OMG things are turning nasty... They went to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the worst place on earth at the time.
Pity the poor woman on the train who kept crying out about fires. She probably wouldn't have made it past a few more hours of survival. Question was, although the fires were believed to be a hallucination while on the train ride, they saw the fires leaping out of the crematorium once they arrived. Were her screams of fire just by chance that there were in Auschwitz, or did she fortell it?
Even though the lady kept yelling about the fire outside of the train repeatedly, everyone in the train still got up to see if it was real. Even during the last time she shouted it, they still peered through the window to see if there were any fires. Why did they want to assure? Weren’t they tired of her like the “boy who cried wolf?”
When they arrive at the camp, the officer tells Eli and his father to say they are younger or older than they are. Why is that? Why is the German willing to let them live even though they are Jews?
Weifan: I think the woman was mainly hallucinating because there was no possible way to fortell where and what was happening, mainly because it was night if i am corect.
pg 21 "We still had a few provisions left. But we never ate enough to satisfy our hunger. To save was our rule; to save up for tomorrow. Tomorrow might be worse." Do you think they realized that by the next day, they could be dead? Why or why not?
I also think that the officer was trying to help them live through the examination. Because this is a real story and things aren't always as they seem, mabye the officer had passion for the narrator and his dad. Another reason the German officer might do that is to taunt in a cruel way to the Jews. With his angry attitude towards the narrator and his dad, the officer forces the kid and his dad to "change" their ages.
No, I don’t think they knew that they were going to die. I think they were preparing themselves for a harsher tomorrow, not death. Probably only Mrs. Schachter could foretell about them dying but I don’t think death was on their mind. Especially after two men came back and told them news about where they were staying and how the conditions were, their “Confidence soared. Suddenly we felt free of the previous night’s terror. We gave thanks to God.” From here, even though they were given false information, they were relieved to have good news. They may have been thinking about death, but I don’t think that was what they were actually afraid off. I think they were trying to save up enough supplies for the next day if in case it turns out to be bad.
Albert, They changed their ages to survive. those who are too old or too young, or unable to work are eliminated. Those able will work until they can't.
"Was I alive? Was I awake? How is it possible that man, woman and children were being burned and the world kept silent"{32}
Yes, indeed how is it that such terrible things are happening and the world kept silent? At that time Germany had conquered almost all europe and even advanced into the Soviet territory, how is it that the allies waited so long to fight back? How could they let the German Nazis get so far? How can other countries such as the USA watch silently for so long? When millions of people are getting killed.
Response: After reading I thought Mrs. Schachter’s words were foreshadowing the people’s nightmare or doom. She wouldn’t stop; I think she knew that something bad would happen to them. When they arrived at Auschwitz, a German came up to them and told them to say they were eighteen and forty. I thought that this was touching, and it made me think that even though they are Germans they still have feelings, passion for others. It really surprise me when the German gave them a chance to live.
Weifan: Her screams of the fire were a hallucination which brings a sort of fortelling and eerie atmosphere into the story. I think she had probably gone mad from everything that was going on and began seeing things in her mind. Or perhaps God had let her see something? I don't know. The part where Mrs. Schachter screamed "Jews, look! Look at the fire! Look at the flames!" is creepy because she was able to see what was to come, and that creepiness makes me keep reading it.
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Near the end of the reading, Akiba Drummer says that God is "testing" them. Why would a God who is supposedly merciful and kind kill off the very people who believe in him?
When Mrs. Schachter started to scream there was a fire, why didn’t Weisel and the others told her to shut up, but instead they just left her there in the corner?
"On the way, we met some young German girls. The guards began to tease them. The girls giggled, pleased. They let themselves by kissed and tickled, exploding with laughter. They were all laughing and joking and houting blandishments at one another for a goof part of the way." Why do you think Wiesel put this part in the story? Doesn't this just simply emphasize the countrast between the marching Jews and happiness?
What is the significance of Mrs Schachter's words? Does it foreshadow anything at all?
In this section, Elie, his family, and all the other Jews calmly let the officers lead them to the trains, not knowing what is in store for them. They suffer through harsh conditions: almost no air, everyone was tightly squeezed together, and they were dying of thrist and hunger. After a few days, an old lady, Madame Schachter starts to howl. She screams on and on about seeing fire and flames. My question is: How did Madame Schachter foretell what was going to happen to them?
angela: Do you think they realized that by the next day, they could be dead? Why or why not?
