To what extent is Holocaust literature
problematic?
By Eloise
1
, Table of contents
Initial ideas.................................................................................................................... 3
Planning....................................................................................................................5
Written planning table...............................................................................................5
GANTT charts...........................................................................................................6
EPQ planning progression log.................................................................................11
Research findings and my research process.................................................. 16
Evaluating my sources....................................................................................... 16
Minor CRAAP tests...........................................................................................28
Criteria to assess whether literature is problematic........................................... 44
Initial research of my novels..............................................................................46
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas reading notes/analysis.................................. 49
Misha and the Wolves reading notes/analysis................................................... 54
Wider research: Children in Auschwitz.............................................................57
Final research notes........................................................................................... 58
The essay writing process.......................................................................... 65
Project presentation..............................................................................70
Preparation and research.........................................................................70
Presentation and script slides..................................................................71
2
,Initial ideas:
After I had my initial ideas, I brainstormed them in a mind map with some
questions and then converted it into bullet point form; I thought this would
help me assess which one was the most personally interesting as well as which
idea had the most potential research points and topics within it.
One of the reasons I chose these initial ideas was because they relate to
History, English and Geography, which are my A level subjects and therefore
areas of personal interest, which I thought would make the project more
enjoyable and help me stay consistent with work throughout.
Idea 1: Mass psychogenic illness throughout history e.g. The Salem Witch
Trials, using The Crucible as a literary source
- Psychogenic illness epidemics throughout history e.g. salem witch trials,
San Jose high school
- Investigate presentation of mass psychogenic illness in The Crucible,
after the Salem Witch Trials
- Why are some demographics e.g. young girls, people in developing
countries and refugees affected more?
- Link it to human geography and how things like vaccine availability and
toxic environments affect it
- Why does it affect developing countries/asylum seekers more?
Idea 2: The relationship between ethnic cleansing and literature: is it
valuable as it spreads awareness or problematic?
● Possible question: ‘Is the relationship between literature and ethnic
cleansing necessary to preserve history or problematic?’
● Maus: pulitzer winning graphic novel about holocaust and Diary of Anne
Frank widely spread information and preserved history through time
3
, ● The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - extremely widely read but problematic
as it presented perpetrators and their families as victims of the holocaust
as well as the actual victims
● Misha: memoir of the Holocaust Years by Misha Defonseca who lied
about being jewish and incarcerated during WW2 - problematic
Idea 3: Do the UN’s frequent failures render it a failure like the League of
Nations despite its more positive reputation?
Examples of the UN’s failures:
- Rwandan conflict (1995)
- Spreading cholera in Haiti (2010)
- Rape and sex abuse allegedly by UN peacekeepers in Congo (2005)
After brainstorming these ideas, I found that there were lots of possible
questions for the first 2 ideas, however I had less inspiration for my idea about
the UN; due to this, I removed this question from my selection and added
another one about the Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica as I was inspired by
Captain Scott’s published diaries of the expedition. I also did further research
on my first 2 ideas and expanded on my notes so that I was able to choose my
question in an informed manner.
Choosing a question: I chose idea 1 as my final topic, starting with the possible
question ‘To what extent is the relationship between The Holocaust and
literature problematic due to possible inaccuracies or prejudices of writers?’ I
found this topic the most personally interesting as I liked the literary aspect of it
and am passionate about the period of history. I also visited an exhibition called
‘Seeing Auschwitz’ which inspired me to further research the subject.
4
problematic?
By Eloise
1
, Table of contents
Initial ideas.................................................................................................................... 3
Planning....................................................................................................................5
Written planning table...............................................................................................5
GANTT charts...........................................................................................................6
EPQ planning progression log.................................................................................11
Research findings and my research process.................................................. 16
Evaluating my sources....................................................................................... 16
Minor CRAAP tests...........................................................................................28
Criteria to assess whether literature is problematic........................................... 44
Initial research of my novels..............................................................................46
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas reading notes/analysis.................................. 49
Misha and the Wolves reading notes/analysis................................................... 54
Wider research: Children in Auschwitz.............................................................57
Final research notes........................................................................................... 58
The essay writing process.......................................................................... 65
Project presentation..............................................................................70
Preparation and research.........................................................................70
Presentation and script slides..................................................................71
2
,Initial ideas:
After I had my initial ideas, I brainstormed them in a mind map with some
questions and then converted it into bullet point form; I thought this would
help me assess which one was the most personally interesting as well as which
idea had the most potential research points and topics within it.
One of the reasons I chose these initial ideas was because they relate to
History, English and Geography, which are my A level subjects and therefore
areas of personal interest, which I thought would make the project more
enjoyable and help me stay consistent with work throughout.
Idea 1: Mass psychogenic illness throughout history e.g. The Salem Witch
Trials, using The Crucible as a literary source
- Psychogenic illness epidemics throughout history e.g. salem witch trials,
San Jose high school
- Investigate presentation of mass psychogenic illness in The Crucible,
after the Salem Witch Trials
- Why are some demographics e.g. young girls, people in developing
countries and refugees affected more?
- Link it to human geography and how things like vaccine availability and
toxic environments affect it
- Why does it affect developing countries/asylum seekers more?
Idea 2: The relationship between ethnic cleansing and literature: is it
valuable as it spreads awareness or problematic?
● Possible question: ‘Is the relationship between literature and ethnic
cleansing necessary to preserve history or problematic?’
● Maus: pulitzer winning graphic novel about holocaust and Diary of Anne
Frank widely spread information and preserved history through time
3
, ● The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - extremely widely read but problematic
as it presented perpetrators and their families as victims of the holocaust
as well as the actual victims
● Misha: memoir of the Holocaust Years by Misha Defonseca who lied
about being jewish and incarcerated during WW2 - problematic
Idea 3: Do the UN’s frequent failures render it a failure like the League of
Nations despite its more positive reputation?
Examples of the UN’s failures:
- Rwandan conflict (1995)
- Spreading cholera in Haiti (2010)
- Rape and sex abuse allegedly by UN peacekeepers in Congo (2005)
After brainstorming these ideas, I found that there were lots of possible
questions for the first 2 ideas, however I had less inspiration for my idea about
the UN; due to this, I removed this question from my selection and added
another one about the Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica as I was inspired by
Captain Scott’s published diaries of the expedition. I also did further research
on my first 2 ideas and expanded on my notes so that I was able to choose my
question in an informed manner.
Choosing a question: I chose idea 1 as my final topic, starting with the possible
question ‘To what extent is the relationship between The Holocaust and
literature problematic due to possible inaccuracies or prejudices of writers?’ I
found this topic the most personally interesting as I liked the literary aspect of it
and am passionate about the period of history. I also visited an exhibition called
‘Seeing Auschwitz’ which inspired me to further research the subject.
4
