Overview:
This book deals with the trials and tribulations of a young man, Elie Wiesel, and his journey through the devastating Holocaust. He was 12 years old when he and his family were taken by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. The rest of the story deals with what happens while he's there and deals with his struggling faith.
Check out this virtual tour of the German concentration camp Auschwitz by clicking the button below!
This book deals with the trials and tribulations of a young man, Elie Wiesel, and his journey through the devastating Holocaust. He was 12 years old when he and his family were taken by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. The rest of the story deals with what happens while he's there and deals with his struggling faith.
Check out this virtual tour of the German concentration camp Auschwitz by clicking the button below!
Section 1: The story begins by introducing the reader to Eliezer Wiesel. We learn that Elie is a young boy around the age of 14. He is very religious and his father is basically the spokesperson for his hometown, Sighet. We also find out that Elie is very relgious, or at least he is trying to be. In the beginning of this story he goes to study under Moshe The Beadle, a wandering man who knows a lot about religion. Elie studies the Kabbalah and goes to the synagogue often. Then, Moshe The Beadle is taken away to concentration camp by German officials he manages to escape and return to warn the Jews of the horrors he saw. Thousands of people being slaughtered, but nobody wanted to believe him. Suddenly, the whole town of Sighet is transferred to a smaller town to await there transportation to Auschwitz. Elie and his family pack onto a train and are headed to their doom....
Clarify: Elie is Jewish. He is really religious at this point. Is his father like a Rabbi? Is Moshe The Beadle his mentor?
Questions: What is the Kabbalah? What is a synagogue? What does The Beadle mean? Why did no one believe Moshe The Beadle? Did Moshe The Beadle get taken away again?
Predictions: Elie and the town's people will witness murder and slaughtering, and come to the realization of the Holocaust.
Prior Knowledge: The talk of religion reminds me of my mother. She always use to study the Bible and talk about how she used to be part of prayer groups. She was always involved with the Church somehow.
(Pictures below)
Section 2: Still aboard their transportation train, Elie and his family are slowly reaching Auschwitz. They are in a box car packed tight with 80 people, nobody has room and they all take turns revealing themselves in the corner. While riding on the train nobody is for sure where they are going, but they all are scared. Then, an old lady, Mrs. Schächter, starts to scream "Fire! Fire! Do you see the flames?" She has lost her mind and after a few nights the other passengers start to beat her up to make her be quiet. Once finally arriving at the German concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birknueu, and Mrs. Schächter begins to scream "Fire" again. Except this time, everyone can see the flames and fire coming from the camp crematorium. The smell of corpses fills the air.
Clarify: Is the old lady really crazy? Did she see into the future?
Questions: Where exactly is Auschwitz? Will all the Jews be sent to the crematorium?
Predictions: Some of the Jews who are weak will be sent to die immediately. Elie and his father will survive. Why did they take all of their possessions?
Prior Knowledge: I rode a train when I with my mom once. Them talking about the ride reminds me of that.
Section 3: Elie and his family arrive at the concentration camp. When they get off of the train and go up to the gate they are separated by gender. His mother and sister are taken away, and he never sees them again. Now he and his father are about to go through selection. A man in the crowd tells Elie to say he is 18 and Elie's father to say he is 40 so they don't get separated. They get told to go to the left, and once selected they walk all around the camp right up to the crematorium. All around them there are open pits of hundreds of dead bodies, including children, women, and babies. As they approach the crematorium they start to say death prayers but are suddenly told to march to the left, heading to the barracks. They keep marching and eventually arrive at Buna, Elie and his father still alive.
Clarify: Did all of the people not told to go with Elie and his father's group, immediately get killed? Did his mother and sister get killed?
Questions: How could someone annihilate hundreds of people? How could the Germans murder babies? Will all those corpses go to the crematorium? Do the Jews have to move their own people's dead bodies?
Predictions: I think that Elie and his father will get separated. Also, the SS officers will find out that Elie and his father lied about their ages.
Prior Knowledge: This whole story reminds of a video game, in the aspect of that it all seems so unreal. Also, how the killing is so ruthless and there is no remorse. To me it seems like they are in a video game and these officers are just killing Jews for fun.
Section 4: This section deals with Elie and his father at the camp of Buna. They are hearing rumors on which work group to get into, and how possible ways to get in them. Finally, they both get sent to work at the warehouse where they count equipment and move equipment. At the warehouse Eli meets three people who help him out, Tibi and Yossi, who are brothers, and a french girl. The french girl he actually meets again later in life and finds out that she was hiding her real identity while in the camp, pretending to not know German. Usually on Sundays nobody works, but for some reason everyone had to go to the warehouse. Elie sneaks out to find his commander, Idek, raping a young girl. Elie finds it funny and laughs but Idek is furious and punishes him to 25 lashes. Elie is beat until he passes out. The officers also make Elie promise not to tell anyone. Not only is Elie beat but his father as well. His father is beat when Elie won't give up his gold cap on his tooth. He eventually gives it up. Afterward, the sirens ring and there are rumors of liberation, but those ideas and hopes eventually all fade.
Clarify: How can somebody allow themselves to rape another human? Don't they feel disgusted with themselves?
