Night by Elie Wiesel

Night Blog

Prompt: Write an editorial, an opinion essay, about an event/character from your reading.  

        Night by Elie Wiesel is a memoir about the holocaust. So, the author is also the main character. The reader and the author himself learn a lot about how people react to gruesome situations like being put in a concentration camp. We learn that author was becoming almost completely dehumanized. He was losing faith, hope, and care.

        Elie's world before this traumatic event was basically revolved around his religion; Judaism. When he was younger he became extremely interested in reading the Cabala. However, his father thought he was way too young to understand the wisdom it brings. He eventually continued to study it secretly with Moché the Beadle. Once he was forced from his home, family, and life, he would start to lose his faith.

          The first sign of Elie revolting against his religion was when he was entering Auschwitz. They were walking towards the flames and saw the burning children. He thought, ""For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank him for?" P.31. This is showing him seeing all these horrible things and thinking, what God would ever let this happen? Another example of him questioning God is when they are speaking of him Auschwitz, "Some talked of God, of his mysterious ways, of the sins of the Jewish people, and of their future deliverance. But I ceased to pray. How I sympathized do with Job! I did not deny God's existence, but I doubted His absolute justice." P. 42 This is showing how people he is surrounded by are passionately talking their faith. If Elie hadn't changed so drastically he would probably be praying along with them. However, with all of the gruesome events he has witnessed, he questions whether God is good or bad, he questions his justice and whose side God is on.