The American Plane Symbol Analysis

The American plane that flies over Auschwitz-Birkenau one day symbolizes hope, though it is perhaps a bit more complicated than that. Upon seeing the plane, Lale and his fellow prisoners become hopeful that the rest of the world will soon take note of what’s happening in the concentration camps. After all, the prisoners who run outside and try to direct the plane toward the crematoriums end up dying when the plane eventually flies away and the Nazis open fire on anyone who tried to communicate with the pilot. In many ways, then, one might argue that the American plane actually represents a profound lack of hope, since the prisoners’ sudden optimism quickly turns to horror. However, Lale later considers the fact that the mere presence of the plane in the first place suggests that the outside world is beginning to pay attention to the Nazis’ inhumane behavior. Thinking this way, he allows himself to believe that the prisoners who died trying to direct the plane toward the crematoriums did not die in vain, thinking that they perhaps successfully alerted the Americans to the horrors taking place in Auschwitz-Birkenau. In turn, the plane does emerge as a sign of hopefulness, ultimately suggesting that it’s sometimes necessary to remain optimistic (like Lale) in order to nurture a sense of hope in times of hardship.