Question: How was Elie not just killed for what he saw? I feel like with all the meaningless killing they have, they would of just killed Elie right there on the spot. Why did Elie laugh right in front of Idek? Why did the french girl have to lie about her identity? Who are these two brothers? Why did they want his gold cap so bad?
Prediction: I think that the camp sirens will ring again and they prisoners will be either killed, evacuated, or liberated.
Prior Knowledge: This section makes me think about when I was little and my dad used to spank me with his belt. I remember crying and I just can't imagine the pain of getting whipped. I also think about the slaves in America and how they used to get whipped until they died or passed out, much like the Jews.
Section 5: In this section the Jewish New Year has arrived, and everyone gathers in the assembly area. Everyone prays together and recites the Kabbalah, all except Elie. Ellie is angry, and starts to question if God is merciful. He starts to do things to rebel against God. Talks about how if there was a merciful God he would not let thousands of innocents be killed. Where is God when they need him most? Elie's faith is questioned. After the assembly Christmas and New Years go by and they get the days off of work and eat a little better. Since winter has arrived Elie gets moved to a new work group, separated from his fathers, where he has to move rocks all day. Also, there is a camp selection and Elie's father gets selected. He gives Elie his spoon and knife and bids farewell, but he ends up passing the second selection and staying alive. Afterwards, due to the harsh conditions and labor, Elie suffers a bad foot infection and must get surgery before his whole leg is useless. The doctor gives Elie the surgery and tells Elie to stay for two weeks in the hopsital. Elie does not want to however due the fact they consistently have selections in there. While in the hospital the camp scheduled to be evactued. Elie has the choice of staying in the hospital, and his father can stay there too, or march with the rest to a new camp. They decide it would be better to march, they do and the snow falls nonstop. Elie eventually finds out that the Jews who stayed in the hospital were liberated 3 days after they left to march.
Clarify: I can understand how Elie feels about God. All of his points are very true. How could there be a merciful God and he let thousands be murdered? How could thousands pray to him, for him, and about him, and he lets them all perish? It does not make sense.
Questions: How did his father get the knife? Does the spoon and knife symbolize his father's goodbyes to his son? How is Elie able to march with a bad foot?
Predictions: I think that Elie will struggle and fall behind in the march due to his foot problem. Also, that the Jews get liberated before they reach their destination.
Prior Knowledge: This reminds of when my father was in the hospital with his bad knee. He could not walk for a while, and that reminds me of Elie and his foot. Also, the blizzard march reminds me of when I go snowboarding and it gets super cold and you feel like your toes and hands will fall off.
Section 6: Still on the march, Elie and his father must run as fast as they can to escape from being trampled and shot. Many die from exhaustion or being too slow so that the SS officers shoot them. Elie meets a young man by the name of Zalman, who ends up dying because he gets a stomach ache collapses then gets trampled on. Finally, after hours of marching in the blizzard the Jews can take a rest. Elie and his father seek shelter in a half demolished shed full of snow. Elie wants to fall asleep in the snow but his father does not allow him because he says people do not wake up when they sleep in the snow. They take turns getting a little bit of rest and then Rabbi Eliahou comes up to them asking if they have seen his on, Zalman. They say no, but then Elie remembers that Zalman had died while they were running, he decides it is better to not tell Rabbi Eliahou. Zalman had left his father behind during the march cause he was slow. The march begins again, they are headed to Gleiwitz. Once there, they are crammed all together in one room mixed with living people and dead bodies. Elie is being crushed underneath bodies. He hears his friend Juliek. That night they manage to survive and Juliek plays his violin throughout the night. When Elie awakens, Juliek is dead, crushed and suffocated by others. His violin is demolished. Right before they leave again for a new camp, the SS officers have selection, Elie's father is selected. However, Elie makes a commotion and it allows his father, along with others, to sneak back over to the healthy group and continue the march. They march for a ways then get on a train and await arrival at the new camp.
Clarify: Why did Zalman leave his father? How could he leave his father?
Questions: How could Juliek able to carry his violin all this way? Is Elie's father going to die? Where are they headed too? Why do they keep moving camps?
Predictions: Elie's father will perish, as he is getting weaker and weaker. They will make it to the new camp and undergo another selection where the father will be killed. Elie will survive and make it until the camp is liberated.
Prior Knowledge: The violin in the night reminds me of my mother and how she always plays piano at night after she gets home from work. The beautiful serenity of the music. Also, when Zalman collapses from a stomach ache it reminds me of when I get really sick and can barely move and my whole body feel sore.
Section 7: Packed tightly together, hundreds of Jews are crammed into a train car. They are not fed nor given water to drink. People are starving and dying. Each time someone dies the officers pick up the bodies and toss them off the side. Elie's father is presumed to be dead and as they try to throw him out Elie smacks him as hard as he can. With the smack, Elie's father;s eyes roll open. Without food and water, the SS officers toss pieces of bread into the cars to watch the Jews fight over it. A young man even kills his own father just to have a piece of bread. This continues for a while, as amusement for the SS officers. Elie's father is very weak and believe it is the end, but they then arrive at Buchenwald. The remaining Jews unload from the train cars.
Clarify: Elie's father is still alive, but slowly dying. Are there only a few people left in the train car? Where the SS officers throwing loafs of bread of out pure amusement?
