputation. And with the Depression in effect he could always use the extra money. But he didn’t get it so the only way he could leave his mark is with the writing he does on the history of the south.
In part 1 of "The Garden of Beasts" by Erik Larson is about William E. Dodd who was a professor of history at the University of Chicago in 1933. He was a professor that was very frustrated throughout the decades dealing with disappointment with the university. When he was 64 years old, he didn't have much of his career left. He was already an author and having a biography of President Wilson after Wilson's death. Dodd had some personal connections to a member of the Roosevelt administration and made it clear that that he was appointed to be a minister to Belgium or the Netherlands. Then he ended up turning down one offer, but his name is still out there. "Depending on one’s point of view, Germany was experiencing a great revival or a savage darkening. Upon Hitler’s ascent, the country had undergone a brutal spasm of state condoned violence." This quote is saying that during one point Germany was going through a rough time between rivals. Hitler was going through a time of violence.
ReplyDeleteIn the Garden of Beasts summary 1
ReplyDeleteRoosevelt was at loss at what to do about Germany and there Jew situation. He considered stepping in but ultimately did nothing do to the fact that he did not want to mess with their relationship. It was suggested that America boycott German goods but in doing so it could cause the Jewish problem in Germany to get worse. It was also suggested that America bring in Jewish refuges but it would have impacted the immigration laws. Numerous amounts of people such as Rabbi Wise wanted something to be done about the situation and were frustrated at Roosevelt at not taking action.
Paraphrase
Pg. 31, 4th paragraph (Jewish activists…)
The people who were in charge of giving visas where instructed to limit the amount given to each country. They did this on the down low to make sure that on one found out about it. Only 10 percent of immigrants from other countries where allowed visas into America in 1933. It was difficult and even dangerous to look into police records on the situation. This whole passage basically explains why so few Jewish refuges where seen in America. It doesn’t really seem like America did much good in helping out any other countries in this situation.
Quote
Pg. 28, 2nd paragraph
President Roosevelt was in odds with the situation because it seemed like no matter what he did the situation end in either a war or the whole Jewish population in Germany being killed off. So many people wanted him to do something in the situation and other wanted him to do something else. He couldn’t come to the terms with whatever his move would be people would end up dying. “With Roosevelt this was treacherous ground. Though appalled by the Nazi treatment of Jews and aware of the violence that had convulsed Germany earlier in the year, he refrained from issuing any direct statement of condemnation”. Roosevelt was motionless in the problem despite what others wanted him to do and what other where telling him he should do.
In part one of the text, William Dodd is appointed ambassador to Germany, by President Roosevelt. He does not believe he is the right man for the job, but accepts it anyway. This part first describes Dodd and his family. Then it documents his preparing for, and journey to Germany.
ReplyDeleteIn one part of the text. it describes the Dodd family after their first dinner in Germany. They go for a walk in the garden of beasts, and notice how pretty and peaceful it is.
An important quote is: "While Messersmith understood Dodd's desire to live 'most inconspicuously and modestly,' he also knew 'that the German officials and German people would not understand it.'" This is important because i believe it is foreshadowing something that is to come.
Part 1 of In the Garden Of Beasts tells us how everyone was feeling towards Roosevelt, and it even tells us why he wasn’t doing anything. He just didn’t want to start any more problems than needed. We even had to be careful with the number of Jews we were letting in America. We didn’t want anything to trigger an unnecessary war. The latter part of part 1 explains their process of getting to Germany and what all they see when they get there. Martha was quickly reminded that Germany was not like America at all. On the bottom of page 40 it says that Martha saw Hitler as a clown, and that her and most Americans couldn’t imagine him lasting long or being taken seriously. This is significant because this I believe is part of the reason we didn’t do anything sooner. Page 48 Martha is told “This isn’t America and you can’t say all the things you think.” Is significant because it shows that they are going to have to learn the German way fast, or they might get found out by Hitler and killed.
ReplyDeleteErik Larsson begins in his book “In the Garten of Beasts – Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin with introducing the main character: William E. Dodd. President Roosevelt selected him, even though he was not his “Roosevelt’s first choice”, to become the American ambassador in Germany. The story starts in 1933. In Part 1, Larsson describes Dodd’s way with all the appointments before they left from Washington D. C. to Hamburg with a ship. Arriving finally in Berlin, they stayed in a hotel with a lot of luxury. Although the people in the US were telling how bad the living in Germany must be, Martha, the daughter, felt in the “first night”, when they went for a walk, that there is “all atmosphere”.
