Holiday

As with any piece of literature, I try and find someone to sympathize with; someone whose side I can stand on and be able to understand more than any other character. It took me a while to find a character in “Holiday” who I could feel a connection with. I eventually began to sympathize with Ottilie. I chose this character because even though she is not the narrator or the focal point of the story I am drawn to her. I feel sorry for her and her situation. She lives with a family who does not appreciate her. Not only does she live with this horrible disfigurement, which cripples her physically but she also lives with the abandonment of her family. Some may argue that her family has not abandoned her because they still let her live with them. But, they abandon her in the sense of alienating her from the rest of the family. They do not acknowledge her presence nor do they acknowledge her contribution to the family; they treat her as if she were a complete stranger. She is a servant and nothing more. I feel for Ottilie because I do not understand how a family can simply discard one of their own; they get rid of her. I find this upsetting.

The Muller family is described as very strong and hard working; they work from dawn until dusk everyday. Even though Ottilie is alienated from this family and portrayed as weak because of her disfigurement I believe she is the strongest member of the Muller family. She deals with a constant neglect from her family. She bears this burden every single day of her life and who knows how many years this has been going on before our narrator arrives. She has put up with this feeling of never being good enough and she never falters. She carries on her daily chores and routine as if nothing were wrong with the current situation. This ability to carry on proves her strength. She may not be out in the fields or working with the animals in the barn but she is still strong.