Night by Elie Wiesel Essay Sample

In the book nights, the main character Elie Wiesel communicates his trauma and anger through the war and violence the jews have witnessed. Elie Wiesel was once a victim of the torture and suffering caused by the dehumanization of the Germans, this turns him in to what used to be a bright, young, faithful man to a miserable and hollow shell of the person he once was. This hollow shell has been caused by his inability to change any of what he had witnessed overtime, this shows that he no longer feels the need to fight and has accepted that survival is the only option. 

In the beginning of the story we see Elie who was a very faithful young man who prayed occasionally and had a deep love for his God. However the development of this relationship he felt turned to hatred when he witnessed God letting many Jews be burnt, killed, and overworked by the hands of the Nazis. We get to see the first moments of his new found relationship when he says  “Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever” (34).  This shows that his mind at such a young age was too protected to register what he had witnessed, as a result he was thrown into situations where he couldn't be dependent on what gave him the most hope in life, and overtime we see him lose his faith even saying “Were there still miracles on this earth?” (76) due to the constant situations of helplessness slowly taking over his mind.  Elie even has his own responses when hearing about God for example ”I heard the same man asking: ‘For God’s sake, where is God?’ from within me, I heard a voice answer: ‘Where He is? This is where-hanging here from this gallows…” (65) showing he has lost hope and  thinking anyone who believes is foolish to think anyone can save them from the hell they have been through. However despite all the tragedies  he continues to say “I was not denying His existence, but I doubted His absolute justice.” (45) which shows that even if there was a God he didn't want to be at his mercy anymore he was done praying for the “miracles” he couldn't see. All these events show that he had no control over the situations he saw, he depended on his god to save him with no avail. He survived off of the knowledge he had and discontinued his belief for his benefit.

Early on we hear “Men to the left! Women to the right!” Elieser explains these words by saying “Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight simple, short words. Yet that was the moment when I left my mother.” (29). The result of this helpless action left only Eliesers father, Shlomo, to be able to move on with him to Buchenwald. Initially he was not close to his father, in fact he says “He was more concerned with others than with his own family” (2) showing the relationship was not strong in the beginning of the story, however with him being his only family figure he learns to build a connection for their mere survival. Throughout the story though he shows great compassion toward his father even risking his own life and saving his father from the side of the crematorium when he is deemed too weak to work, he even prays to God despite his loss of faith saying “My God, Lord of the Universe, give me the strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahou’s son has done” (87). Although his bond is strong with his father, his father later grows weak and he leaves him to get better sleep knowing that he can increase his own survival if he’s alone. Later on he feels major guilt especially when considering eating his fathers food to help himself, due to the harsh condition Elie gets tired of having to take care of his father. When the time comes where Elie expects his father to pass he does not stay awake to try to watch over him like his father once did, instead he wakes up and while looking for his father he realizes he’s not there. Without a single tear Elieser knows what has happened to his father but guiltily feels relieved instead of upset upon knowing his death. These events show the inevitability of his fathers passing, he also used his father for his benefit but when the time came he did not save or help him in his full power to increase his chances of survival.

In conclusion he gave up everything he had, everything he loved, and all his passions to survive. He had no control over what happened to his family and when the Nazis killed or beat them he blamed it on a higher power to help with no avail. What he witnessed traumatized him forever,  but he no longer feels anger or any emotion of relief. His inability to feel or recognize himself is built on guilt from what he’s witnessed overtime and what he has done for his survival, this is what drastically changes him over time.

Works Cited

Wiesel, Elie, and Marion Wiesel. Night. , 2006. Print.