ReplyDeleteGermany was preparing themselves strongly for the fight, with the motivation, that everybody is against the “Deutsche Reich”, and that they have no protection. Hitler is intention was only through friendly claims, to get more time for “Germany” to build a new army.
This passage is important for the whole text, because Hitler’s goal was, already many years before his reign, that he likes one day to start a war, and kill all people who are not perfect in his view. He wrote this down in his book “Mein Kampf”. Unfortunately, the other countries were unable to see his intention.
“Now on this first night, as they walked along the Avenue of Victory, Martha too felt a rush of affection for the country. The city, the overall atmosphere, was nothing like what news reports back home had led her to expect.”
This quote underlines exactly what life was about in the first couple of years under reign of Hitler. People who are good in the view of Hitler, had a good life in Germany. Under Hitler there were less unemployed people, he needed so many workers for streets and military production. Consequently more people could make a living.
The first part of "In the Garden of Beasts" Dodd talks about his life until where he is now. When he gets older he becomes a professor at the University of Chicago, in his time teaching there he became angry at the University of Chicago. He thought the ideal job would be an undemanding post in the State Department. Later on he gets a call from a person that he can recognize their voice immediately.
ReplyDeleteThe quote "These are posts where the government must have somebody, yet the work is not heavy. This quote is important because it describes the main job that he is looking for. Dodd wants a good job that is not a very demanding and working in the State Department would be the best fir for him.
1) In Part One of “In the Garden of Beasts” author Erik Larson introduces the two main protagonists, William Dodd and Martha Dodd. He tells the Dodd family’s backstory and how they got to where they are now, living in a nice house with William being a professor at a local college. However, Dodd is unhappy with his position and wants to take time off to write a book that he called “The Rise and Fall of the Old South”. Dodd then received a phone call he was sure to never forget, a call from President Roosevelt asking him to be an ambassador in Germany. Dodd, with much consideration, accepted the offer. President Roosevelt and Dodd met for lunch and began to talk politics. Martha and William moved to Germany, which game much anxiety and grief to Martha. She was calmed by thinking about the adventure that they were about to begin. In Germany Dodd was described as “a very simple man in his manner and in his approach” and that he “gave the impression of being fragile”. The Dodd’s finally settled in to their house and loved Leipzig, describing their first few days as enjoying “the soft summer night with its fragrance of trees and flowers, the serenity of the streets.”
ReplyDelete2) On page 18-19 Larson writes about Dodd and how he was not the typical candidate for a diplomatic post. He wasn’t a friend of Roosevelt, but he spoke German and knew the country well. During this time polls showed that 95% of America wanted America to avoid involvement in any domestic engagement. Although Roosevelt had no problem with international involvement, he stayed out of anything to avoid any problems. Dodd however had a temper, and was likely to say something that was not quite as understanding as Roosevelt. This is significant because it speaks a lot of Dodd’s character. It also potentially foreshadows how Dodd and Roosevelt will work together and struggles they might face. It shows Dodd is in fact the right man for the job because he is fearless and will tackle problems head on.
3) In the prologue of the book Erik Lawson says “…Hindsight tells us that during that fragile time the course of history could so easily have been changed. Why, then, did no one change it? Why did it take so long to recognize the real danger posed by Hitler and his regime?” This is significant because it really outlines the purpose of the book and what he will talk about and try to prove. This is an important viewpoint to take on. Too often people will say “Why didn’t someone just stop Hitler?”, when in reality it was not that simple. This quote really outlines and foreshadows what may happen in the book.
In part 1 of Erik Larson's book "In the Garden of Beast" it gives an introduction explaining the protagonist(s) William E. Dodd and his family. Dodd was a professor at U.C.(University of Chicago) and also the United States Ambassador for Germany in 1933. Eventually, FDR offered Dodd the full offer of being Ambassador of Germany. FDR described Dodd as his "first choice" in the running. Though he was offered to go to Berlin to become a candidate for the job. Dodd immediately took the offer and took his family straight to Germany for the candidacy position, and towards the end while his family was settling in, shortly after they started seeing "signs" or "signals" of what the future holds for Berlin, Germany.