Questions: Will they stay at Buchenwald or again be transferred? Will Elie's father die? Will there be another selection? Will Elie be selected?
Predictions: Elie's father will die. Elie will survive. The Jews will be liberated here. The Americans will catch up to the German before they can evacuate again.
Prior Knowledge: Them riding on train cars reminds me of when I rode the train in Kalamazoo. The amusement of the bread tossing reminds me of when people tease animals with toys and food.
Section 8: Once they arrived at Buchenwald they are sent to the showers to take hot baths and receive new clothes. Elie is super happy but his father is completely exhausted. There are hundreds trying to shower and it is hard to get in so Elie's father decides to just sit down in the snow and wait. Elie goes and showers. They get split up and while Elie is looking for him he remembers Zalman and how he wanted to rid of his father and he begins to think the same. But Elie is overcome with shame and disappointment in himself. When he finds his father he takes him to the barracks and gives him coffee. His father is dying and has dysentery. No doctors can help him and his fellow bunk-mates beat him because he soils himself. Elie tries to take care of him and stays by his side. The officers tell him it is useless but he does not listen. Then Elie's father cries for some water and for Elie and the SS officer hearing the noise smashes his head in with the baton to make him shut up. His dad's last words were "Eliezer...Eliezer." When Elie awakes in the morning he finds his father's body gone, the officers took it to the crematorium. He cannot morn, he has no tears left.
Clarify: Elie's father is actually dead this time. Does this mean that Elie will not have the strength to go on as well? Will he give up?
Questions: Did Elie ignore his father when he called on purpose? Why can he not cry over his father's death? Does Elie not care? Has Elie now accepted death as his father did?
Predictions: The camp will be liberated soon and Elie will be a free man again.
Prior Knowledge: I just think of how in movies when someone is dying and they use their last breath to say a few words.
Section 9: Realizing that his father is truly gone, Elie is stone cold now. He feels as if nothing can beat him and he will make it no matter what. He continues life at the camp for some while. Then the camp starts to be evacuated because the Americans are getting closer and closer. Just as Elie's group is going to be evacuated, American troops surround the camp! The Jews have all been set free and for some odd reason, none of them had any thoughts of revenge. The American troops wept and cursed once seeing the hardships the Jews had to endure. The only thing Elie and the others could think about was food, just food. They did not think of revenge, or sleep, or family, just food. Elie ate so much and suffered food poisoning three days after liberation. He was on the brink of death while in the hospital. Once he got better he went to look at himself in the mirror. It would be the first time since before he was taken from Sighet. He looks into the mirror expecting to see himself, but instead he only sees pain filled eyes and a corpse staring back at him.
Clarify: Is it really finally over? The Holocaust for Elie has ended. He is a free man again.
Questions: What was the first thing he ate? Did his mother and sister survive or perish? Who did he go to after he was free? Where did he go once free?
Predictions: The Americans will liberate the rest of the German concentration camps.
Prior Knowledge: The feeling of hunger, and how when someone is so hungry all they can think about is food. Then the fulfillment of finally eating.
Clarify: Elie is Jewish. He is really religious at this point. Is his father like a Rabbi? Is Moshe The Beadle his mentor?
Questions: What is the Kabbalah? What is a synagogue? What does The Beadle mean? Why did no one believe Moshe The Beadle? Did Moshe The Beadle get taken away again?
Predictions: Elie and the town's people will witness murder and slaughtering, and come to the realization of the Holocaust.
Prior Knowledge: The talk of religion reminds me of my mother. She always use to study the Bible and talk about how she used to be part of prayer groups. She was always involved with the Church somehow.
(Pictures below)
Section 2: Still aboard their transportation train, Elie and his family are slowly reaching Auschwitz. They are in a box car packed tight with 80 people, nobody has room and they all take turns revealing themselves in the corner. While riding on the train nobody is for sure where they are going, but they all are scared. Then, an old lady, Mrs. Schächter, starts to scream "Fire! Fire! Do you see the flames?" She has lost her mind and after a few nights the other passengers start to beat her up to make her be quiet. Once finally arriving at the German concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birknueu, and Mrs. Schächter begins to scream "Fire" again. Except this time, everyone can see the flames and fire coming from the camp crematorium. The smell of corpses fills the air.
Clarify: Is the old lady really crazy? Did she see into the future?
Questions: Where exactly is Auschwitz? Will all the Jews be sent to the crematorium?
Predictions: Some of the Jews who are weak will be sent to die immediately. Elie and his father will survive. Why did they take all of their possessions?
Prior Knowledge: I rode a train when I with my mom once. Them talking about the ride reminds me of that.
Section 3: Elie and his family arrive at the concentration camp. When they get off of the train and go up to the gate they are separated by gender. His mother and sister are taken away, and he never sees them again. Now he and his father are about to go through selection. A man in the crowd tells Elie to say he is 18 and Elie's father to say he is 40 so they don't get separated. They get told to go to the left, and once selected they walk all around the camp right up to the crematorium. All around them there are open pits of hundreds of dead bodies, including children, women, and babies. As they approach the crematorium they start to say death prayers but are suddenly told to march to the left, heading to the barracks. They keep marching and eventually arrive at Buna, Elie and his father still alive.
Clarify: Did all of the people not told to go with Elie and his father's group, immediately get killed? Did his mother and sister get killed?
