Civilization in Borowski's concentration camp is an embodiment of peoples' values. Many value systems conflict and mix, yet only the inhumane, unnatural values of the Nazi system exists. The prisoners can either accept these values in resignation, or bravely face actuality and die with honor and pride. The Greeks, low-classed prisoners in the concentration camp, always "make the best of it." (116) and manage to "stuff their bellies with anything they can find" (116) despite their living circumstances. A young woman with "soft blonde hair" (119) continues to have "a shade of proud contempt in her voice"(119) even though she "know[s]" (119) that she will "later [go to] same gas chamber" (119).
             The weaker prisoners, unwilling to face reality, "cover their eyes" (116) and shield themselves from the horror of knowing the truth, while an old, seemingly weak woman "takes the little corpses out of [the narrator's] hands...and gazes straight into my eyes" (116), unafraid to stand up for her beliefs. On the contrary, a young mother is "covering her face with her hands...[she] wants to hide, to reach those who will not ride the trucks." (118) While the brave prisoners face reality and are willing to die with pride, she even denies that she has a child and gives up her values just to stay alive. Some prisoners within the camp resign to the Nazi values to merely survive, while few others keep their values and die knowing they never gave up. Few of these brave, honorable prisoners actually exist so the Nazi values, without humanity, dignity, and beauty, become the essence of the civilization in which they live in.
             Every aspect of civilization is devalued so that everyone is under the same system created by the Nazis. Humans are devalued to the status of animals, lacking dignity and pride. The Canada men "carry [the babies] like chicken...