Night
Sections 2-3 HW
Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Cite evidence if
needed.
1. Under whose authority are the Jews as they are transported out of
Hungary?
The German army transported the Jews out of Hungary.
2. Explain, “our eyes were opened, but too late.” Where was the train at this
point?
Kaschau, a small town on the Czechoslovakian boarder. They had gone
along when they should have resisted.
3. What is to happen to anyone who keeps anything valuable in his
possession?
They will be shot on the spot
4. What was foreshadowed by Madame Schacter’s nightmare?
She was screaming about the flames from the train and everyone thought
she was crazy. Later on as everyone starts to realize that she was right
and the flames were coming from the crematorium. Fires of the
concentration camp
5. Where did the train finally stop?
The train stopped in Auschwitz, Birkenau and the Jews had no idea what
to expect, but whatever was to come they wouldn't like it.
6. Why does Madame Schächter scream? Why does she later become silent
and withdrawn? Madame Schachter screams because she is hallucinating
a huge fire outside of the train car. The people in the train car can't take
the sound of the women's screams anymore so a couple men forced her to
sit and gagged her until she was quiet.
7. How do people react the first time she screams? How do they respond
when her screams continue? The first time Madame Schachter screams
the people believed her and started to panic and rush to the windows to
see what the screaming was about. When she continues to scream when
there is nothing there the people start to get annoyed. They try to make
her stop but the fail in doing it gently and have to gag her instead
8. Is she a madwoman? A prophet? Or a witness? What is the difference
between the three labels?
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9. How is Madame Schächter like Moshe the Beadle? Does she, too, know or
sense something that others refuse to believe?
He knew what they all were going to have to experience and warned his
people. When none of them believed him the inevitable came. Much like
Moshe the Beadle, Madame Schachter could sense that a fire was coming
and sure enough the crematoria came, and the people could have believed
her and prepared for it, but they didn't.
10. How do the “veteran” prisoners respond when they discover the
newcomers have never heard of Auschwitz? How do you account for their
reaction?
One tells Eliezer and his father that they have to lie about thier age. The
other asked why didn't they need the warning and die before they were
taken away.
11. What does it mean to know but not acknowledge what you know? When
do people do it?
12. What is Elie’s one thought as the Jews are separated?
13. What can you say about the faith of the older Jewish prisoners?
14. When questioned by the S.S. Officer, why did Elie lie about his age and
occupation?
15. Explain what Elie meant when he said, “Never shall I forget these flames
which consumed my faith forever.”
16. How had Elie changed in a short time?
17. How do the Germans orchestrate the arrival of newcomers to the camp?
Why don’t they tell the new arrivals what to expect? Why do you think the
Germans take away the inmates’ personal belongings? Their clothing?
Why do they cut off their hair? Tattoo a number on each person’s arm?
18. Why does much of this section of the book seem to take place at night?
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19. Eliezer tells the reader, “Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently,
without emotion. Eight simple, short words.” (page 29) What are those
words and why is Eliezer unable to forget them? How do they help
explain why Eliezer and his father cling to one another in Auschwitz?
20. How does Eliezer respond when his father is beaten for the first time?
How does that response affect the way he sees himself? What does he fear
is happening to him?
21. What advice does Eliezer’s cousin from Antwerp give his father? How is it
like the advice the Polish prisoner offers? What do both pieces of advice
suggest about the meaning of a word like family in a place like Auschwitz?
22. How does Eliezer respond to the removal of his clothes and other
belongings? To the shaving of his hair? The number tattooed on his arm?
23. Wiesel, in recounting the first night in the concentration camp says,
“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in the camp, that has turned
my life into one long night....” What does it mean for a life to be turned
into “one long night”?
24. What are the prisoners made to do as they entered the barracks?
25. What is Elie’s first impression of Aushwitz?
26. Why does Elie lie to Stein about his family?
27. Why was the prisoner in charge of Elie’s block removed from this
position?
28. Where are Elie and his father taken after leaving Aushwitz?
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