Questions: How could someone annihilate hundreds of people? How could the Germans murder babies? Will all those corpses go to the crematorium? Do the Jews have to move their own people's dead bodies?
Predictions: I think that Elie and his father will get separated. Also, the SS officers will find out that Elie and his father lied about their ages.
Prior Knowledge: This whole story reminds of a video game, in the aspect of that it all seems so unreal. Also, how the killing is so ruthless and there is no remorse. To me it seems like they are in a video game and these officers are just killing Jews for fun.
Section 4: This section deals with Elie and his father at the camp of Buna. They are hearing rumors on which work group to get into, and how possible ways to get in them. Finally, they both get sent to work at the warehouse where they count equipment and move equipment. At the warehouse Eli meets three people who help him out, Tibi and Yossi, who are brothers, and a french girl. The french girl he actually meets again later in life and finds out that she was hiding her real identity while in the camp, pretending to not know German. Usually on Sundays nobody works, but for some reason everyone had to go to the warehouse. Elie sneaks out to find his commander, Idek, raping a young girl. Elie finds it funny and laughs but Idek is furious and punishes him to 25 lashes. Elie is beat until he passes out. The officers also make Elie promise not to tell anyone. Not only is Elie beat but his father as well. His father is beat when Elie won't give up his gold cap on his tooth. He eventually gives it up. Afterward, the sirens ring and there are rumors of liberation, but those ideas and hopes eventually all fade.
Clarify: How can somebody allow themselves to rape another human? Don't they feel disgusted with themselves?
Question: How was Elie not just killed for what he saw? I feel like with all the meaningless killing they have, they would of just killed Elie right there on the spot. Why did Elie laugh right in front of Idek? Why did the french girl have to lie about her identity? Who are these two brothers? Why did they want his gold cap so bad?
Prediction: I think that the camp sirens will ring again and they prisoners will be either killed, evacuated, or liberated.
Prior Knowledge: This section makes me think about when I was little and my dad used to spank me with his belt. I remember crying and I just can't imagine the pain of getting whipped. I also think about the slaves in America and how they used to get whipped until they died or passed out, much like the Jews.
Section 5: In this section the Jewish New Year has arrived, and everyone gathers in the assembly area. Everyone prays together and recites the Kabbalah, all except Elie. Ellie is angry, and starts to question if God is merciful. He starts to do things to rebel against God. Talks about how if there was a merciful God he would not let thousands of innocents be killed. Where is God when they need him most? Elie's faith is questioned. After the assembly Christmas and New Years go by and they get the days off of work and eat a little better. Since winter has arrived Elie gets moved to a new work group, separated from his fathers, where he has to move rocks all day. Also, there is a camp selection and Elie's father gets selected. He gives Elie his spoon and knife and bids farewell, but he ends up passing the second selection and staying alive. Afterwards, due to the harsh conditions and labor, Elie suffers a bad foot infection and must get surgery before his whole leg is useless. The doctor gives Elie the surgery and tells Elie to stay for two weeks in the hopsital. Elie does not want to however due the fact they consistently have selections in there. While in the hospital the camp scheduled to be evactued. Elie has the choice of staying in the hospital, and his father can stay there too, or march with the rest to a new camp. They decide it would be better to march, they do and the snow falls nonstop. Elie eventually finds out that the Jews who stayed in the hospital were liberated 3 days after they left to march.
Clarify: I can understand how Elie feels about God. All of his points are very true. How could there be a merciful God and he let thousands be murdered? How could thousands pray to him, for him, and about him, and he lets them all perish? It does not make sense.
Questions: How did his father get the knife? Does the spoon and knife symbolize his father's goodbyes to his son? How is Elie able to march with a bad foot?
Predictions: I think that Elie will struggle and fall behind in the march due to his foot problem. Also, that the Jews get liberated before they reach their destination.
Prior Knowledge: This reminds of when my father was in the hospital with his bad knee. He could not walk for a while, and that reminds me of Elie and his foot. Also, the blizzard march reminds me of when I go snowboarding and it gets super cold and you feel like your toes and hands will fall off.
Section 6: Still on the march, Elie and his father must run as fast as they can to escape from being trampled and shot. Many die from exhaustion or being too slow so that the SS officers shoot them. Elie meets a young man by the name of Zalman, who ends up dying because he gets a stomach ache collapses then gets trampled on. Finally, after hours of marching in the blizzard the Jews can take a rest. Elie and his father seek shelter in a half demolished shed full of snow. Elie wants to fall asleep in the snow but his father does not allow him because he says people do not wake up when they sleep in the snow. They take turns getting a little bit of rest and then Rabbi Eliahou comes up to them asking if they have seen his on, Zalman. They say no, but then Elie remembers that Zalman had died while they were running, he decides it is better to not tell Rabbi Eliahou. Zalman had left his father behind during the march cause he was slow. The march begins again, they are headed to Gleiwitz. Once there, they are crammed all together in one room mixed with living people and dead bodies. Elie is being crushed underneath bodies. He hears his friend Juliek. That night they manage to survive and Juliek plays his violin throughout the night. When Elie awakens, Juliek is dead, crushed and suffocated by others. His violin is demolished. Right before they leave again for a new camp, the SS officers have selection, Elie's father is selected. However, Elie makes a commotion and it allows his father, along with others, to sneak back over to the healthy group and continue the march. They march for a ways then get on a train and await arrival at the new camp.
