Student Name: _______________________________________________ Hour: _______ Date: ________________
NIGHT
GUIDED READING QUESTIONS
PREFACE
Close and Critical Reading
A. Highlight lines from the text that convey the author’s purpose.
B. Highlight lines from the text that convey a prevalent theme from the book.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. Define author’s purpose.
2. Define theme.
3. Define symbol.
4. How is the title of the book symbolic? Explain.
5. Why do you think the author selected Night to be the title of his book? HINT: Make sure you use evidence
from the text to explain your answer.
Student Name: _______________________________________________ Hour: _______ Date: ________________
NIGHT
GUIDED READING QUESTIONS
FOREWORD
Close and Critical Reading
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Highlight examples of similes from the text.
Highlight examples of metaphors from the text.
Highlight examples of hyperboles from the text.
Highlight examples of allusions from the text.
Highlight examples of irony from the text.
Highlight an example of parallelism or repetition.
Highlight lines from the text that supports the theme: _____________________________________________.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. Define verbal irony.
2. Define situational irony.
3. Define dramatic irony.
4. Define allusion.
5. Define hyperbole.
6. Define parallelism.
7. Define repetition.
8. In addition to the theme presented in the preface, another is presented in the foreword. What is it? How do
you think it will be conveyed throughout the novel?
6. According to the Francoise Mauriac, how did the Holocaust change Elie Wiesel? HINT: Make sure you use
evidence from the text to explain your answer.
CHAPTER 1
Close and Critical Reading
A. Highlight evidence in the text of Eliezer’s dedication to Judaism and faithfulness to God.
B. Highlight evidence that Moshe’s story of escape was true—despite everyone’s refusal to believe him.
C. Highlight evidence in the text of everyone’s determination to continue deny the truth after Moshe had given up
trying to persuade them.
D. Highlight examples of optimism—even after the Jews are sent to the ghetto.
E. Highlight more evidence of denial after the deportation order was announced.
F. Highlight an example of situational irony.
G. Highlight evidence that supports the theme: ____________________________________________________.
H. Highlight examples of simile and/or metaphor.
I. Highlight evidence that supports the theme: ____________________________________________________.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. Who is Moshe?
2. Why would the author include the conversation between Moshe and Eliezer about questioning God? HINT:
Consider the author’s purpose for writing this book.
3. Why do you think the people were so reluctant to believe rumors of Nazi atrocities? Explain.
4. Which type of irony is most prevalently featured in this chapter—situational, verbal, or dramatic? Explain.
HINT: Make sure you use evidence from the text to explain your answer.
The type of irony that is most prevalently
featured in Chapter 1 is situational irony. It is
conveyed at the beginning, middle, and end of
the chapter. The first major example is when
Moshe returns to Sighet to warn everyone of
Nazi atrocities. Wiesel recalls, “He spoke ony
of what he had seen. But people not only
refused to believe his tales, they refused to
listen” (7). It is ironic because if the people had
listened, they may have been able to escape
with their lives. Later, the Jews were rounded
up at a train station and forced to wait on a
platform outside on a very hot day before they
were finally able to board. Wiesel writes, “There
was joy, yes, joy. People must have thought
there could be no greater torment in God’s hell
than that of being stranded here…under a
blazing sun” (16). Ironically, the greatest “hell”
was yet to come when the Jews arrived at the
concentration camp, many of whom were
murdered upon reaching their destination.
Wiesel chooses to end this chapter with yet
another example of situational irony. He
describes “Two Gestapo officers strolled down
the length of the platform. They were all
smiles” (22). It is difficult to think that anyone
would smile knowing what would happen to all
those innocent people.
CHAPTER 2
Close and Critical Reading
A. Highlight lines from the text that suggest children emulate adult behavior.
B. Highlight lines from the text that hint that Liesel’s biological mother has been taken away by the Nazis.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. How does Liesel’s relationship with Rudy mimic the relationship between her foster parents? Explain.
2. Based on the historical period, what most likely happened to Liesel’s mother and why? Be specific.
3. Re-read your response to question #2. What type of impact would this have on Liesel’s outlook? Explain.
DEAD LETTERS
Close and Critical Reading
A. Highlight lines from the text that help the reader understand the nature of Liesel’s relationship with Hans.
B. Highlight evidence from the text which illustrates Rosa Hubermann as a round character.
C. Highlight the most prominent example of irony in the chapter.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. Describe Rosa’s reaction when Liesel reveals that she spent part of her laundry earnings. Be specific.
2. Re-read your response to question #1. Which is harder for Liesel to endure—physical or emotional pain? Be
sure to support your answer with evidence from the text.
3. What is the difference between the light and the dark—or---is there a difference at all? Explain.
Student Name: _______________________________________________ Hour: _______ Date: ________________
PART 2 CONT.
HITLER’S BIRTHDAY, 1940
Close and Critical Reading
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Highlight examples of allusions.
Highlight lines from the text that emphasize Hitler’s popularity and influence.
Highlight examples of simile.
Highlight examples of personification.
Highlight evidence from the text which suggests that Hans Hubermann is a conscientious objector to the Nazi
regime.
F. Highlight evidence from the text which suggests that Hans Junior is a fanatical supporter of the Nazi regime.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. Describe the relationship between Hans Hubermann and his son, Hans Junior.
2. How does the author use simile and personification to convey the nature of the father/son relationship to the
reader? Be specific.
3. Hans Hubermann’s character represents a specific portion of the German population under the Nazi regime.
Describe this portion of the population using evidence from the text to support your answer.
4. Hans Junior’s character represents a specific portion of the German population under the Nazi regime.
Describe this portion of the population using evidence from the text to support your answer.
5. How does Rosa react to the disagreement between her husband and her son? What does this suggest about
her own political opinions? Explain.
6. At the end of the chapter, what does the narrator suggest might have happened to Hans Junior in the end?
100 PERCENT PURE GERMAN SWEAT
Close and Critical Reading
A. Highlight evidence from the text that emphasizes the characteristics of violence and intolerance in the human
race.
B. Highlight an example of a metaphor.
C. Highlight an example of a hyperbole.
D. Highlight lines from the text that suggests the power of an angry, irrational mob to dehumanize its members.
E. Highlight an example of a simile.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. What is the word shouted at the book burning that upsets Liesel? Why does it upset her so much? Explain.
2. How does the author use the literary devices of metaphor, hyperbole, and simile to emphasize the mood of the
chapter?
THE GATES OF THIEVERY
Close and Critical Reading
A. Highlight evidence from the text that suggests that Liesel’s perspective of Hitler and the Nazis have changed.
B. Highlight evidence from the text that reinforces the following theme: parents must make difficult decisions (that
their children may not like) for their children’s best interests to be served.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. Compare and contrast how Hans wants to react with how he actually reacts when Liesel announces that she
hates Hitler. Why does he respond in this way? Be specific.
2. According to Liesel, what does a good thief require?
Student Name: _______________________________________________ Hour: _______ Date: ________________
PART 2 CONT.
BOOK OF FIRE
Close and Critical Reading
A. Highlight examples of metaphor.
B. Highlight phrases from the text which suggest that the “shadow” is the mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hermann.
Short Answer.
Be sure you respond to the questions using complete sentences for full credit.
1. What is the metaphor that Death uses to describe the books that Liesel discovers? Does he use the same
language to describe anyone or anything else in novel? If so, do you believe that this is a coincidence?
2. Define symbol.
3. What do the books symbolize? Explain.
4. What two things does Liesel realize after she stole the books from the smoldering fire? Be specific.