The Fiftieth Gate and The Tank Man Essay Example

human nature. His statement "I never believed her . . . I only recognise suffering in numbers and lists and not in the laments and pleas of a human being" highlights this point. Despite this, Baker believes that history is crucial in understanding the world, as evident from his use of the gate metaphor in the preface of his memoirs. He believes that whoever enters the fiftieth gate gains a perfect understanding of the world through God's eyes, reinforcing his conviction that "History is how we understand the world".

As he explores his symbolic relationship with his parents, Baker discovers that history has a fundamental limitation - it doesn't provide insight into ourselves. However, by the end of his journey, Baker and history come to realize the importance of memory in understanding ourselves in relation to the past. This affirmation is seen at the Buchenwald Ball: "In spite of there, in defiance of then, in celebration of now, in memory of then." This notion is further reinforced by Menszer's website "Holocaust-Survivors.org," which aims to give history a human face. Menszer does this by sharing personal experiences and memories, as seen on the homepage where a visual depicts a Holocaust survivor's tattooed arm next to their name and number on a concentration camp's archival list.

In the broader context of the website, the image subtly critiques the historical discourse's clinical objectivity. Likewise, Baker critiques historical lists and archives' objectivity through his onomatopoeic refrain "tak tak tak," emphasizing that they're not merely numbers but real people. On the other hand, Menszer doesn't entirely dismiss history's role; instead, he distinguishes that "History is how we understand the world and memory

is how we understand ourselves," as seen in his page, "Historical Introduction to the Holocaust," which outlines Holocaust facts and incorporates photos of survivors and their families within the text body.

This website presents a depiction of history and memory that highlights their competitive nature. It demonstrates that the understandings derived from historical depictions of the world and those from depictions of individual experiences are incompatible. The website's structure reinforces this separation between history and memory, keeping personal experiences on the "Survivor Spotlight" page separated from historical links on another page. Despite the exclusivity of these understandings, Menszer argues that history and memory must work together to bring about a comprehensive comprehension of the past. The symbol of barbed wire that runs vertically along the left side of each page unifies those containing historical discourse with those containing personal experience.

Despite the interdependence between history and personal experience, Menszer's stance is unambiguous: while history offers a glimpse into the world, it is restricted. To obtain insight into ourselves and our innate nature, memory and personal experience are indispensable - "the past is not solely composed of events, but of human lives". The "Audio Gallery" section exemplifies this principle by featuring recordings of survivors singing songs about their experiences. By placing these songs side by side, Menszer exposes a fundamental truth about the human psyche; different individuals can have opposing responses to identical events and experiences.

The contrasting human responses that one event can generate are illustrated by the optimistic lyrics "the morning sun will shine on us one day" and the dark and nihilistic "a storm raged throughout the world . . . without pity or justice a

world was destroyed" being juxtaposed.

In his presentation and use of history and memory, Menszer supports the idea that 'History is how we understand the world and memory is how we understand ourselves'. This is exemplified in Antony Thomas' documentary on the Tiananmen Massacre, which examines how it is remembered and how censorship has affected historical immortalization. Thomas alternates between historical footage of the event and personal voiceovers to demonstrate the significance of both types of discourse. The factual narration accompanying the historical footage provides an understanding of the world of the event, while the memories of witnesses such as T. reveal personal reflections.

Allman helps us comprehend our own reactions and emotions towards an event, describing the gradual arrival of dawn amidst a misty and smoggy atmosphere.

In describing the morning after the massacre, Thomas employs simile to create a pathetic fallacy, reflecting the emotional atmosphere. The recollection of memories is depicted as a window into self-understanding. Thomas uses a montage of memories to romanticize the tank man's brave stand and the hope it inspired in humanity. The enduring influence and hope of the event is evident through witnesses' recollections and how it transcends time. "He became an inspiration to millions and changed lives forever." "It's not only me who never forgot, the world never forgot him."

The text highlights the phenomenon of memories that transcend time and remain present in one's mind. The example of witness Jan Wong demonstrates this as she switches between past and present tense, indicating the persistence of her memories. Wong recalls, "The young man jumped in front of the tank . . and the tank turns the

other way and the young man jumps on the other side". Similarly, in The Fiftieth Gate, Joe utilizes present continuous tense when reminiscing about his memories at the Wierzbnik cemetery, such as "Buba Laya serving ice cream".

. Both Baker and Thomas utilize our memory of past experiences to uncover truths about ourselves, such as our capacity to recollect the past. Through his examination of censorship, Thomas illustrates how history shapes our perception of the world and memory shapes our perception of ourselves.

The Chinese government aims to restrict information and prevent awareness of the tank man incident, in order to extinguish the possibility of achieving freedom through remembrance. Their apprehension towards history is aided by the camera, which they perceive as their greatest threat: "The authorities are afraid of cameras - they know their power." Censorship causes distortion in our interpretation of past events, as demonstrated by the account of a Chinese laborer who cannot express herself freely like Western witnesses can: "Were those her real feelings? Impossible to know with all interviews monitored by government minders."

In the end, Thomas argues that due to censorship, we cannot fully comprehend the Chinese people's response to the Tiananmen Massacre nor can they fully understand the world and events that shaped it. Nevertheless, Thomas concludes on an optimistic note, suggesting that the enduring mystery surrounding the Tank Man, partially due to censorship, has contributed to its lasting impact in our collective memory. He uses a grandiose soundtrack of majestic ascending strings to emphasize this revelation, declaring that "It is the mystery that gives the Tank Man his enduring power." All three texts affirm that History helps us

understand the world while memory helps us understand ourselves through different methods. Ultimately, it is evident that all retrospective explorations of an event aim to create a valid and comprehensive understanding of the past to prevent atrocities from recurring and inspired enduring hope from past victories.