Since they calmly let themselves being led onto the train, I don't think they knew what was their fate. When they arrived at Auschwitz, they heard that they were going to work at a labor camp and families weren't going to be split up.Their "barometer of confidence soared" and there was "sudden release from terrors of the previous nights." This showed that they still didn't understand what the Germanswere planning to do to them.
When he sees the crematorium, Wiesel seems to lose his faith in God. "Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes." But later on, when the soldiers are doing an inspection, he "thanked God...for having created mud in His infinite and wondrous universe." This seems sincere enough, so has he really lost his faith?
Weifan: It might depend on your personal point of view. I think she was probably hallucinating, but maybe she had heard rumors about the camp. That's why she kept seeing fire.
Near the end of the reading, Akiba Drummer says that God is "testing" them. Why would a God who is supposedly merciful and kind kill off the very people who believe in him?
This question is a religious question haha. First of all, the people aren't dead yet. Second, the people who believe in God, as recorded by the bible and the Torah, have always thought their misfortunes were tests sent by god to test their faith and their loyalty.
Richard and Albert: It was another prisoner who told Elie and his father to change their ages. “‘Here, kid, how old are you?’ It was one of the prisoners who asked me this… ‘No. Eighteen…Fool. Listen to what I say.’”
On the iron doors of Auschwitz, there is a plaque with “Work is liberty” inscribed upon it. What is the phrase supposed to mean? That the Jews should feel pleasure for working under brutal conditions?
Angela: I think that they thought that they would have survived through out this war. The Jews still believed in their god which gave them hope or some sort of faith that made them believe that they would live. In the quote that you mentioned it shows that they are saving their food so that if tomorrow is worse then they are prepared. However, they still believe there is a tomorrow which shows that they believe that there will be a next day.
For about Pg22 the old lady named Madame Schachter saw a fire, and had shocked every Jews on the train.I think Madame Schachter was so terrifying and nervous because the seperation of her family was broken. She was worried that her husband and her sons would be shot by the Germans.
Is it truly that is because Madame Schachter was worried about her family that had created the imagination in her mind? Or is it that her mind was true that there would be a fire on the train?
Albert (When they arrive at the camp, the officer tells Eli and his father to say they are younger or older than they are. Why is that? Why is the German willing to let them live even though they are Jews?)
It was a prisoner, not a German officer. p28 "It was one of the prisoners who asked me this. I could not see his face, but his voice was tense and weary."
Frank: Even though the everyone knew she was hallucinating they still checked whenever she started screaming. I think they do this because they are still insecure, they still don't know where they are heading. They also have fear over things so they still check to make sure.
Question: Whenever it was night the lady would always start screaming and would stop during the day. When night came "she began to scream: "There's a fire over there!"'Do you think there is a significant meaning to this?
Doris "Work is liberty" means that there is almost no way that they can escape from the concentration camps without getting caught. They have almost no choice but to work. Work also sets them free because they work until they become too weak to work anymore, which is when they are either shot or sent to the crematorium. When they are murdered by these methods, they achieve liberty. They are finally freed from the concentration camps through death because when they die, they cannot work; their souls are free to go to the heavens.
We see that Wiesel is starting to question God in this part of the novel. "For the first time, I felt anger rising within me. Why should i sanctify His name? The Almighty...chose to be silent. What was there to thank him for?" (Pg. 33 newer book) and again on pg. 34. "Never shall i forget... those flames that consumed my faith forever." What makes him lose his faith? Wasn't he the devout Jew before these events? Why do you think the events made him turn this way? What do you think you would do in his place?
For about Pg22 the old lady named Madame Schachter saw a fire, and had shocked every Jews on the train.I think Madame Schachter was so terrifying and nervous because the seperation of her family was broken. She was worried that her husband and her sons would be shot by the Germans.
Is it truly that is because Madame Schachter was worried about her family that had created the imagination in her mind? Or is it that her mind was true that there would be a fire on the train?
I think that Madame Schachter was worries about her family thathad created the imagination in her mind. She became to stressed that she began so "see" things.
My question: Why were some Jews lucky enough to survive, while others are shot and killed?
“’Mother’s still young woman,’ my father once said,’ She must be in a labor camp. And Tzipora, she is a big girl now. She too must be in camp…’ How we would have liked to belief that. We pretended, for what if one of us still did believe.” pg 46 (bigger book)
What did this quote mean? I’m not sure, but did this mean that they no longer believe that his mother and sisters are alive? They just pretended to be hopeful and ignore the actual fact and are the denial thing once again. Eliezor, even though he seemed to know that his mother’s dead, wanted to believe in what he hope to be real. So, does this mean that his mother and sisters are dead?