Clarify: Why did Zalman leave his father? How could he leave his father?
Questions: How could Juliek able to carry his violin all this way? Is Elie's father going to die? Where are they headed too? Why do they keep moving camps?
Predictions: Elie's father will perish, as he is getting weaker and weaker. They will make it to the new camp and undergo another selection where the father will be killed. Elie will survive and make it until the camp is liberated.
Prior Knowledge: The violin in the night reminds me of my mother and how she always plays piano at night after she gets home from work. The beautiful serenity of the music. Also, when Zalman collapses from a stomach ache it reminds me of when I get really sick and can barely move and my whole body feel sore.
Section 7: Packed tightly together, hundreds of Jews are crammed into a train car. They are not fed nor given water to drink. People are starving and dying. Each time someone dies the officers pick up the bodies and toss them off the side. Elie's father is presumed to be dead and as they try to throw him out Elie smacks him as hard as he can. With the smack, Elie's father;s eyes roll open. Without food and water, the SS officers toss pieces of bread into the cars to watch the Jews fight over it. A young man even kills his own father just to have a piece of bread. This continues for a while, as amusement for the SS officers. Elie's father is very weak and believe it is the end, but they then arrive at Buchenwald. The remaining Jews unload from the train cars.
Clarify: Elie's father is still alive, but slowly dying. Are there only a few people left in the train car? Where the SS officers throwing loafs of bread of out pure amusement?
Questions: Will they stay at Buchenwald or again be transferred? Will Elie's father die? Will there be another selection? Will Elie be selected?
Predictions: Elie's father will die. Elie will survive. The Jews will be liberated here. The Americans will catch up to the German before they can evacuate again.
Prior Knowledge: Them riding on train cars reminds me of when I rode the train in Kalamazoo. The amusement of the bread tossing reminds me of when people tease animals with toys and food.
Section 8: Once they arrived at Buchenwald they are sent to the showers to take hot baths and receive new clothes. Elie is super happy but his father is completely exhausted. There are hundreds trying to shower and it is hard to get in so Elie's father decides to just sit down in the snow and wait. Elie goes and showers. They get split up and while Elie is looking for him he remembers Zalman and how he wanted to rid of his father and he begins to think the same. But Elie is overcome with shame and disappointment in himself. When he finds his father he takes him to the barracks and gives him coffee. His father is dying and has dysentery. No doctors can help him and his fellow bunk-mates beat him because he soils himself. Elie tries to take care of him and stays by his side. The officers tell him it is useless but he does not listen. Then Elie's father cries for some water and for Elie and the SS officer hearing the noise smashes his head in with the baton to make him shut up. His dad's last words were "Eliezer...Eliezer." When Elie awakes in the morning he finds his father's body gone, the officers took it to the crematorium. He cannot morn, he has no tears left.
Clarify: Elie's father is actually dead this time. Does this mean that Elie will not have the strength to go on as well? Will he give up?
Questions: Did Elie ignore his father when he called on purpose? Why can he not cry over his father's death? Does Elie not care? Has Elie now accepted death as his father did?
Predictions: The camp will be liberated soon and Elie will be a free man again.
Prior Knowledge: I just think of how in movies when someone is dying and they use their last breath to say a few words.
Section 9: Realizing that his father is truly gone, Elie is stone cold now. He feels as if nothing can beat him and he will make it no matter what. He continues life at the camp for some while. Then the camp starts to be evacuated because the Americans are getting closer and closer. Just as Elie's group is going to be evacuated, American troops surround the camp! The Jews have all been set free and for some odd reason, none of them had any thoughts of revenge. The American troops wept and cursed once seeing the hardships the Jews had to endure. The only thing Elie and the others could think about was food, just food. They did not think of revenge, or sleep, or family, just food. Elie ate so much and suffered food poisoning three days after liberation. He was on the brink of death while in the hospital. Once he got better he went to look at himself in the mirror. It would be the first time since before he was taken from Sighet. He looks into the mirror expecting to see himself, but instead he only sees pain filled eyes and a corpse staring back at him.
Clarify: Is it really finally over? The Holocaust for Elie has ended. He is a free man again.
Questions: What was the first thing he ate? Did his mother and sister survive or perish? Who did he go to after he was free? Where did he go once free?
Predictions: The Americans will liberate the rest of the German concentration camps.
Prior Knowledge: The feeling of hunger, and how when someone is so hungry all they can think about is food. Then the fulfillment of finally eating.
Characters:
Eliezer Wiesel - When we are first introduced to Elie, we see that he is a young boy who finds relief in the religion. He studies the Kabbalah and always goes to the synagogue to study with Moshe The Beadle. Suddenly, he is taken to the concentration camp and he only worries about staying alive and not separating from his father. Seeing all the killing and dead bodies of women and children changes him on the inside. He watches thousands be slaughtered and he starts to question his once strong faith. Asking, "If there was a God, why would he let this happen?" Elie rebels against God by not saying the prayer during the Jewish New Year and constantly question his existence and divinity. After being evacuated to a new camp his father dies. His father was his only hope and only thing keeping him alive. Without his father he does not have any more drive to keep going on. But for some reason, he does not even weep over his father's death. He becomes a man, hardened by hardship and inevitable death. He realizes nothing will stop him, he has been through it all. When he finally is let free he goes to look at himself in the mirror. He expects to see a young boy but he only sees a pain filled corpse staring back at him.
