Sample Night topic annotations:
Topic: Figurative language
“This news spread like wildfire through Sighet” (7).
Interpretation: The stories of the atrocities are spreading quickly and causing somewhat
of a panic in the town.
Connection: Wiesel is showing how historically, there were warnings and opportunities
for many Jews to leave. Even though Jews were concerned about the advancing war and
the continued acts of violence against Jews, most did not prepare, react, or leave.
(author’s purpose)
Topic: Hope
“Optimism soon revived” (7).
Interpretation: Despite repeated news and warnings, they continue to hope that nothing
bad will happen to them or the danger will not reach them.
Connection: People naturally do not want to believe the worst. (insight into human
nature)
Topic: Dignity on the face of inhumane cruelty (This could also be adjusted to fit Self
preservation vs. family commitment)
“Tobias, the tailor, who had begged to be killed before his sons…” (4).
Interpretation: When Tobias realized that everyone was being executed after their
deportation, he could not bear to see his sons killed, so he begged for a mercy killing.
Connection: Even though Wiesel is just reporting facts of the Holocaust, there is a
message that no one should have to choose to between being executed in front of one’s
children or watching his/her children be killed. (theme)