The woman screaming about the fire, i think it symbolizes their demise and what will happen to them. when they arrived at the camp, the author kept emphasizing on the crematorium. I think the woman is the most pessimistic woman from the town, unlike all the others
On page 42 (old version), the book says "some talked of God, of his mysterious ways, of the sins of the Jewish people, and of their future deliverance. But I had ceased to pray. How I sympathized with Job! I did not deny God's existence, but I doubted His absolute justice." In this quote, what does the word job mean? And why is it capitalized?
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Is "Word is liberty" the main theme of this chapter?
Allen, The Germans wanted to keep the stronger Jews to work for them. Females might have been killed because they were weaker. The sick, old, or young were killed just because they could not work. It’s really not a matter of luck but of health condition and age. Also, I think in this book most Jews were burned rather then shot.
Did that "fire" that the woman supposedly saw symbolize anything? And i thought the fact that the woman screamed at night versus screaming in daytime when everyone was awake. Why did she do that? Did that mean anything else, because during class we discussed that the night symbolizes fear, so does that mean anything in particular?
In section two, hopefulness and hopelessness are brought out even more. Why does the author do this? “Confidence soared. Suddenly we felt free of the previous night’ terror. We gave thanks to God. Mrs. Schachter remained huddled in her corner, mute, untouched by the OPTIMISM around her. Her little one was stroking her hand.” By the way, this is a quote on page 27 (big book). Just in a short five lines, its shows both hopefulness and hopelessness. Is there a purpose of puting two opposites together? It seems to me that the author wants hope, but there is actually no hope. In section three, there is a part where Eliezer and his father hide their identity. On page 31 of the big book… In no time, I stood before him. “Your age?” he asked, perhaps trying to sound paternal. “I’m eighteen.” My voice was trembling. “In good health?” “Yes.” “Your profession?” Tell him that I was a student? “Farmer,” I heard myself saying. This conversation lasted no more than a few seconds. It seemed like an eternity. From the dialogue, it shows that he himself was uncomfortable in telling a lie about his own identity. I think that hiding one’s identity is like hiding your life, because people don’t see you as whom you really are. Why is Eliezer doing this? He has been studying the Talmud and Kabbalah, shouldn’t he know that he is who he really is? Does hiding one’s identity count as one of the themes in the novel?
Respond to Dawn’s question: Elie’s father was pious towards God even if he was encountering death, yet he still believed in hope and strength that will be given by God. Before the Jews were going to be cremated, Elie’s father was reciting the Kaddish, the prayer of the dead, still praising God, “May his name be celebrated and sanctified.” We can see the change in Elie’s view towards God. He was supposedly a devout Jewish teenager who has strong beliefs toward the creator. However, “for the first time, [Elie] felt anger rising within [himself]. Why should [he] sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal and terrible Master of the Universe, chose to be silent. What was there to thank Him for?” Elie started to question God’s existence and significance. Elie no longer was faithful and devoted to God, he was angry for his blind faith towards God.
Question: Why are the Jews ordered to run? I don’t understand the purpose of running. Also, how did Elie change throughout the days in concentration camp?
Allen: People are categorized by their background, body structure, and age. If you're an adult who's not too old and is stong, you'd get a higher chance to be accepted to go concentration camps. The SS would check to see if you qualify to work in concentration camps. The babies got burned, because they are useless.
James: Remember the first section before they were evacuated, when everything was normal and things, and how devoted they were to their religion? These people have lived with believing in Judaism and in God all these years; they cannot just give it up now. I think saying that “God was giving them a test” is the only reasoning they can give for a situation this bad, but I doubt they really believe it themselves, just barely. Perhaps it’s just like the rest of the optimistic things they say – oh, it’s just temporary, everyone’s still going to be together, etc – words said for comfort and to pass the time, but don’t really mean anything at all, because no one believes them. You can tell from Eliezer himself that he is questioning God and his previous devout thoughts on Judaism. I’m not really sure how that made sense. To sum it up I think it’s either his only way of escaping the question “Is there really a God above?” and whether his religion is true to him, OR it is just the last assurance or comfort he can offer in these terrible situation.
About Madame Schachter – it’s really sad when reading about her. As a reader of now, and knowing about the crematory, you know that she is – perhaps insane, yes, from all the stress and sorrow – but her words, like Moshe the Beadle’s, are to an extent, true. This makes her a foreteller of the future – unlike Moshe, who had witnessed it with his eyes; she has never been to the camps and therefore would not have any idea of what it was like.