Moshe the Beadle - Moshe is a wise man who is almost like a prophet. Throughout the town people see him as a teacher of the Jewish Religion. Even though he is not an official Rabbi or anything, people still recognize his views. Elie goes to him to learn about the Kabbalah and study with him. He explains to Elie the meaning of the Jewish religion and faith. He also is taken away and sent to a concentration camp but manages to escape because he was presumed to be dead. Upon his return to the town of Sighet he tries to warn the Jews of the horrors he saw. However, nobody believes him and calls him crazy.
Elie's Father - Respected man of the community, Elie's father was looked up to by everyone in Sighet. He was everyone's source for advice. At first he is positive and believes nothing will happen to them. Then he reaches the concentration camp. This is when he changes. He realizes things are not jokes anymore, and nightmares have become reality. He tells Elie that he has to eat as much as he can when he can. He understands how to survive in the camp, taking beating and keeping his mouth shut when necessary. This greatly makes Elie mad, seeing his father not fight back, when he is suppose to be Elie's protector. Elie's father slowly begins to become weaker and weaker. If it was not for his son, Elie's father would not have had the strength to make it as far as he did. He eventually dies however and crushes all of Elie's hopes and motivation.
Mrs. Schächter - Is an old lady who was aboard the train that Elie, and the rest of jews from Sighet, were transported on. She is presumed to have gone crazy after losing her family because she constantly screams. The fellow Jews decide to beat her to make her stop yelling "Fire, look at the flames." Little did they know that she was actually predicting the death of them and how they would die. They were to be thrown in the furnace. When the train arrives at camp she screams again but this time everyone can see flames coming from the crematorium.
Idek - Is the head of Elie's work group. Which is a good unit to be in except people warn Elie of Idek's temper and how he occasionally goes crazy. Elie finds this out one day when he gets in his way, and Idek beats him till his whole face gushes blood. He does the same to his father when he gets in his way. Elie is not mad at Idek however, only at his father for not fighting back. Idek is also caught raping a young Polish girl by Elie.
Eliezer Wiesel - When we are first introduced to Elie, we see that he is a young boy who finds relief in the religion. He studies the Kabbalah and always goes to the synagogue to study with Moshe The Beadle. Suddenly, he is taken to the concentration camp and he only worries about staying alive and not separating from his father. Seeing all the killing and dead bodies of women and children changes him on the inside. He watches thousands be slaughtered and he starts to question his once strong faith. Asking, "If there was a God, why would he let this happen?" Elie rebels against God by not saying the prayer during the Jewish New Year and constantly question his existence and divinity. After being evacuated to a new camp his father dies. His father was his only hope and only thing keeping him alive. Without his father he does not have any more drive to keep going on. But for some reason, he does not even weep over his father's death. He becomes a man, hardened by hardship and inevitable death. He realizes nothing will stop him, he has been through it all. When he finally is let free he goes to look at himself in the mirror. He expects to see a young boy but he only sees a pain filled corpse staring back at him.
Moshe the Beadle - Moshe is a wise man who is almost like a prophet. Throughout the town people see him as a teacher of the Jewish Religion. Even though he is not an official Rabbi or anything, people still recognize his views. Elie goes to him to learn about the Kabbalah and study with him. He explains to Elie the meaning of the Jewish religion and faith. He also is taken away and sent to a concentration camp but manages to escape because he was presumed to be dead. Upon his return to the town of Sighet he tries to warn the Jews of the horrors he saw. However, nobody believes him and calls him crazy.
Elie's Father - Respected man of the community, Elie's father was looked up to by everyone in Sighet. He was everyone's source for advice. At first he is positive and believes nothing will happen to them. Then he reaches the concentration camp. This is when he changes. He realizes things are not jokes anymore, and nightmares have become reality. He tells Elie that he has to eat as much as he can when he can. He understands how to survive in the camp, taking beating and keeping his mouth shut when necessary. This greatly makes Elie mad, seeing his father not fight back, when he is suppose to be Elie's protector. Elie's father slowly begins to become weaker and weaker. If it was not for his son, Elie's father would not have had the strength to make it as far as he did. He eventually dies however and crushes all of Elie's hopes and motivation.
Mrs. Schächter - Is an old lady who was aboard the train that Elie, and the rest of jews from Sighet, were transported on. She is presumed to have gone crazy after losing her family because she constantly screams. The fellow Jews decide to beat her to make her stop yelling "Fire, look at the flames." Little did they know that she was actually predicting the death of them and how they would die. They were to be thrown in the furnace. When the train arrives at camp she screams again but this time everyone can see flames coming from the crematorium.
Idek - Is the head of Elie's work group. Which is a good unit to be in except people warn Elie of Idek's temper and how he occasionally goes crazy. Elie finds this out one day when he gets in his way, and Idek beats him till his whole face gushes blood. He does the same to his father when he gets in his way. Elie is not mad at Idek however, only at his father for not fighting back. Idek is also caught raping a young Polish girl by Elie.
