43 pages • 1 hour read
Tadeusz BorowskiThis Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen
Fiction | Short Story Collection | Adult | Published in 1946A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Summary
Story 1: “This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen”
Story 2: “A Day at Harmenz”
Story 3: “The People Who Walked On”
Story 4: “Auschwitz, Our Home (A Letter)”
Story 5: “The Death of Schillinger”
Story 6: “The Man with the Package”
Story 7: “The Supper”
Story 8: “A True Story”
Story 9: “Silence”
Story 10: “The January Offensive”
Story 11: “A Visit”
Story 12: “The World of Stone”
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Essay Topics
Borowski’s narratives of life in Auschwitz are different from those told by Jewish survivors, because Borowski was a Polish political immigrant. How does his perspective differ from what you know or think you know about life in the concentration camps? What was surprising? Use specific examples from the text.
Do you think Tadek is a reliable narrator? How would you describe his narrative perspective and style? Does it affect his reliability if some of the stories are autobiographical and some are not?
The title of the book is sarcastic. Do you think the stories are irreverent? Choose one story and use examples to explain whether you think the tone and manner of storytelling are flippant.
