When Light Pierced the Darkness by Nechama Tec Essays -- Pierced Darkn

When Light punctured the Darkness by Nechama TecAltruism Concern for the welfare of others, as opposed to egoism selflessness (American 99). In her carry entitled When Light Pierced the Darkness, Nechama Tec asserts that people who aided Jews during the Nazi Holocaust may have acted altruistically however, they did so under a special definition of altruism. Furthermore, she offers her own definition of altruism within the place setting of the Holocaust and designates six traits, which she found rescuers of Jews to exhibit. While many of these traits are apparent in the personalities of characters in the films Shop on Main Street, Cold Days, Divided We Fall, and Europa Europa, some of them are glaringly absent. Tec offers the general definition of altruism, doing things for others without expectation of external rewards (Tec 151). She indicates that this definition does not apply to people who saved Jews because it does not take into account the tremendous amount of risk (e. g., the possibility of losing ones life) involved in their actions. Consequently, she offers the biologic science definition of altruism, self destructive behavior performed for the benefit of others, which she perceives to be more applicable to the exploits of non-Jews who rescued Jews (151). Moreover, Tec personally defines altruism within the context of the Nazi Holocaust as, that behavior which is carried out to benefit another?with a possibility of very high, rather than inconsequential, personal costs to the giver (151). In addition, within the parameters of this huge definition she offers two sub-definitions normative altruism and autonomous altruism. Tec explains that normative altruism (e.g., a father donating a kidney... ... were outsiders may have contributed to their selfish, cowardly behavior. Thus, it is the individual who demonstrates a high degree of independence, a strong sense of duty where charity is concerned, and an ability to value every human life re gardless of worship or ethnicity that will be most likely to selflessly aid people in distress. Conversely, it is the individual that lacks the aforementioned traits, who will be the least trenchant in assisting those in need.Works CitedAmerican Heritage Dictionary. Second College Edition. Boston, MA Houghton Mifflin Company.1982.Holland, Agnieszka. Europa Europa. Orion, 1991.Hrebejk, Jan. Divided We Fall. Czech Republic, 2000.Kadar, Jan, and Elmar Klos. Shop on Main Street. Czechoslovakia, 1965.Kovacs, Andras. Cold Days. Hungary, 1966.Tec, Nechama. When Light Pierced the Darkness. 1986.