“Night” is a heart-wrenching story of a young man’s journey, the author as a prisoner in Auschwitz and Buchenwald during the holocaust. Elie Wiesel provides a first-hand account of the horrors he witnessed and experienced during his time in the concentration camps. He describes the events that took place so readers can visualize them and read the intended emotion. Throughout the novel, Elie Wiesel witnesses his family’s death, his fellow prisoners’ degradation, and his own physical and psychological decline. Although “Night” is a work of fiction, it is based on Wiesel’s real-life experiences and serves as a powerful testimony to the horrors of the holocaust. The novel is incredibly moving and provides a valuable perspective on one of the darkest periods in human history.
Wiesel perfectly narrates how people lose their humanity and innocence due to torture experienced during the holocaust. For instance, the gradual dehumanization of the prisoners was mean and unfair to any human being. Wiesel writes about how the slaves are treated like animals and slowly stripped of their humanity. The inmates were forced to act in a given manner to survive. For example, Wiesel is forced to watch as his father is beaten and killed, and he is also forced to kill a man himself, taking away his innocence. This experience reflects how characters can no longer feel love or compassion for others. The words “Twenty corpses were thrown from our wagon. Then the train resumed its journey, leaving in its wake, in a snowy field in Poland, hundreds of naked orphans without a tomb” (Wiesel 99) depict the torture and lack of concern the Nazis had for the people.
Not even children were spared the horrible times but were instead used as bait. “A truck drew close and unloaded its hold: small children. Babies! Yes, I did see this, with my e y e s … children thrown into the flames” (Wiesel 32). Following this quote, Wiesel demonstrates the mercilessness among Nazi soldiers, who could not even spare a harmless creature like a baby. In another instance, Wiesel mentioned the thought of losing his mind when he saw babies thrown into super-heated ditches. He told himself that the kids must be dead as a way to try and stay sane in light of the brutal acts committed before them. The Nazis loudly laughed at their actions as if to enjoy and mock the pain of others, which made the whole experience even harder.
Hope is one of the most remarkable points of strength that gets people tough through the most challenging periods. Wiesel captured the hope in Jews that made them survive another day despite their horrifying experiences. People constantly encouraged each other throughout the holocaust, which gave them the will to continue with life. In several instances, Wiesel reports, “To the last moment, people clung to hope” (Wiesel 15), and “We mustn’t give up hope, even now as the sword hangs over our heads” (Wiesel 31), illustrating how the people stood with each other in hard times.
The irony was a striking literary term employed by Wiesel in his report about the holocaust. For instance, Wiesel describes how he and his fellow Jews were excited to be taken by the Nazis, thinking they would be given a better life. However, the reality was that they were taken to concentration camps, where they were treated horribly. An example of irony in the book is when Wiesel describes how the Nazis forced the Jews to wear yellow stars (Wiesel 11). The Jews were told that the stars would protect them and make them feel special. However, in reality, the stars made the Jews easy targets for abuse and violence.
There was also foreshadowing in Wiesel’s analysis of the events. For instance, Jews were forced to give up their belongings and were told to pack lightly for the trip. This foreshadows that they would be taken to concentration camps where they would be forced to live in cramped and uncomfortable conditions. Moreover, symbolism is also highly employed in the text. For example, the night sky is used to symbolize the darkness and cruelty of the holocaust. Another symbol in the book is the character of Moishe the Beadle, who represents the importance of remembering the holocaust and bearing witness to what happened (Wiesel 28). The Jews also referred to the Star of David because it stood for resilience and hope among them. Despite the darkness and cruelty of the Holocaust, the Jewish people continued to believe in their faith and hope that they would one day be free.
In conclusion, the book “Night” is a harrowing account of the author’s experiences as a prisoner in Auschwitz and Buchenwald during the holocaust. The novel is incredibly moving and provides a valuable perspective on one of the darkest periods in human history. The book is a powerful testimony to the horrors of the holocaust and how people can lose their humanity and innocence. It is essential to bear witness to things that occurred in the past, so that future generations can learn from them and understand some current events from a historical point of view.
Work Cited
Wiesel, Elie. Night: Elie Wiesel. Spark Publishing, 2014, pp 1-120., Web.