Adam: I think they are in denial. From the narrative part, you can tell “We pretended” that they knew the truth, but hid it behind lies to themselves. A lot of people do the same – live in denial for a while after their loved ones have gone. But this is a different case- not only is it their mother/wife and sister/daughter, but they can scarcely believe the horrors that their loved ones have been taken into and killed in.
Denial is what Eliezer and his father – and all of the rest of the Jews are living in now. It is hard to accept their drastic, horrifying change that has come into their lives now.
The purpose of making the prisoners is merely to get them from one side of the camp to another. It was merely to speed the procession of Jews coming into the camps. It shows the inhumanity that they were treated to, that they had to run even when they were dead tired and naked.
In the story, Eliezer starts to lose faith in his god. At first a hopeful child, he suddenly becomes cynical and questioned his god. Nevertheless, in joyous moments he still tends to still give his thanks to god. This shows his inner connection with god and how his faith is still existent inside him even when he starts doubting it.
I think even now there's an air of disbelief. Eliezer believed that it was impossible for God to let such atrocities happen and that it must have been a dream. I think the whole horrors or it were so terrible and sudden that this disbelief was still around.
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On page 34 (the new big book), Eliezer's father asks:
"Do you remember Mrs. Schächtner, in the train?"
when they were getting close to the fire pit.
Why did he ask this question? What is Mrs. Schächtner's importance in the chapter?
Ted Wu I think they made the Jews run just as another act of torture. It has been made quite clear how much the Germans enjoy torturing the Jews, and forcing them to run inhumane distances could just be another act of torture, just like overworking them and underfeeding them are other methods of torture. We don't like running long distances, and it makes us tired. The Jews probably didn't enjoy running for so long either, but they were driven by the fear of getting shot which the Germans probably knew, so they used this to drive the torture of the Jews.
Demi: I think the lady in the train yelling about the fire foreshadows their fates - the furnace.
What does the "Work is liberty" mean? Many are worked to death. Is that saying that liberty would then equal death? Or is it just providing false hope for the Jews, for them to think that they could work their way to freedom (but in truth, death)?
In this part of the story, I was astonished to know what’s happening to them. How terrify to see them burning in the flames, especially seeing the children dying in those smoke and bright flames. It was a terrible sight, a night which was unforgettable and unspoken. I’ve never experience anything so much of closing to death. There was one incident that happen when I was around six or seven years old. That night, the electricity was out, and we had to light up candles to keep the house light. I was tired, so I lay down under or rather next to the table. On the table was the candle. It was around midnight 2 o’clock when the candles almost finish, and the liquid part was floating over to the edges of the table, dripping down. Obviously, the fire did go on over to the edges of the table. That moment, my parents and my brother were asleep. If the fire was kept on burning, so close of me. I could’ve die is one drop of that liquid hit on my face. Good thing my mom was wakening from the smell and was in time to dismiss that fire before it reaches my face. From this incident, connecting it back to “Night”, that many things could happen or unpredictable. Because people could be blind from it, and think the way they think is right. If you’re not careful, like me not careful for not sleeping close to the table that has a candle on it. Just like those Jews, unaware of things and blind fully believed in everything ever from what they heard. This then would bring them a very difficulties in the concentration camp.
Dawn: I think at this point, just like people who lost faith because it seemed that although they loved God, God had abandoned them, Elie has begun questioning the existence of God. To Elie and the rest of the Jews, they had done nothing wrong; in fact, they were just being rounded up and killed because they were who they were—people of the Jewish religion. What had they done to deserve such torture and cruelty? Where was God when they needed Him? These must be questions that they ask.
"Here, kid, how old are you?" It was one of the prisoners who asked me this. I could not see his face, but his voice was tense and weary. "I'm not quite fifteen yet." "No. Eighteen." "But I'm not," I said. "Fifteen" "Fool. Listen to what I say." Then he questioned my father, who replied: "Fifty." The other grew more furious than ever. "No, not fifty. Forty. Do you understand? Eighteen and forty." He disappeard into the night shadows.
Question: Who's this prisoners? Why is he helping Elie and his father? Why only the two of them while there are many others? What does this tells us?
Chuni: I think he ask this question because, it tells them or himself that there are many warnings along the way. And they did not notice it, especially from Mrs. Schächtner, when she shouted out flames and fire everywhere. It's a sign to them, to make them be prepare for this. To speak in a religious way, it's like God is telling them through Mrs. Schächtner wilderness, and screaming every now and then.
“’It’s a shame…a shame that you couldn’t have gone with your mother…. I saw several boys of your age going with their mothers…’ His voice was terribly sad. I realized that he did not want to see what they were going to do to me. He did not want to see the burning of his only son.” What is the significance of the quote? How has the scene of the burning babies affected Elie and his father? How have their personalities changed after the sight?
