Guido and Joshua were forced onto a train and taken to a concentration camp. Despite being a Jew, Dora demands to be on the same train to join both Guido and Joshua. Guido does everything possible to keep Joshua safe. He even lies and hides their true situation from his son, convincing him that the camp is a game in which Joshua must perform the tasks Guido gives him. He tells him that if he cries, complains that he wants his mother, or says that he is hungry, he will lose. Guido only does all this to keep Joshua hidden and protected.
Guido maintains this story right until the end when in the chaos of shutting down the camp as the Americans arrive he tells Joshua to stay in a box until everybody has left and he will receive his prize, the tank. While Joshua is hidden, Guido tries to find Dora but doesn’t succeed and is found by a soldier, which he is later executed. The next morning when Joshua notices there is no one left, he comes out of the box and seconds later he sees the tank that belongs to the American soldiers. The soldiers let Joshua ride in the tank in which later he sees his mom in the crowd. He screams for her as he goes and gives her hugs and kisses letting her know they won the game.
Joshua was never aware of what was going on during that time. He always thought his dad was helping him win the tank he always wanted. Guido was a great father for protecting his son from being afraid. Even though he didn’t get to live, he made sure Joshua did and I’m sure Joshua appreciates all he did.
Life is all about taking risks, doing things you wouldn’t expect to do for your loved ones. I admire Guido for having all that strength he had. This was a huge turning point in Joshua’s life, because if it weren’t for the lies his dad kept from him, he would’ve not been alive. Things are always okay in the end, if nothing is okay, it is not the end.
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