Night- Literary Analysis
Literary Technique/ Author Purpose
Elie is a Jewish child who is extremely strong in his faith. He often spent
nights in the synagogue weeping and praying. He was preparing himself to
be initiated into “eternity”. Then came that night.
“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life
into one long night seven times sealed.
Never shall I forget that smoke.
Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw
transformed into smoke under a silent sky.
Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith for ever.
Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of
the desire to live.
Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and
turned my dreams to ashes.
Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live
as long as God Himself.
Never.”
Never Shall I Forget from Night by Elie Wiesel.
Based on the previous passage, answer the following questions:
1. What does “night” symbolize to Elie? Why do you think he selected it as
the title of his novel?
2. What fire does he speak of that consumed his faith forever?
3. Are flames literally consuming his faith? What does he mean?
4. Why does he lose his desire to live?
5. Which “moments” murdered God? Think about the things he has
witnessed up until this point.
6. Why do you think Elie Wiesel wrote this novel?
7. What literary techniques do you see in this passage? Annotate the
passage (underline/write in the margins), finding at least two examples.
Explain their meaning below.