Man or Murderer?

For Simon, forgiving the dying SS man became a turmoil inside himself. Throughout the entire confession Simon switches the title of the dying man. In the beginning, when he first started having compassion for him he was the "SS man". But, after he heard the horrors the man committed he became the "murderer." Simon's humanity tells him to forgive, but his past experiences tell him that is impossible. He feels like it is not his place to forgive this man. In the end, Simon comes to the decision to say nothing. Even afterwards, he cannot decide if this man was simply a "SS man" who was persuaded through propaganda and had no choice; or if he was a "murderer", cold and heartless who should never have the pleasure of peace, even in death. Four years later, the memories of the dying man still haunt Simon. He now has turned to others, asking what they would have done in his situation. When a situation presents itself we may expect to act one way, yet when the time comes we may be surprised how we actually react.