The people act like it is not
really a big deal and say that it
is just war. They believed that
the people that were deported
were safe. Moishe the Beadle
acted as a mentor for Elie.
Moché returns from being
deported after he ahd been
injured in his leg and was left to
die. and he tells the people the
horrors of what is truly
happening. However, no one
including Elie believes his story.
The German soldiers arrive
on Elie’s streets.
The people were not
worried at this point in
time, some even found
some of the soldiers
charming.
On the seventh day of
Passover the German
soldiers had arrested all of
the Jewish leaders in Elie’s
community. After this the
violence would not stop.
Two ghettos were formed
in Sighet.
The people were not
concerned with this and
went on with their lives.
A small Jewish Republic
was formed, which gave
the people some
reassurance.
Elie’s father was called to a
council meeting and found
at that departures would
start the next day. He had
heard rumors that they
would be taken to Hungary.
They were shocked with
the news but were able to
take it in. They became
concerned.
Elie went to one of his
father’s friend’s house to
tell the head of the house
the news.
The Hungarian police
arrived and told them it was
time to leave. People filled
the streets along with their
belongings. By ten am they
were outside and by 1 pm it
was time to leave.
The people were actually
joyful and wanted to
leave. (anything was better
than standing in that heat)
They were coming close to
the gate of the ghetto,
where they would wait for
transport.
Night Chapters 1 and 2
Personal Response
What is your reaction to the Moché the Beadle? What do you think about his treatment by the
villagers after his return from Poland?
My reaction to Moché was that he went through so much torment and pain that it broke his spirit.
Elie describes how Moché was never the same and how the joy in his eyes were gone in page 7
line 5. I was shocked that none of the villagers, especially the ones he knew, believed him. It is a
very extreme thing for a person to make up and all Moché was trying to do was warn his village.
1. Describe Wiesel's community at the beginning of the story. How does young Elie view the
world and his place in it?
It is evident that Elie’s community is very religious. The community does not necessarily like the
needy/poor, but they will help and respect them. Elie views his place in the world was in the
house of study.
2.What are some incidents that suggest or foreshadow the coming danger to the Sighet Jews?
Why doesn't the community believe it is in danger?
Some incidents that suggest upcoming danger are when all foreign Jews were deported, such as
Moché the Beadle. However, the Sighet Jews brush these incidents off and continue with their
day-to-day life even after Moché tried to warn them about the danger. Another incident would be
when Elie’s friends went to the capital for Passover and described the anti-Semitic actions being
taken against the Jews of Budapest.
3. What are the conditions on the Jews’ train journey? How do the Jews react to Madam
Schäcter’s behavior? What does this reveal about human nature?
The conditions on the Jews’ train journey were horrible, the train cars were overcrowded with
people. It was so bad that people were not even able to sit to lay down, and there was barely any
room to breathe or for air. The Jews react to Madame Schäcter’s behavior by calling her a “mad,
poor woman” and trying to calm her down after she saw a fire, that was never actually there. Elie
felt pain for her and her sons especially after hearing her sons pleads. The Jews then force her to
sit down, then end up bounding and gagging her after they reached their breaking points. This
reveals that their human nature at the time was very violent and non-sympathetic. It shows that
these people were also broken and had almost no human nature left in them.
4. What connection might there be between Madam Schäcter’s treatment on the train and
possible future events in the concentration camp? What are some other ways that Wiesel
foreshadows, or hints at, the horrors ahead?
The connection between Madam Schäcter’s treatment on the train and possible future events in
the concentration camp by foreshadowing the violence that the Jews will inevitably face. Some
other ways Wiesel foreshadows the horrors ahead is by telling us Moché story and what he was
put through.
5. Even though it was 1944, and Nazi extermination of Jews had begun years earlier, the Sighet
Jews had very few facts about it. Do you think it is possible in today's world for a community to
know so little, to be so unprepared? Explain. I do not think it is possible in today’s world for a
community to know so little and be so unprepared for an event like this. With almost everything
being online and on social media I highly doubt that the world would not know, unless a person
is isolated or something of that matter.
Elie made friends
with two brothers,
Yossi and Tibi, from
Czechoslovakia.
A dentist tries to
take Elie’s gold
crown from his
tooth for money.
Elie was harshly
beaten by a
soldier, Idek.
Elie was hassled
to give up his
crown and
asked his father
for advice.
