Night by Elie Weisel
Illustrated Response Journal
We will be reading the autobiography Night by Elie Weisel. His account deals with the horrors he saw
while imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. We will read most of this together in class, but you
will be responsible for creating your journal entries outside of class time. We will also discuss the
historical context of the autobiography (World War II and the Holocaust).
Due Date for Illustrate Response Journal is October
15 at the end of the period.
Illustrated Response Journal- What is it?
Throughout your study of Night by Elie Weisel, you will be using illustrated journal entries to
record your thoughts and feelings about what you have read and demonstrate comprehension. These
journal entries will not only function as a personal record of your ongoing dialogue with the novel, but
also serve as your summative assessment.
You will be required to make one entry for each of the five sections in the novel. (New editions of
novel will have different page numbers.) These journal responses can be done in class during labs and
free time, but as always, each student will have to determine whether he or she needs to put in
additional work at home in order to finish the assignment by the due date.
Section #1 pages 1-20
Section # 2 pages 21-43
Section #3 pages 45-62
Section #4 pages 63-80
Section #5 pages 81-109
Each journal entry will contain a direct quote from the text, a personal response to the quote
demonstrating comprehension of the text and an illustration.
A direct quote:
Choose a quote from the text that is relevant and meaningful to your response to the text. This is your
springboard into the response. Use correct MLA format for quotes. Example: “quote” (Wiesel pg #).
A personal response:
The goal of this assignment is for you to demonstrate comprehension by responding personally to the
literature based on your own intimate reading of the text and for you to relate the novel to your own
life in a meaningful way. Therefore, the written entries should focus on your response to the literature
as they relate to your chosen quote and should not merely be chapter summaries.
Illustration: You can sketch memorable scenes from the chapters, paste in magazine pictures, or use
computer clip art. Even if you do not consider yourself a good artist, try to make some sketches. Use
colors that remind you of the mood of the story. You may want to take photographs and put them in
your journal. Remember, the illustrations should be meaningful and relevant to your quote and
response.
AVOID PLOT SUMMARY! AVOID PLOT SUMMARY! AVOID PLOT SUMMARY!
**See the back side of this sheet for possible journal entry topics.
Possible Journal Entry topics
(Choose a different topic for each entry.)
Characterization
1. Compare yourself or someone you know to one of the main characters in the work. Point out the
similarities and try to account for the differences between the two.
2. Express your disagreement with a character’s actions, values, or behaviors. Why is the character
thinking or acting this way? What do you see wrong with it? What would you suggest as a better
response or behavior?
3. Discuss a significant change in the personality of a character. Account for it, react to it, and tell
whether or not you expected it.
Setting
4. What effect does the setting (time, place, etc.) have on the character’s thoughts, actions, or
choices? What would be your reaction to having to adapt to that environment?
5. How does the setting of the work differ from your world? What environment do you prefer and
why?
Symbolism, Theme, and Other Literary Stuff
6. Point out an idea or theme—either a stated or an implied theme—which is meaningful to you.
Explain its significance in the work and why it is meaningful to you.
7. Pick three or four symbols from outside the novel that you would associate with a particular
character. Explain the appropriateness of each one with reference to the section.
8. Does this work call to mind any other literary work (prose, play, film, story, novel, poem, etc.)?
Describe the work that it reminds you of and explain the connection between the two works.
9. Compare a character in this work with a character from another piece of literature. Explain the
similarities and differences between these two.
Veritable Cornucopia (and a few more personal topics)
10. Compare a specific event in the story’s plot with a situation from your own life. Show the
similarities and differences. Explain the reasons for the differences.
11. Select what you consider the most important episode in the section of work. Explain what
happens. Tell why you think it is important to the section. Describe your reaction and explain why
you reacted this way.
12. Did this work end the way you expected? Discuss why you thought it would end the way you did.
Has anything in your own life turn out differently than you expected? Explain.
Answers to FAQs:
1. Written response should be at least one paragraph long. (The writing should be personal and
should reveal information about the novel and yourself.)
2. Write on only one side of the paper. Type written is preferred.
3. This IRJ (Illustrated Response Journal) is a summative assessment worth 100 points. See
rubric.
Josephine Esposito
Mrs. Hagerty
World Lit 3rd period
September 14, 2009
Illustrated Response Journal Entry #3
Section #3 pages 45-62
“Behind me, I heard the same man asking: ‘Where is God now?’ And I heard a voice within me
answer him: ‘Where is He? Here He is- He is hanging here on this gallows…’” (Wiesel 62).
One of the main themes of Night is the struggle to maintain faith. Elie’s strong faith in a
merciful God is shattered to pieces as he witnesses and experiences the atrocities of evil let loose. He
wonders where his God is. Why does He turn His back to their suffering? There is no praise on Elie’s
lips for this silent God. He is absent, murdered- hanging from a gallows.
I can not even begin to imagine the pain experienced by Mr. Wiesel, but I know I would
struggle with the same questions. My faith, the very foundation of my existence, would be shaken to
the core. I hope though, like Elie, my faith would keep me anchored in humanity through display after
display of inhumanity, in peace in a world gone mad, and in strength in utter weakness. Elie
questioned God, grew angry at God and even stopped believing that He was merciful and perhaps
good, but he never stopped believing all together. He could not; I hope I would not either.
***Illustration Here- Blog would not upload picture!!
Standards Addressed:
ELAWLRL4.b Draws comparisons between specific incidents in a text and broader themes that illustrate the writer's
important beliefs of generalizations about life or culturally specific beliefs or generalizations about life ELAWLRL2.
Identifies, and applies knowledge of theme-with evidence from text .ELA10W1.e Writes texts of a length appropriate to
address the topic.