The Truce

Juxtaposition is a literary device that involves placing two or more elements side- by-side to highlight their contrasts or differences. This technique is used to create a striking contrast between the elements, which can enhance the meaning, emphasize a particular point, or provoke thought and analysis in the reader. In The Truce, Levi draws a series of contrasts between people, places, and languages to illustrates the chaos and complexity of his situation. The Russian soldiers are contrasted against the Nazi camp guards, for example, with the indifference and pleasantness of the former highlighting the cruelty and brutality of the latter. As they cross over numerous borders and then the frontier between the communist and capitalist post-war worlds, Levi is reminded of the myriad cultures and beliefs that have been thrown together by the violence of the war, emphasizing the sheer scale of the war that he has experienced on an immediate, personal level.

The juxtapositions between people can also highlight a common humanity. When they are traveling to Starye Dorogi, Levi and Cesare visit a small village because Cesare is desperate to buy a chicken. At first, the villagers fire a gun at the two Italians.