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Paul is forced to the ghettos.
Despite this turning point of shared houses and limited sustenance, Paul barely changes, still asking questions and wanting to play. This just shows that Paul is like any other child in their being curious and playful, despite these conditions. This is a point where Paul isn't as grateful as he will be, but he will turn to regret it later. This is the "sooner" part, but as it is never too late to be grateful, future events will show that gratitude. -
Paul must board a train to a concentration camp. During this time, he runs away to play.
This is some character development showing insight to Paul's trait of being playful. In this time, he actually gets lost, forcing his family to search for Paul. Related to the theme, this gives Paul the more reason to be grateful to his family, seeing as they didn't just leave Paul behind, and searched long and hard for him. -
Paul gets deported to a transfer camp.
This is the turning point where Paul starts really losing freedom and humanity. In the conditions, Paul starts losing his cheerful traits, like his playfulness and his curiosity as he becomes too exhausted or miserable to do so. It's very possible that the reason he loses some hope is that without so much freedom, he has significantly less ways to be with his family, leading to him searching for ways, leading to the next two caring actions. -
Paul is transferred to a farm for slave labor.
Some character development happens as this happens. After the transfer camp, Paul developed more caring traits. He cares for his mother, bringing her fruits, talking to her by her bedside. This caring is a form of gratefulness, wanting her to be happy for all she's done. Paul hasn't really done anything out of his way like this, so it shows that any time is a great time for this kind of caring. -
Paul is transferred to Bergen Belsen camp.
Here, caring develops to desperation. Weak prisoners are killed, meaning Paul's sick mother could be killed. Paul and his brother scatter to hold their mother's hand to guide them to walk properly, to hide her sickness. In relation to the theme, Paul's mother has done so much to keep Paul and his brother alive, so they're finally showing gratefulness by keeping their mother alive. This is the product of caring. -
After a death train, Paul is liberated.
This is the penultimate turning point, and Paul returns to his older self. He runs and plays and eats snails, like before the war. This relates to the theme because this is the reason Paul wanted to thank the veterans, that he was saved from death. He is now able to live much closer to his old life because of those people who sacrificed to free him and other prisoners. -
Paul reunites with his heroes. (5/15/2009, but date changed to fit timeline)
Much later, Paul goes to a meet in which survivors and liberators give speeches to students. This is the main point that shows the theme, since after over 50 years, Paul was still searching for his liberators, and he eventually found them and thanked them with a speech. With this gratitude, Paul was finally able to be satisfied with the end of the holocaust. -
Theme: It's never too late to show your gratitude.
