Christina Cabezas
Mr. Hershey
English II
November 13, 2009
Role Reversal in Night
The book Night, written by Elie Wiesel, is a nonfiction story describing the intense and
life-changing events of the Holocaust. The author writes about his terrifying experiences at
several concentration camps. He tells his story, including the countless times he faced death, how
he was forced to witness the hanging of a young boy, and how he slowly became nothing but an
empty corpse, a shell with nothing left to live. The changes that Elie went through were drastic,
unfortunate, and extremely sad. One very important change that he went through was his change
and attitude toward God. Elie’s experience in the concentration camps drastically altered his
spirituality.
Before the war and the concentration camps, Elie loved and respected God and His
actions. He dedicated many hours to praying and studying. Even at a young age Elie was
dependent on God and firm on what he believed in: “I was 13 and deeply observant. By day I
studied Talmud…” (Wiesel 3). Kelly Winters, a freelance writer who contributed to the
anthropology collection Nonfiction Classics for Students, explains Elie’s spirituality during his
life in Sighet:
“Eliezer’s story opens in a tightly knit and well ordered Jewish community, where
people piously keep ancient spiritual traditions, and where Eliezer is deeply
religious, eager to follow the mystical path of the kabbalah toward spiritual
enlightenment. The goal of this path is union with God, and Eliezer is devoted to
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it, despite the fact that most such seekers are many years older than he. He is
confident in his future as a scholar, and comforted by his surrounding family and
community. He is also confident in a basic tenet of Hasidic Judaism: the idea that
life has a purpose-God’s purpose-and that historical and personal events are part
of God’s plan for humanity, that he is watching over everyone.” (274)
In Elie’s search for someone who will teach him more about God, he meets Moishe the Beadle.
At one point during their studying, Moishe asks Elie why he prays, and Elie thinks to himself,
“Strange question. Why do I live? Why do I breathe?” (Wiesel 4) Elie cannot answer Moishe’s
question because he does not know the answer. He cannot explain why he prays, it is just
something that he does without thinking. It is such an important part of his life that he has no
reason for it, just like he has no reason for breathing or living. Later, when Moishe comes back
from his own life-changing experience at the concentration camps, he warns the Jews of what
happened to him, describing the horrifying events that God has let happen. But, Elie refuses to
believe him and continues to worship and pray to God, “I continued to devote myself to my
studies, Talmud during the day and Kabbalah at night” (Wiesel 8). Elie’s relationship with God
before the concentration camps is firm and unbreakable.
However, Elie’s relationship with God does not remain strong during his stay at the
concentration camps. As Elie begins to see what is happening to the Jews and what could
become his fate, he starts drifting further and further away from God. Elie becomes angry and
frustrated with Him. He does not understand why God can let horrible things like Auschwitz and
the Holocaust keep happening. At one point, when other Jews are thanking and praying to God,
Elie thinks, “Why should I sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal and terrible master of
the Universe, chose to be silent. What was there to thank him for?” (Wiesel 33) Ted Estess,
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author of the book Elie Wiesel, also notices Elie’s confusion with God. He writes, “…Eliezer
begins to question the justice of God. How could God allow good people to suffer so?” (95)
Later on, Elie doubts God’s powers and believes that man is stronger and greater than Him.
During a service at one of the camps Elie thinks to himself, “Yes, man is stronger, greater than
God…Look at these men whom You have betrayed, allowing them to be tortured, slaughtered,
gassed and burned, what do they do? They pray before You! They praise Your name!” (Wiesel
68) Estess thinks of the roles between man and God switched or reversed. He explains, “In
Night, the relationship between God and man is first questioned and then reversed: God becomes
the guilty one who has transgressed and who deserves to be on trial. God, not man, has broken
His promises and betrayed His people” (95). Another example of Elie’s hatred toward God is
during Yom Kippur when the Jews have to decide whether they should eat or fast, knowing that
fasting means a sooner death. Elie chooses to eat, seeing that his decision symbolized his
rebellion against God. He says, “…there was no longer any reason for me to fast. I no longer
accepted God’s silence. As I swallowed my ration of soup, I turned that act in to a symbol of
rebellion, of protest against Him” (Wiesel 69). During Elie’s stay at the camps, he has a doubtful
and weak relationship with God.
The trials that Elie experienced at the concentration camps changed his spirituality
forever. Elie was a very dedicated a religious person before the concentration camps. He prayed
to God, studied His word and learned His ways. Elie loved God and would never even think
about questioning His actions. But, his experiences in the camps altered all feelings of love and
admiration toward God. Elie began to feel frustrated and angry at God. He even felt strong
feelings of hatred toward Him. This difference in Elie’s spirituality has incredible meaning that
will surely remain in Elie’s soul forever.
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Works Cited
Estess, Ted L. “The Holocaust Poisoned Eliezer’s Relationships.” Elie Wiesel. By Ted L. Estess.
N.p.: Frederick Ungar, 1980. 95-97. Rpt. in Readings on Night. Ed. Wendy Mass. San
Diego: Greenhaven, n.d. N. pag. Print.
Wiesel, Elie. Night. Trans. Marion Wiesel. New York: Hill and Wang, 1958. Print.
Winters, Kelly. “Critical Essay on Night.” Nonfiction Classics for Students. Ed. David Galens.
Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2002. 274-76. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Nov.
2009. <http://www.galegroup.com>.