Elie’s father was
almost chosen to
be killed.
Elie lost his faith in
God and stopped
partaking in
religious activities.
Night Chapters 3 through 5
Personal Response
When he arrives at Auschwitz and then at Buna, Wiesel describes scenes he will never forget.
What scenes, ideas, or feelings from the memoir do you find unforgettable?
The thing that I find unforgettable is the faces of the children that Wiesel describes. Night page
34, “Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw transformed into
smoke under a silent sky.” The scene that Wiesel describes is so powerful and sad, this quote
shows how he is describing the lifeless children in the camp.
1. Describe the conditions first at the Birkenau reception center, the Auschwitz, and later at
Buna. How does Wiesel’s relationship with his father change during this time?
The conditions at Auschwitz are very horrible, the Jewish people are hardly treated like humans
in this camp. They are overcrowded in “bunks” with beds stacked on top of one another. The
people in the camps treat Elie and the incoming Jews very brutally and with a lot of hostility.
Elie’s relationship with his father changes during this time because he begins to question his
faith. However, his farther stays true to their faith and still fully believes in this, this creates a
sort of divide between the two. Despite all of this Elie still deeply cares for his father and wants
to protect and care for him while they are at the camp.
2.What events lead to the two hangings Wiesel describes? How does Wiesel feel about his
evening meal after each hanging? What do his reactions suggested by how he is changing?
The events that led to the two hangings was a man who had stolen from the German soldiers, so
they sentenced him to be hung. After this hanging Wiesel did not care and went on with his meal
and glad, he was not the person who was being hung. The other hangings were two men and a
child, this hanging was particularly hard on Wiesel because the child had struggled to die while
being hung. It took the child half an hour to die, which would be extremely hard for Wiesel to
watch. After this hanging Wiesel had a sickening feeling and had a difficult time dealing with
this hanging. His reactions suggest how Wiesel is changing by suggesting that at first he was sort
of numb and nonchalant about the whole situation, but after he witnessed a child being hung he
realized that the same thing could happen to him.
3. What are some ways that Wiesel and the other Jews at the camps try to observe their religion?
How have Wiesel feelings about God changed since his captivity began?
The other Jews would pray before they ate, some would gather to pray, and they would pray and
sing religious songs before bed. Some of the Jews spoke of God’s word and how redemption
would come, but Elie stated that he “ceased to pray”. Wiesel’s feelings about God changed since
being in captivity by losing his faith and having a sort of resentment towards God. Before
captivity he loved God and to participate in religious activities, but that all changed when he
went into captivity.
4. In the camps, Wiesel must struggle to stay alive and to remain human. In your opinion, how
well does he succeed with his struggles?
Wiesel does not really succeed when trying to remain human, it would be difficult for anyone to
do so under the circumstances. You can still tell that he has humanity left in him, but it is buried
deep to help cope with the harshness of the camp.
5. There are several discussions about resistance by the prisoners. Why do you think there was
no large-scale effort to resist?
I believe there was no large-scale effort to resist because the Jews feared the German soldiers,
who had intimidating weapons. The Jews spirits had been broken; some had even witnessed
other Jews killed by soldiers for just being Jewish, so they did not want to risk it.
My stomach is bursting, I
can’t go on, groans
Elie pushes Zalman to make
an effort and at least try to
fight for his survival.
No desire to get up, wanted to
lay in the snow
Elie’s father pushes him to get
up and go to a shed. His father
motivates him to get to the
shed.
He was cold, he is dead, leave
him alone
Elie slapped his father for a
second time and his father woke
up before the gravediggers
through him off the train.
two hands strangling Elie,
could barely call for help,
suffocating
Elie’s father was too weak to
fight off the attacker, so he
asked Meir Katz for help, and
Elie was freed.
End was near, real end, could
no longer hold out
Someone yelled and told.
Everyone to move or they
would freeze to death. The
passengers listened and
worked together in a sense.
Chapters 6 through 9
Personal Response
What feelings and thoughts went through your mind as you read about Wiesel's final experiences
as a German prisoner? What would you say if you could talk to him about this time in his life?
What would you want him to explain to you?
The feelings and thoughts that went through my mind were that it must have been extremely hard
and traumatizing to go through all of this at a fairly young age. I was glad that it was finally
ending for him, so he would not be suffering in that horrible place. If I could talk to him about
this time in his life, I would not want to trigger him or push him too far, I would just ask how he
was able to have the will to persevere through the whole ordeal. I would want him to explain
how he felt towards the end of everything.