Theme(s):
Family- In this story family is a always prevelent idea. When all the Jews are sent to the camps the one thing they all try to hang onto is their family. Not to be separated is the ultimate goal. Throughout the story however we can see that the idea of family and self survival becomes and issue. Meaning if I have to keep looking after my family I might not be able to survive myself. But also we can see that family is the only thing that keeps everyone sane. Without Elie, his father would have never been able to make it as far as he did. Same goes for Elie, without his father he would of given up long before he was able to be set free. In the story there are moments when sons turn on their fathers. For example, when Rabbi Eliahou's son leaves him because he is too slow and weak, but ends up dying. Also when a father gets a piece of bread on the train his son pounces on him and kills him just to eat the bread. Even Elie starts to have thoughts that his father is a burden too him. But in the end it is clear that without his father Elie could have never made it as far as he did.
Religion- In the beginning of the story Elie and all the Jews are very religious. Elie studies the Kabbalah and constantly prays. But once he sees all of the murder and killing of innocent children and babies his faith goes into question. He doesn't stop believing in God just questions if he is merciful and completely just. Many other Jews experience the same thing as he, including his father. They meet up after the Jewish New Year and have a moment of understanding, they both have their own questions.
Family- In this story family is a always prevelent idea. When all the Jews are sent to the camps the one thing they all try to hang onto is their family. Not to be separated is the ultimate goal. Throughout the story however we can see that the idea of family and self survival becomes and issue. Meaning if I have to keep looking after my family I might not be able to survive myself. But also we can see that family is the only thing that keeps everyone sane. Without Elie, his father would have never been able to make it as far as he did. Same goes for Elie, without his father he would of given up long before he was able to be set free. In the story there are moments when sons turn on their fathers. For example, when Rabbi Eliahou's son leaves him because he is too slow and weak, but ends up dying. Also when a father gets a piece of bread on the train his son pounces on him and kills him just to eat the bread. Even Elie starts to have thoughts that his father is a burden too him. But in the end it is clear that without his father Elie could have never made it as far as he did.
Religion- In the beginning of the story Elie and all the Jews are very religious. Elie studies the Kabbalah and constantly prays. But once he sees all of the murder and killing of innocent children and babies his faith goes into question. He doesn't stop believing in God just questions if he is merciful and completely just. Many other Jews experience the same thing as he, including his father. They meet up after the Jewish New Year and have a moment of understanding, they both have their own questions.
Motif(s):
Religion- Faith and religion are questioned throughout this story. Elie and many other Jews undergo realizations of the world around them. They start to question if God is just or not, and if he is a good God or not. If so, how could he let all of that happen to them?
Fire- Fire and flames are brought up a lot as well. They represent the burning of the Jews in the crematorium. Mrs. Schanter foresaw the flames of the crematorium while aboard the train to Auschwitz. Every time fire or flame was brought up in the story it had to do with people being sent to die. It resembles death and how close each prisoner is to it.
Night- Constantly throughout the story the word night is brought up. When it is night out, bad things happen. Mrs. Schanter would scream at night. People would die all night. It represented the suffering and darkness of the camp, and of the hardships the Jews went through.
Religion- Faith and religion are questioned throughout this story. Elie and many other Jews undergo realizations of the world around them. They start to question if God is just or not, and if he is a good God or not. If so, how could he let all of that happen to them?
Fire- Fire and flames are brought up a lot as well. They represent the burning of the Jews in the crematorium. Mrs. Schanter foresaw the flames of the crematorium while aboard the train to Auschwitz. Every time fire or flame was brought up in the story it had to do with people being sent to die. It resembles death and how close each prisoner is to it.
Night- Constantly throughout the story the word night is brought up. When it is night out, bad things happen. Mrs. Schanter would scream at night. People would die all night. It represented the suffering and darkness of the camp, and of the hardships the Jews went through.
Symbols/Symbolism:
Corpses - Corpses symbolize the actually death of people and the death of Elie's childhood. When he sees himself in the mirror for the first time he says he only sees a corpse staring back at him. Saying he is basically dead inside, he will never be the same child he once was. Death surrounds him.
Spoon/Knife - When Elie's father gives his spoon and knife to Elie it is his way of saying goodbye. He believes he is gone for good, so he gives his son his prized possessions knowing his son can use them. To me it is his way of saying "Stay strong son, even without me stay strong."
Corpses - Corpses symbolize the actually death of people and the death of Elie's childhood. When he sees himself in the mirror for the first time he says he only sees a corpse staring back at him. Saying he is basically dead inside, he will never be the same child he once was. Death surrounds him.
Spoon/Knife - When Elie's father gives his spoon and knife to Elie it is his way of saying goodbye. He believes he is gone for good, so he gives his son his prized possessions knowing his son can use them. To me it is his way of saying "Stay strong son, even without me stay strong."
Tone(s):
The tones of this story to me seem to be sad but also honest. The author never portrays Elie to be angry at the Germans, only a few times in the story does he do that. But for the most part it is just sad and real. He mourns over the deaths of thousands, and over his father. I also say honest because he does not lie about what he say or hide any details from us as readers. He actually goes in to great detail of what he saw and went through.
