Student Name _______________________________ Date ______
Summer Packet 10th Grade
Elie Wiesel Night
Instructions:
Part 1: Read Night by Elie Wiesel, and answer the comprehension questions
corresponding to each section of the reading. Take notes while reading, paying
attention to the examples of persecution described in the book.
Part 2: After you have finished reading the book, you have questions for
reflection and analysis which are related to your essay question. Familiarize
yourself with the reflection questions before you start reading.
Part 3: You have to write an essay based on an excerpt from the author’s Nobel
Peace prize speech and his book. The essay has to be typed and attached to
the packet. It will be helpful for your essay and understanding of the book if you
do some research on the author and the topic of Nazi persecution of the Jews
during WWII.
Part 1
Reading Comprehension Questions
Answer on the space provided after you have read each section.
Section 1, pages 3 – 22
1. Summarize the story Moshe the Beadle told on his return from
being deported. What was the public reaction to Moshe’s
story? Why was there such reaction?
2. What was the setting and the year for the first section of the
book? What was happening in Europe and the world at the time?
3. Describe, in order, the events that happened from the last day
of Passover until Pentecost.
4. What was Wiesel’s opinion of the Hungarian police? Why did he
think about them like that?
Sections 2,3, pages 23 – 46
1. What happened to Madame Schächter? What vision did she have
and why? How did the people in the car react to this?
2. When did Wiesel say the travelers left their illusions behind?
What caused him to say this and what did he mean?
3. What prayer were the people saying? Why was it unusual?
4. What did Elie do when the gypsy struck his father?
was his father’s response?
Why?
What
Section 4, pages 47-65
1. Describe Elie’s encounter with the dentist. Why did Elie have
have to give up his tooth later? What does this say about the
conditions at the camp?
2. What did Elie Wiesel do when Idek hit his father? What was he
thinking? Would he think the same in other circumstances?
3. What were the only things in which Elie took an interest in?
What does this say about the effect of the camp life on him?
4. Why was the young servant boy from Warsaw hanged? How did Elie
say the soup tasted the night after he was hanged?
Section 5, pages 66-84
1. What was Elie’s decision about fasting on Yom Kippur? Why did
he make that decision? Would he do it in other circumstances?
2. What was Elie’s “inheritance” from his father?
father giving it to him?
Why was his
3. Why did the men forget to say the Kaddish for Akiba Drumer?
What does this say about the influence of the camp life on
them?
4. What was the last thing the head of the block ordered the men
to do before they were evacuated? What is funny or ironic
about this?
Sections 6,7,8,9, pages 85-115
1. What did Elie realize about the intentions of Rabbi Eliahou’s
son concerning his father? How are the actions of Rabbi
Eliahou’s son to his father similar or different from Elie’s?
2. Who was Meir Katz?
What happened to him? Why?
3. How many men started out in the train? How many were left when
they arrived at Buchenwald? What does this say about the
conditions of travel and the state of the prisoners?
4. How did Elie react to his father’s death? What was Elie’s only
desire after he was liberated? What does this say about the
state he is brought to?
Part 2
Questions for reflection and analysis.
Answer in a paragraph of at least 5 sentences and give evidence
referring to specific scenes and events from the book to support
your answer. Keep these questions in mind when you write the
essay.
1. Why do you think Elie Wiesel wrote this book? What message
was he trying to convey or lesson to teach? Refer to specific
scenes and recurring themes in the book and explain how they
influenced Elie’s Wiesel’s message.
2. What was the physical and psychological effect of camp life
on the prisoners? To what state were they reduced? How did some
of the prisoners forget their humanity due to fear or weakness?
Explain whose fault it was that they acted like they did.
3. Considering the information in the book, what does Elie
Wiesel think people should do when they witness persecution like
the one described in the book? What is he trying to say about
the responsibility of the people who created the concentration
camps? Should they be held responsible for their actions?
Explain why.
4. Human nature: the general psychological characteristics,
feelings, and qualities of humankind, which determine human
behavior and motivation. What can we learn bout human nature
from the book? Give specific examples to support your opinion.
Part 3
Writing Assignment: Argumentative Essay
Read Elie Wiesel’s Nobel Peace Prize speech included in the end
of the book on p. 117 and write an essay about the argument that
it is making in relation to his book.
In his Nobel Peace Prize Speech in 1986, Elie Wiesel says the
following:
“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings
endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality
helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the
tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes, we must interfere.
When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in
jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant.
Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race,
religion or political views, that place must – at that moment –
become the center of the universe.”
Directions:
In a well organized essay of at least five paragraphs
(introduction, at least three body paragraphs and conclusion),
you have to do the following:
1. Explain what argument is Ellie Wiesel making about what we
should do when we witness human suffering and persecution.
2. Explain whether you agree or disagree with his argument and
relate this to the author’s personal experiences described in
the book.
3. Take a position about what moral obligation people have when
witnessing persecution and defend your opinion with arguments.
4. Give specific examples from the book which reveal personal
experiences of the author that influenced his argument in his
Nobel Peace Prize speech.
5. Explain what does the author mean when he claims that places
where people are persecuted must become “the center of the
universe.” How do the Nazi concentration camps described in his
memoir become the “center of the universe” through his writing?
Suggestions how to structure your essay:
Introduction:

Explain what Elie Wiesel’s argument about people’s
responsibility when they witness persecution.

Explain what is your opinion about this argument
Body paragraphs:

Give examples of experiences that Elie Wiesel describes in
his memoir that led him to his opinion of the obligation or
moral duty that people have when they witness persecution

Refer to specific scenes, thoughts, people and events in
the book that might have influenced Elie Wiesel’s opinion.

Consider the following questions when developing your
argumentation:
1. Why did Elie Wiesel write his book? What message did he
want to convey with it?
2. What examples of injustice or cruelty do we see in the
book that might have influenced the author?
3. What feelings is the book evoking and how is this
related to the argument that Elie Wiesel is making?
4. What can we learn from the suffering of innocent people?
Why is it important to know about it?
5. How do experiences of persecution affect people?
6. Why were the Jews persecuted? What are people supposed
to do when they witness persecution?
Conclusion:

Revisit your interpretation of Wiesel’s argument and
summarize the evidence that you gave from the book.

Explain again what was Wiesel trying to say in the excerpt
from his Nobel Peace Prize speech and how is this related
to his memoir Night.