1.Why do Wiesel and his father leave Buna? How do they respond to the circumstances of the
forced march?
Wiesel and his father leave Buna because the SS had ordered them to go on a forced march, the
two agreed to do so together in the freezing cold snow. They knew they needed to stay alive for
each other’s sake, so they pushed through the harsh conditions. They respond to the
circumstances of the forced march by adapting to the situation, by trying to not fall asleep in the
snow and by Elie trying to teach his dad how to march in place, things like this.
2. What happens between Rabbi Eliahou and his son? What does Wiesel's reaction to this
incident reveal about his relationship with God?
Rabbi Eliahou’s son had left him when he thought that his father was not strong enough to
persevere through the march. Wiesel’s reaction to this incident reveals that he hopes he will not
have to face the same issue with his father. This incident reveals that Elie’s relationship with
God is broken in a sense, it is apparent that God is not something in his life or something that is
valued.
3. How does Wiesel treat his father during the journey to Buchenwald and later during Chlomo’s
illness? How does Wiesel’s link to his father affect his will to survive?
Wiesel treats his father during the journey to Buchenwald by making sure he was always by his
father’s side and constantly tried to motivate his father to stay alive. Elie would encourage his
father, for example by telling him “just another moment. Soon, we'll be able to lie down. You'll
be able to rest...”. During Chlomo’s illness it is very eye opening to Elie what fate his father may
have to eventually face. Wiesel’s link to his father affects his will to survive by believing without
his father he would have more strength for himself to survive.
4. Given their life-or-death situation, do you believe Wiesel’s attitude toward his father was
understandable? Explain your reactions.
I do believe Wiesel’s attitude towards his father was understandable, he had given up, but Wiesel
needed him to be alive and have a will to live in order for he, himself, to continue on. They both
had been through so much together and had a special type of bound that would be unimaginable
to lose after so much pain and suffering.
5. Wiesel Believes that remembering the Holocaust will help to ensure that this type of atrocity
does not occur in the future. Do you think learning about historical events can guide people to
behave differently? Explain.
I do think that learning about historical events can guide people to behave different, by seeing
the mistakes made in the past it can show the current generations to not let history repeat itself.
By spreading awareness and keeping the victim’s memories alive and shows us the great
amounts of pain caused by events from the past.
Personal Response
Select one portion of the narration in Night and comment on how it “paints a dark and angry
picture of human nature.” What circumstances in the memoir allow for this darker side of human
nature to emerge?
According to Night on page 103, “Suddenly, a cry rose in the wagon, the cry of a wounded animal. Someone had just died. Others, close to death, imitated his cry. And their cries seemed to
come from beyond the grave. Soon everybody was crying. Groaning. Moaning. Cries of distress
hurled into the wind and the snow.”
This portion of night “paints a dark and angry picture of human nature” by showing the pain,
fear, and anger everyone felt in the train. After years of torment some of the Jews in the train had
changed due to unimaginable amounts of suffering. They were starved, beaten, put in horrid
leaving conditions, and went through so much more it is no wonder that some of the people lost
their human nature. The Jewish people were NOT treated like humans during this time period, so
it is acceptable for some to not have human nature. I chose this portion because it shows how
some of the people in the train still had humanity inside of them, they all feared they would die
after witnessing yet another Jewish person die in front of them.
Page 18
1. How does Wiesel explain the fact that no one in his village believed Moché the Beadle’s
warnings?
The people think that Moché is crazy and was not being serious about the warnings he was
giving. In my opinion I think that the people in his village did not want to believe that something
like this could happen to them.
2. At one point during the interview, Wiesel says that one of his first goals was to write for the
survivors. Why do you suppose that was an important goal for him?
I believe that this is an important goal for Wiesel because his story should be heard, and it gives
a voice to the victims of the Holocaust. By writing his book Wiesel may be able to get a form of
closure by telling and spreading awareness about his story and the extreme hardships he and
other Jewish people faced.
3. Costas asks, “To you, what is happiness?” Analyze Wiesel’s answer.
4. What questions did you have after reading Night? Did Wiesel answer any of these questions in
this interview?
Some questions I had was how he and his father were able to make it so far, Wiesel did answer
this question. It shows that their relationship and love for one another pushed them to continue
on and not give up.