I don't know if you believe in the Bible, but there is a particular reason why the genocide of Jews was allowed to take place.
As we know, the Jews were God's "chosen people", but they rebelled many times under God. Hence, God promised them that he would scatter them, and he did.
During the time of the Romans, came Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. When he was being tried, the Jewish priests yelled to the Roman judge saying, "Let his blood be on US AND OUR CHILDREN!"
Put quite frankly, they had asked for their deaths. While their grandchildren may not appreciate it, they are paying the price of their forefathers' sins.
pg. 20-43 quote response “For the first time I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal. Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank him for?” (Wiesel 31). I have read stories where a religion or belief keeps a character from falling apart. I also know that religion and beliefs can motivate people to do both good and bad things. Many examples have been seen in history. We can see an example with Hitler, where Darwinism, a belief, is something that motivates Hitler to kill the disabled and weak. I guess one of the reasons that Wiesel is giving up on his God is that he is not devoted to his religion in the sense that he thinks his religion is the way of everything; the right way. He is just following it as a routine, as discussed in class. Maybe this is why Wiesel’s religion will not be something that keeps him together in the camps, but instead a routine that is broken because he cannot keep to it anymore.
Question: When the book says " Work means freedom" do the Germans really mean that? Or is it just something to goad them into working for them? Will the Jews really be free?
Response: I think that the Germans are just using the statement to deceive them into working hard. What kind of freedom will they receive? death? Death can be liberty, because it frees them from all this hard work; they belive that they will be in heaven. Even if the Jews are alive and set free from the concentration camps, their minds are not free from the horror of Auschwitz, or the terrible stories Moishe the Beadle told.
Ted Wu: They are probably checking which ones are stronger and more fit. Some of the weaker people would lose their stamina easily, so they'll become too tired to run. After they slow down, the officers would probably notice and plan to kill them.
Matthew: DID God kill them? I think it was the Germans who did. And who knows that God might punish the Germans after? Killing some of the people might be God's way of freeing them from the concentration camp.
Another question: page 34(big book)"Never sahll I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the small faces of children under a silent sky. Never shall i forget those flames that consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those momenets 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."
Another Question: Can "Never forget" be a theme in the story?
to Frank: The lady on the train shouted "fire" when they were in a state of sleep, when you just wake up, your brain doesn't work that well, so when she started to shout "fire" every one sleeping got up and atomaticaly went towards the window, before they knew who was shouting "fire".
Q: Near the end of the reading, Akiba Drummer says that God is "testing" them. Why would a God who is supposedly merciful and kind kill off the very people who believe in him?
A: The Jews can’t believe that something this terrible has happened to them, and any explanation is welcome, as long as it brings hope that things will change for the better. Helpless in the face of Germans and forced out of their previous life, they have only their belief left, so naturally their first reaction to this is that it’s another test, just like how their ancestors had been discriminated against. I don’t feel like the Jews truly believe that God is testing them, but because they have lost everything, their faith that God still watches over them is all that keeps them going. They don’t want to feel that God has abandoned them, so the only other possibility that this is a test of their faith, and gives them that God will protect them after they’ve shown their endurance. I myself don’t believe in God, because I feel that it makes better sense to rely on yourself than to put your trust in something you can’t even see, but I understand how the Jews felt at that time. When everything you have is taken from you, your freedom of mind is the only thing left, so you cling on to that little part left of you. I would have done the same if I was forced in this situation too. Sometimes, faith is the only thing that keeps a person going after everything is gone, so I would have held fast to any hope available, such as the anticipation of seeing my family again, and Elie Wiesel did the same.
Q: Why didnt the Jews band together and help those in need. with the woman, they could've helped her, but instead, they attack her viciously. What does this show about the human nature?
I think Mrs. Schachter was screaming about fire because she imagines that is what lies in wait for them. Or perhaps to her, the fire symbolizes a gruesome death, which is certainly what awaits them. Auschwitz-Birkenau is probably the worst place you could ever go. I mean, the barracks are sturdy and all, and it was rather sanitary, as told by accounts from survivors. But you also have the greatest chance of dying. So you get a place to sleep that has sturdy walls, but you could also die at a moment's notice.
