Milkweed: a few thoughts

Milkweed

“Milkweed” is ultimately a book about survival. We discover that almost immediately when we realize that Misha, the main character, has been surviving as a street urchin for most of his life. He has no memory of home or family, and in fact does not even know his name – referring to himself as “Stopthief”. Which, of course, tells how he has managed to survive. Misha, we are quick to discover, is not a normal person – he does not view the world the way we do.

Through Misha's eyes, we view Warsaw during the Nazi reign of terror. I have never read a book about World War II through the eyes of an innocent such as Misha. The things he saw and thought were beautiful – the shiny boots of the Jackboots or the flames of fire they turned on the people – are normally portrayed as the horrible things that they are. Yet Misha did not sense the horror behind them. He had to discover it. And even then, he was able to remain happy and upbeat.

A favorite character in the book is Janina's father, Mr. Milgrom. Of the adults in Janina's family, Mr. Milgrom is the one who holds it together. I believe that when life gets difficult, the true nature of a person shines through. Janina's mother and uncle crumble. Mr. Milgrom is able to share with those that have less. He is patient with Janina and Misha. He shows his true character.

I felt that the saddest statement made in the book was Mr. Milgrom telling Janina (in response to Uri's warning about a train), “There will be no train. Uncle Shepsel is right. There is nothing else they can do to us” (171). I think part of the reason there was little resistance of the Nazis by the Jews and other good people at first, is that they just did not believe that what would happen, could happen. It is hard for a good heart to imagine the depravity that an evil person will consider. I think most of the world could not comprehend the immensity of what was being done by the Nazi regime. This incomprehensibility kept good people from taking action. Remaining passive in the face of aggressive wickedness allowed more to take place.

One of the characters in the book that greatly interested me was Janusz Korczak. There really was a man named Janusz Korczak who lived in the Warsaw Ghetto. Coincidentally, there was a Misha in Janusz's life; a teacher who was friends with Janusz. In doing a little research into Janusz Korckzak, I came across this statement made by the real Misha:

" You know, everyone makes so much of Korczak´s last decision to go with the children to the train. But his whole life was made up of moral decisions. The decision to become a children´s doctor. The decision to give up medicine and his writing career to take care of poor orphans. The decision to go with the Jewish orphans into the ghetto. As for that last decision to go with the children to Treblinka, it was part of his nature. It was who he was. He wouldn´t understand why we are making so much of it today. "

Knowing this about Janusz Korczak puts a whole new spin on the march of little orphans to the ghetto, and then later, the march to the train that would carry them to their death. It is incredible to me that during such a profoundly terrible time in human history, there were people who faced all adversity with integrity. (See Corrie Ten Boom's “The Hiding Place”).

Misha and Janusz Korczak had such a happy relationship because they recognized in each other the ability to rise above strife and look at the silver lining in the dark thunderclouds of history that hung over their heads.

After the war, Misha ended up in America. He is still the same, naive Misha. War and it's aftermath could not tarnish his innocence completely. In order to deal with his experiences, he starts talking. And talking. “Then one day in Philadelphia...two women stopped and listened...After a while one of them reached out her hand and cupped my ear clump. She smiled and nodded and said, “We hear you. It's enough. It's over.” And they walked on, and I went another way, and I never took to another street corner” (203-204). This action really touched me. I thought it was wonderful that the women were able to sense Misha's need. They didn't scorn him. People need to be heard. Usually, our listening and hearing is enough for them to put their hearts at rest. What a great lesson to remember.

Although Misha had a difficult life – scrounging around for food, being locked in a Jewish Ghetto with the family that he adopted – he always saw joy in his surroundings. He was persistent in reaching goals that he set for himself. He was devoted and unswerving in his love for those he served. Misha is like Milkweed. He travels freely and is able to sprout and bloom where he is planted.