The Sunflower

            So last year in my Ap World class after the ap exam was done we were required to read a book called the Sunflower by Richard Paul Evans; which in a way it really wasn’t buy him, but he put it all together. Basically, this book is about the holocaust and forgiveness.

            This book is actually pretty interesting to read because it’s about how this Nazi wanted to tell his story about why he did what he did to a Jew. So basically he tells the story and here this Jewish person is just listening to this person and at the end of the story he has to decide if he should just forgive this dying Nazi for all of the wrong that he did or to not. I thought it was a pretty interesting book, but I wouldn’t have read it if it weren’t for my Ap World teacher because I’ve never cared too much about wars or any books or movies relating to wars (that’s not science fiction). I just thought that this book was really worth reading and it shared a lot about forgiveness and whether someone has the right to forgive one for something that has nothing to do with them in a way.

            The ending of the book is remarkable because Richard Paul Evans wrote this story and then says what the Jewish guy (I can’t recall the names of either of the characters) ends up doing. At the very end of the book though there are comments or quotes from people and their perspective of what they would have done in that situation.

            Personally if I was in the situation where a dying guy is telling me a story about ‘my people’ that just are the same religion of me, I feel like I wouldn’t have the authority to be forgiving because it’s not like he killed my family or friends; he did it to people I don’t know, so if they were still alive would they forgive him? I mean it really is a hard decision as to what to do, I feel also on the other hand if the person showed remorse for their actions and wanted someone to say it’s okay you’re forgiven that it might be pretty easy to just do that if they’re dying anyway. Another thing is I would probably say I forgive you for what you did, but I can’t speak for other people just myself and hearing the story you just told me.

            Anyway, it’s really cool to read about what people would have done and if they think that the Jewish guy had made the right decision in what he ended up doing. I think that this book should be read in literature classes or history classes since it takes about perspectives and history. But if you want to read this in your free time, go for it, I really liked it.