Demi: The main reason for the woman to be yelling about fire is for foreshadowing purposes about the harshness prepared for them. It was emphasizing how the road ahead of them was filled with pain and suffering in the form of fire. Fire has a lot of destructive power and many people fear it because of its ability to kill. When most people think of Hell they think of fire because of its dangerous powers. So the woman’s madness was a foretelling of the coming of Hell. Many Jews considered Auschwitz to be a kind of Hell because it was such a brutal concentration camp. It was where many of the Jews died through labor or incineration. The woman was somehow given insight on the road ahead of them and she uncontrollably let it out. When Ellie’s father asked for the location of the restrooms why did the gypsie in turn slap him?
“For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?” (Page 31)
For the first time Eliezer questions himself about God. Why should he thank Him, why should he bless His name? How could someone he has believed in for so long turn so cruel and unkind? From this quote we could see that Eliezer is losing his faith in God, losing faith that they will survive—“Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.”
Later on Eliezer even questions himself if his mother and sister is alive, working in a labor camp—“Where is my mother at this moment? And Tzipora…?"“How we should have liked to believe it.” Does this mean they don’t really believe that they are alive, they are just pretending? Pretending that they have faith that his mother and sister? Believing and thinking they are alive because they are afraid to admit the truth?
In this section of the novel, I think the author emphasizes the loss of hope. When they see how cruel people could be, they lose their faith in believing in themselves and others important to them.
For those who are asking about Mrs. Schachter screaming about the fire, I thought that I should remind everyone that this is a true, complete retelling of what happened to Wiesel when he and his family went though the Holocaust.
On to my response: I was just wondering: when they get to Auschwitz, the people there seem to treat them so nicely. That's the impression I got from reading; correct if I'm wrong. Why were they treated so nicely upon arrival? They were even happy there for a while. I've heard that Auschwitz was one of the most brutal concentration camps. What's going on?
“For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?” (31) In the first section, Eliezer was still faithful and devout towards his religion, but in this section Eliezer started to question God and he started to “doubt God’s absolute justice.” Suffering from the Holocaust, I think Eliezer will slowly break away from his religion. I think Eliezer would’ve been better off not being a Jew because they wouldn’t be so optimistic about their life and they would’ve escaped or revolted by then. But then again, if Eliezer wasn’t a Jew, he wouldn’t be caught in the Holocaust anyway. I don’t think it is possible for God to be all-justice, there will always be people with better educational opportunities or more political rights.
In the beginning of chapter 2 the Jews were trapped in a small wagon with no food and water, the Jews began to act like animals. This part reminds me of Lord of the flies because similar to the children in the island, the Jews are also forced to turn to their animal instincts. I think humans only show their evil side when they are forced to certain limits, which in the perspectives of Jews, the Nazis are the ones who are purposely pushing their limits. Before the Jews were all optimistic about the deportation, but when Madame Schaechter started screaming, the Jews optimism was starting to turn into worries and fears. I think the screaming of Madame Schaechter demonstrates the beginning of the evil world of the Nazis and the end of security and calm. In chapter 4 Elie and other prisoners are completely treated like animals by the Nazis. Because of the brutal methods of the Nazis, the Jews are turned into obedient, animal-like machine humans. "Our senses were blunted; everything was blurred as in a fog. It was no longer possible to grasp anything. The instincts of self-preservation, of self-defense, of pride, had deserted us. Within a few seconds, we had ceased to be men." This quote demonstrates that the Jews are forced to deny their identities because the only way to do that is to have no sense of emotions.
My Question: why do the Jews obey the Nazis eventhough they know tht one day they will kill them? --------------------------- Ted L- Did that "fire" that the woman supposedly saw symbolize anything? And i thought the fact that the woman screamed at night versus screaming in daytime when everyone was awake. Why did she do that? Did that mean anything else, because during class we discussed that the night symbolizes fear, so does that mean anything in particular?
I think the screaming of Madame Schaechter symbolizes the beginning of cruelty and the edn of security and calm. Before the Jews were all optimistic about the deportataion, but once when Madame Schaechter started screamind, the optimism turns into worries an uncertainty.
I agree with Jasper L. and Chuni, I think that the Jews were forced to run to speed up the process, so that the officers would have an easier time. The process would probably be ten times slower if they were walking. It can be also seen as an act of torture to make them more tired. Since it is a concentration camp, it can also be seen as doing work. Throughout the days in the concentration camp, a major change in Elie can be seen. He starts to lose faith in God and questions himself on why he should thank him. During his days in the concentration camp, he questions himself, “Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?” (Wiesel, 31)
Kristen: I think the significance of that quote is that it shows how Eliezer’s father doesn’t want Eliezer to be tortured and see things that makes them sad. It shows how Eliezer’s father wanted death than seeing the dead bodies of the children and the other Jews. After the baby-burning scene, Eliezer couldn’t “believe that they could burn people in our age, that humanity would never tolerate it…” and he exclaimed that he would rather suffer a quick death from the wires. Everyone started to weep and Eliezer’s father recited the prayer for the dead and Eliezer started to doubt the absolute justice of God. I think this foreshadows how Eliezer will break away from his religion.
