Introduction
The book Night by Eliezer Wiesel tells in sufficient detail about the unrest and experiences experienced by a Jewish boy during the Holocaust. His feelings and despair are perfectly traced through the lines: “Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes” (Wiesel 34). This line perfectly conveys the essence of the whole book and the complex stories that are told in it.
The Theme of Dehumanization
One of the key themes touched upon in the book is the dehumanization that happened to people then. The Nazis gradually turned the Jews into human values and abilities, thus turning them into little more than “things” (Smith 24). The impact of dehumanization on people’s attitudes to the world around them and to the people in it is depressing and terrible. The events described in the book serve as a reminder of the sights of the Holocaust and how important it is for people to preserve human properties and qualities at any cost.
Arrival at Auschwitz
The first moment of dehumanization can be called the episode when Eliezer and his father are transported to Auschwitz. The psychological state of the newcomers was strongly influenced by what they saw when they approached the camp. The little boy recalls: “Strange-looking creatures, dressed in striped jackets and black pants, jumped into the wagon” (Wiesel 28). Thus, Eliezer saw imprisoned Jews who were not even human to the end due to extreme exhaustion, dirt, and strange uniforms.
Stripping Away Humanity
The process of dehumanization is vividly shown in the way the Germans treated the Jews, how they were treated, and how they were forced to do a variety of work (Criado). Prisoners were stripped naked, beaten, shaved bald, and forced to wear striped uniforms for separation and better recognition. All this significantly influenced the outlook and personality of Eliezer, who stopped believing in humanity. It is these changes that symbolize his words about the murder of a god.
Losing Identity Through Numbers
The second example of dehumanization in Jewish camps is the assignment of numbers instead of names. Such an attitude can completely turn the idea of human society and make one doubt the moral foundations of society. Upon arriving at the camp, Eliezer says, “I became A-7713. From then on, I had no other name” (Wiesel 42). This is a significant development to consider as it demonstrates that the Nazis wanted to strip the Jews of identity and personality by turning them into objects. Everyone calls them by number, not name, making people feel differently and change internally. In this way, dehumanization had a significant impact on self-esteem and personal opinion as people became mere numbers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth saying that the books are about concentration camps and the difficulties on the verge of life and death that people face there. Dehumanization is the primary process, and Elie Wiesel has described the consequences of this. The examples of dehumanization discussed in the paper are a demonstration of how sophisticated the human mind can be in inventing torture for other people. The Nazis tried to strip the Jews in the camps of identity and identity and treated them like things. Number assignments, constant death threats, exhaustion, and many other terrible things have happened to many people. The Book of Night reminds all humanity of what horrors people can create for each other.
Works Cited
Criado, Miguel. “How Nazi Propaganda Dehumanized Jews to Facilitate the Holocaust.” El Pais, 2022. Web.
Smith, David Livingstone. On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist It. Oxford University Press, 2020.
Wiesel, Elie, and Marion Wiesel. Night. Penguin Classics, 2004.