The tones of this story to me seem to be sad but also honest. The author never portrays Elie to be angry at the Germans, only a few times in the story does he do that. But for the most part it is just sad and real. He mourns over the deaths of thousands, and over his father. I also say honest because he does not lie about what he say or hide any details from us as readers. He actually goes in to great detail of what he saw and went through.
Mood(s):
As a reader while reading this book I was always filled with remorse and pity. I felt sad and could not understand how humans could treat each other so badly. With all of the gruesome descriptions of the dead bodies and children being killed I could never feel anything but sadness.
As a reader while reading this book I was always filled with remorse and pity. I felt sad and could not understand how humans could treat each other so badly. With all of the gruesome descriptions of the dead bodies and children being killed I could never feel anything but sadness.
Plot line diagram of the story Night
Introduction - We are introduced to a young boy by the name of Eliezer Wiesel. We also meet his family. They live in the Jewish town of Sighet. Elie's father is a spokesperson for the whole town. Also, we learn Elie is always studying the Kabbalah under Moshe The Beadle.
Conflict -
1) The family is taken away by SS officers and sent to a concentration camp.
2) Once there he and his father are separated from his mom and sister. They see graves full of dead bodies.
3) They are sent to Auschwitz where they are separated into work groups.
4) Elie sees his work unit officer raping a girl and his sentenced to 25 whip lashings.
5) Elie witness his father get beaten up by Idek, the work unit officer.
6) The Jews must watch children be hanged in the courtyard of Auschwitz.
7) The Jewish New Year, Christmas, and New Year go by and Elie starts to question his faith and worship of God.
8) Due to his new job of moving large rocks all day combined with the harsh winter conditions, Elie suffers a foot infection. He has to get surgery done.
9) The camp is evacuated and all the Jews must dead out sprint to the next camp, Gleiwitz. Many die due to the blizzard like conditions that accompany the 50 + mile march.
10) Once at Gleiwitz the camp is again evacuated and they must undergo another death march. Right before leaving Elie's father is chosen for selection, but he manages to escape and stay alive.
Climax - Elie's father is becoming very weak and can not move any more. He is bed ridden and suffers from a stomach infection know as dysentery. No doctors are able to help him, so he just gets worse and worse. Finally, one night while he cries out for Elie to bring him water, a guard bashes his head in. His whole face gushes blood and he again tries to call for his son, but Elie decides to go to sleep instead. When Elie awakes he finds that his dad must have passed away and been taken to the crematorium while he was alseep. Elie's father is dead.
Falling action - With his father being dead Elie feels as if nothing can hurt him anymore. Nothing matters except for survival. He no longer has his father as a burden either. For the next few months after his fathers death Elie stays at the camp and works. He never sheds a single tear over his father's death. Finally, the American troops get to the camp right before it is to be evacuated. The troops are dumbfounded and mourn once they see the hardships of what the prisoners had to go through.
Resolution - Elie is set free and goes on with his life. But after 3 days of freedom he is overcome with food poisoning. For the next few weeks he again faces life and death. Once he becomes healthy he gets up too look at himself in the mirror for the first time since deportation. He expects to see a young man but instead sees a corpse staring back at him. This image never leaves his mind.
Conflict -
1) The family is taken away by SS officers and sent to a concentration camp.
2) Once there he and his father are separated from his mom and sister. They see graves full of dead bodies.
3) They are sent to Auschwitz where they are separated into work groups.
4) Elie sees his work unit officer raping a girl and his sentenced to 25 whip lashings.
5) Elie witness his father get beaten up by Idek, the work unit officer.
6) The Jews must watch children be hanged in the courtyard of Auschwitz.
7) The Jewish New Year, Christmas, and New Year go by and Elie starts to question his faith and worship of God.
8) Due to his new job of moving large rocks all day combined with the harsh winter conditions, Elie suffers a foot infection. He has to get surgery done.
9) The camp is evacuated and all the Jews must dead out sprint to the next camp, Gleiwitz. Many die due to the blizzard like conditions that accompany the 50 + mile march.
10) Once at Gleiwitz the camp is again evacuated and they must undergo another death march. Right before leaving Elie's father is chosen for selection, but he manages to escape and stay alive.
Climax - Elie's father is becoming very weak and can not move any more. He is bed ridden and suffers from a stomach infection know as dysentery. No doctors are able to help him, so he just gets worse and worse. Finally, one night while he cries out for Elie to bring him water, a guard bashes his head in. His whole face gushes blood and he again tries to call for his son, but Elie decides to go to sleep instead. When Elie awakes he finds that his dad must have passed away and been taken to the crematorium while he was alseep. Elie's father is dead.
Falling action - With his father being dead Elie feels as if nothing can hurt him anymore. Nothing matters except for survival. He no longer has his father as a burden either. For the next few months after his fathers death Elie stays at the camp and works. He never sheds a single tear over his father's death. Finally, the American troops get to the camp right before it is to be evacuated. The troops are dumbfounded and mourn once they see the hardships of what the prisoners had to go through.
Resolution - Elie is set free and goes on with his life. But after 3 days of freedom he is overcome with food poisoning. For the next few weeks he again faces life and death. Once he becomes healthy he gets up too look at himself in the mirror for the first time since deportation. He expects to see a young man but instead sees a corpse staring back at him. This image never leaves his mind.