KATHY: I think the reason that Elie didnt't tell Madame Schächter to shut up is because that under such inhuman conditions, no one will have enough conscious and energy to do such thing, so they let her scream.
hannah Who's this prisoners? Why is he helping Elie and his father? Why only the two of them while there are many others? What does this tells us?
I don't think the prisoner is anyone special, just someone nice secretly helping people out. He might have helped the other prisoners too, just that Elie didn't notice it.
Jenny: My Question: why do the Jews obey the Nazis eventhough they know tht one day they will kill them? The Jews still obey the Nazis because they get to live longer. Also, the Nazis supply them with a hope of freedom. THe man in charge of one of the blocks had said, "You will all see the day of liberation. Have faith in life, a thousand times faith. By driving out despair, you will move away from death. Hell does not last forever." (41) This promise of freedom drives the Jews to do the only thing they can to survive: obey the Germans.
On the way to Auschwitz, Madame Schächter kept screaming about the fire. She seemed to be insane, but in the end everyone saw that there really was a fire. What does this mean?
To Richard: I think meeting the women on the train is significant because if the women didn't meant anything butto disturb the people on the train, then Elie Wiesel definitely wouldn't have repeated the women and what she had done so many times. Just like how to find the theme in a novel (look for repetition), Elie Wiesel repeated the poor women many times. I think she is trying to tell us that something that is going to happen in the future. Maybe she is trying to say that there will be a lot of fire, and that those fire (since she said they were big) were to kill the Jews. Maybe the German officers were going to stuff them all into a room and burn them all alive. I think the women is a big foreshadow. A foreshadow that will foreshadow the death of all the people on the train.
Question: Do you agree that the women screaming fire foreshadows that everyone on the train will be burnt? If not, what do you think the women foreshadows or symbolizes?
pg 31 "Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?" pg 32 "Never should I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust" In section 1, Eliezer is still very devout to his religion. But he begins to lose faith in God after he sees babies getting burned in the furnace. Auschwitz is the place where his God is "murdered". The optimism from section 1 is gone, and the fear increases. Eliezer's father also changes. In section 1 it says that his father had "never any display of emotion," but on page 31 he breaks down and starts crying. This describes how awful the situation is and how fearful they were.
Angela: I don't think they knew that they could be dead by tomorrow. The people were Sighet were optimistic and they still carried a bit of hope inside. They had never heard of concentration camps, so they didn't know the hardships they would have to face when they get to Auschwitz. When they arrived at camp, the people told them that families would not be separated and only the young ones would work in the factories. That gave them hope and they thanked their God. They were faithful believers of God and they wouldn't have believed that He would let anything happen to them.
In the train compartment, Mrs. Schacter keeps screaming about a fire and huge flames. Do the flames actually exist? Or are they just a symbol of her madness?
My thoughts on my own question: I think maybe Wiesel wants to show the extent with which their fear has messed up their minds?
kevin/weifan: i think the mrs. schatchner [sp?] forsees things before they happen, but not of their fate and fortune. i think the fire just simply symbolizes the crematory and furnace at auschwitz.
albert: correction, it is a prisoner that told them to tell them another age. it is because the prisoner already knows that children under 18 will not be able to work, and Elie will be cremated, and that men that are too old, perhaps over 45 or 50, will be too old and weak to work.
reuben: When Elie's dad asked to go the bathroom I think the Gypsy slapped him because he had been treated the same way. The Gypsies were prisoners too, I think, and I think that that gypsy may have done the same thing and been slapped, and after so long in the brutal concentration camp he probably has lost a lot of his sense of right and wrong, kind and cruel.
Also in this section we see how the Jews are beginning to adapt their beliefs in order to hope in the face of such terrible conditions. They try to see the positive side of everything, and succeed at times, failing at others. I think that persisting optimism could be a theme in this story because it keeps reappearing every time it seems to have been crushed by the cruelty of the Germans.
On page 27-28, it says the following: The man in charge of our wagon called to a German officer strolling down the platform, asking him to have the sick woman moved to a hospital car. "Patience," the German replied, "patience. She'll be taken there soon."
When I read this i felt a sense of foreboding, as if the German was saying something more. Was there something he was hinting?
JASPER Q: Why didnt the Jews band together and help those in need. with the woman, they could've helped her, but instead, they attack her viciously. What does this show about the human nature?
