Elie Wiesel’s Night-Pgs. 45-62
1. Explain the title of the book. Look closely at the text where this important
passage is mentioned. What literary techniques does Wiesel employ? What
images and meanings stand out from the writing?
2. Name and describe the camp that Elie and his father reached at the end of their
walk from Auschwitz.
3. What was Elie’s job at Buna? Where did the men work?
4. What do Yossi, Tibi, and Elie plan to do after liberation?
5. What did the musicians do each morning at the camp prior to going to
work?
6. Describe Elie’s encounters with the dentist.
7. What happened with Elie’s shoes? Is he willing to give up his shoes in exchange
for rations? What happens to his shoes and why is this significant?
8. What did Elie help his father do around p. 53? What is interesting about his?
How did others react and why? How did Elie respond when Idek hit his father?
What is significant about Elie’s response to this incident?
9. Describe the Kapo named Idek? What does the term Kapo mean?
10. When Idek beats Elie, who helps him and what is her secret? Why is Elie
beaten?
11. Who is Franek? What happened when Idek left Franek in charge of the
warehouse? What specifically happened to Elie? What does Franek want from Elie
and why?
12. What happened during an air raid by the Americans? Tell of the incident with
the soup? Reread this section closely—what happens?
13. Explain the context of the following metaphor: “Two lambs with hundreds of
wolves lying in wait for them. Two lambs without a shepherd, free for the taking.
But who would dare?”
14. Who is Juliek?
15. Tell me about the first hanging that Elie saw? Why did Elie say, “I remember
that I found the soup excellent that evening?”
16. What was happening when a prisoner cried, “Where is God” and, “Where is God
now?” Why does Elie say, “That night the soup tasted of corpses?”
17. Describe the reasons for each of the two hangings that take place. Analyze Elie’s
reactions.
18. What is a pipel? What is a Oberkapo?
19. There are two descriptions of father/son relationships in this chapter—Elie and
his father, and the pipel and his father. Contrast the two relationships.
20. How does Darwin’s theory of “The Survival of the Fittest” apply to what is
happening at the concentration camps. Are physical or mental capabilities more
important for people/animals to survive?
21. Wiesel uses a lot of imagery in this section. Select one example and how it
affects you and why.