Literary Devices in Night by Elie Wiesel

1941 to 1945, the four long years of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the systematic massacre of six million Jews by the German Nazis. The Nazis, who took power in Germany in January 1933, claimed that Germans were racially superior and that Jews, whom they viewed as inferior, were a foreign threat to the so-called German ethnic culture. One of the many victims included the young protagonist and author of the novel Night, Eliezer Wiesel.

Through his frequent and effective use of literary devices, Elie powerfully conveys feelings of internal struggle. Eliezer is continuously torn between a sense of empathy, an interest in self-preservation, and a loyalty to God. Whenever he abandons his father, his faith, his emotions, he begins to doubt that his own life is worth saving. Through the contrasting experiences and morale of his fellow Jews, Wiesel crafts that love keeps people alive. 

Carefully crafting his use of repetition and rhetorical questions, Wiesel affirms his resolve to convey his loss of childhood innocence.  As the Jews are sorted left and right, Elie is terrified as he believes that he will fall victim to the crematorium. Wiesel thinks his last words, "Twenty more steps. If I was going to kill myself, this was the time... Ten more steps. Eight. Seven....My heart was about to burst" (33-34). Repetition symbolizes Elie's fear of how his life can end in a matter of steps. Each iteration of the "steps towards death" builds tension that immerses the reader into Elie's experience. Wiesel's craft utilizes several types of literary devices to engross his audience, including rhetorical questions. On the Eve of Rosh Hashanah, Elie expresses his momentous displeasure in God, "Blessed be God's name? Why, but why would I bless Him?... Because He caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves?...Because in His great might, He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many other factories of death?" (67). Wiesel uses cleverly written rhetorical questions in his craft. Elie's questions are formatted such that it would be brutal and insensitive to contradict his thoughts. Therefore displaying his strong sense of duty to have the reader genuinely understand how pain can change an innocent child.   

Through his use of silence and rhetorical questions, Elie Wiesel elevates his writing to express his crisis of faith. As his fellow inmates prepare for Rosh Hashanah, Elie confesses his difficulties with God; He says, "I no longer pleaded for anything. I was no longer able to lament. On the contrary, I felt very strong" (Wiesel 68). After weeks and months of unanswered prayer, Elie had realized that calling for God would amount to nothing but the plunder of his morale. He became numb to his surroundings and found solace in his silence. It is only then Elie realized his dependence, and that brought him strength. Wiesel's resilience is further shown as he uses rhetorical questions to accentuate his story. As Elie confronted God, he spoke: "Blessed be God's name? Why,  but why would I bless Him?... Because He caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves?...Because in His great might, He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many other factories of death?" (Wiesel 67). Wiesel uses cleverly written rhetorical questions in his craft. As Elie questions himself and his faith, Elie shares with his readers the process in which he had come to his conclusion. This further connects the readers to Elie and creates a more meaningful impact knowing Wiesel's internal struggles. Rhetorical questions specifically format Elie's opinions as to the only possible answer to his situation. Therefore connecting his readers with his beliefs would not have made such a strong impact if Elie had not used the mentioned literary devices.

Wiesel illustrates his loss of empathy and memory using repetition, narrative shift, and word choice. As he struggles to revive the morale of his late father, Elie says, "One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate. One less reason to live" (109). Wiesel shows little difference to yet another cry of his late father's pain. The repeating factors immerse Wiesel's audience into the pressure. Previously, Elie would have clenched his fists out of anger. Now, the boy counts the days until the burden of another man would be lifted. These thoughts, experiences, and memories haunt young Elie for a lifetime. While one would think Wiesel should be joyous of the newfound freedom, grim thoughts plunder any emotion that could be felt. Elie glances over and reveals, "From the depths of the mirror, a corpse was contemplating me. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me" (115). The contrast between Wiesel's lighter writing and the darker tone used in these lines elevates the importance of his past. The person Wiesel sees himself as now that the memories have passed is a ghost of who he once was. Never again will Elie be able to picture his family, his father, without picturing the kind of person the Holocaust made him be. All of which skillfully conveyed with Wiesel's use of repetition, narrative shift, and word choice.

Through his compelling and implicit use of literary devices, Elie powerfully expresses feelings of internal struggle. Eliezer is continuously torn between a sense of empathy, memory, an interest in self-preservation, and a loyalty to God. These values are often lost in the bliss people now called the modern day. It is imperative for students never to forget, never fail to acknowledge history's past. Thus, these tragedies shall never repeat.