ReplyDeleteThis text is very significant to reader because of the well described introduction and setting plot to the book. Also describing the situation of the protagonist and peers in the book; describing historic fact to help the reader understand the dangerous events happening in the world 1933. Overall, Part 1 is important to the reader for descriptive purposes to get the reader understood on what idea the book will be going toward throughout the read.
This quote from the book "In the Garden of Beasts" really stands out to me in part 1, "For Roosevelt, this is treacherous ground. Though appalled by Nazi treatment of Jews and aware of the violence that had convulsed Germany earlier in the year, he refrained from issuing direct statement of condemnation." From this quote shows a little more about the history of Nazi Germany; showing that the U.S. did not want to acknowledge the situation of Jewish kind and did not want to be involved with another war Roosevelt points out. Yet, FDR knows about these situations, but keeps it from everyone knowing. Including the Dodds Family.
In the first part of the book, William Todd was a professor at the University of Chicago at the age of 64. President Roosevelt wanted Todd to travel to Germany. The first part tells allot about Todd and his accomplishments. How he wrote a biography on Woodrow Wilson. Todd turns down the job from the president. In closing part 1 also talks about how Todd is teacher but loves writing more.
ReplyDeleteP.14 (first main Paragraph)
Considering leaving the University to allow him to write more, Todd was unsure and didn't want to answer to late. He though the ideal job might be becoming an ambassador. Todd felt well equipped for the Job, even though he was not sure if he could stand out in other nations affairs.
I chose this paragraph because I think it portrays Todd well. In one since he is motivated, and in another since he is not because he is questioning him self on what he should do.
"Polls showed that 95 percent of Americans wanted the United States to avoid involvement in any foreign war". (19).
I chose this quote because I believe that a huge fact that Hitler made it as far as he did without a stop has a lot to do with America. America is the biggest super power in the world and 95 percent of Americans not wanting to get involved shows how we could do nothing to stop Hitler.
Summary
ReplyDeletePart one of Larson’s book is about protagonist William Dodd telling us about how he ended up where his today and his family’s background story. Dodd is unhappy with his position and wants to take time off to write a book. He then receives a phone call from President Roosevelt asking him to be an ambassador of USA in Germany. After much consideration, Dodd finally accepts the offer. While in Germany, Dodd was described as a very simple man that gave him the impression of being weak. The Dodd family however did settle nicely into their new environment and loved the city they were in.
Paraphrase second paragraph on 31
An official of the American Jewish Committee described Carr ass a man who doesn’t like Jews and a prankster who talks smooth and schemes to do nothing.
Quote
“ Dodd wanted a sincere, a job that was not too demanding yet that would provided stature and a living wage and most important, leave him plenty of time to write.” ( Larson 14)
This quote is significant because at the time Dodd had just received an offer to be the ambassador of America in Germany. He is on the fence about this offer though because he is worried he wont have enough time to do both, be the ambassador and write his book he's been planning.
Part one of, In The Garden of Beasts, tells us of how William Dodd is given the job of ambassador to Germany. Dodd believes that he is not the right man for the job. In part one, Dodd and his family are described. It then goes on to tell us of his preparation for the trip to Germany.
ReplyDeletePart one described the Dodd family as they go on a walk through the garden of beasts and they describe the beauty and peace through the park.
“Now on this first night, as they walked along the Avenue of Victory, Martha too felt a rush of affection for the country. The city, the overall atmosphere, was nothing like what news reports back home had led her to expect.” This quote shows just how the people of Germany had it at the start of the war. To the people of Germany life was good, and the people were happy.
William and Martha Dodd were a regular American family until they got a phone call that would change their lives. President Roosevelt had called William Dodd to ask him to serve as an American ambassador in Germany. “No one wanted the job.” After thinking through his decision Dodd contacted the White House to inform Roosevelt of his choice. He accepted the offer. Dodd later met with Roosevelt to go over what he would be doing in Germany. Roosevelt addressed issues such as Germany’s debt, however, he never addressed the issue of persecution of Jews.
ReplyDeleteThe Dodd family was a normal American family; little did they know that their lives would change drastically. One day William Dodd received a phone call he was sure to never forget. He later became the new American ambassador stationed in Germany.
In talking about the job offer Roosevelt presented to Dodd, he says “No one wanted the job.” Why would no one want this job? Obviously people knew what was going on in Germany. That is why people didn’t want the job. However, why would no one speak up about it instead of just denying the job offer?