A: This is just human nature at its worst. At a time like this when then didn't even know if they themselves were going to survive the harsh conditions on the trains, they wouldn't care about the old lady. Our human nature tells us to look after ourselves before we look after others. The old lady kept talking about some fire, and it was annoying the others, so they just simply hit her to shut her up. Our human nature makes us competitive, and the situation that they're in right now is like survival of the fittest. They don't care about others, they only care about themselves.
In these chapters, I have seen the most desired part of the novel. The part where the author wrote and repeats, “I was terribly hungry,” It really made me feels the situation of the condition, hopeless and discouraging. Why are some people’s lives like this? Why do they deserve that kind of humiliations? If I am in that kind of situation, I think I’ll act the same reaction as Elie Wiesel. I will too feel the same feeling like them, the feeling of fear. This feeling of fear is as if I can hear my own heartbeat, beating quickly, that scary and that fearful. Also, in the novel, the word “night” is a very important key word. It is the symbolism where the hopelessness and darkness comes out. In that kind of situation, I think I wouldn't do anything, but to wait. Right now it is really hard to consider about what action I’ll do, because you never know where you will wait or go crazy, you never know. If anybody who have been in this sort of experience, they wouldn't be talking about it and they wouldn't want to talk about it, like Elie Wiesel. In the last page, the last sentence has leaved the reader a feeling of fear and hopelessness. “The iron gate closed behind us."–page 46 The desire feeling of hopelessness. It is extremely hard to describe it, but it this very easily understood and feel. It also gives a foreshadow to the reader.
To Jasper Huang: Why didnt the Jews band together and help those in need. with the woman, they could've helped her, but instead, they attack her viciously. What does this show about the human nature?
This shows the selfishness within everyone. Our human nature is to protect ourselves. We need a lot of courage/determination to protect others and to fight for justice. Our another human nature is also to survive. Based on Lord of the Flies, the boys again and again lose their identity and became savages so they can survive in the wilderness. That woman is a risk to all the JEws, because she might attract the SS officers' attention and they might get killed.
"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in the camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times seals. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget these moments which murdered my God and my soul ann turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if ... Never."
What do you think this paragraph brings out? I think this shows the true power of the Holocaust and brings out the theme of "never again". Wiesel repeats numerous times in these few lines that he'd never forget his experience as a Jew during the Holocaust. The fact that it took him 10 years to talk to someone about his experiences shows how big of an impact Hitler has left in our history. Other than what I've mentioned above, do you think these lines mean something more?
“I stood petrified. What had happened to me? My father had just been struck, in front of me, and I had not even blinked. I had watched and kept silent.” Witnessing his father being struck by a gypsy, Eliezer failed to react the way he normally would have, which would have been to strike back. What stopped him from striking back? Was it because he didn’t want to get into trouble? Or was it that he was frightened of the Gypsy?
Allen~ They wanted to keep the Stronger and healthy jews for work and stuff. So they kill the weaker ones first such as woman or children or the elderly. and they keep the Strong people
I think the woman screaming about the fire certainly plays a small role as a prophet in this chapter, also allowing the author to emphasize the panic and fear that diseased those brutally sent to Auschwitz. Although Jews believe that she has grown mad through the journey, but the descriptions ironically seem to express its meaning differently. Like no one had bothered to pay attention to Moishe the Beedle, it seems that all of the other Jews are ignoring another vital information that could have prepared them slightly for what was ahead. Does this not express how humans fear the truth more than the unknown? Is it really Moishe or the screaming woman imagining things, or is Ellie Wiesel trying to convey a message?
Angela: I think the quote brings out the themes of hope and denial at the same time. In the back of their minds, they all probably knew there was a good chance of them dying at any given time, but they wanted to deny that and hope for the best. Maybe they refused to accept the fact that God would just let them go through so much torment. As a result, they are forced to create false hope to blindly follow. Though, this quote is also kind of sad. They can't deny the fact that life will get worse for them.
"Yesterday i should have sunk my nails into the criminal's flesh. Had I changed so much, then? So quickly?" (page 37 in the old version) "I was still the spoiled child I had always been." (page 39) "After that I had no other name." (page 39)
Elie is constantly reminding the reader of his changes, but he also slips in hints that he has not changed. How long do you think it will be before he loses himself entirely?
On page 26, it says “We had already lived through so much that night; we thought nothing could frighten us anymore.” This shows that they are so scared, to a point that where they aren’t afraid of anything anymore. After seeing so much in the camp, nothing could frighten them anymore, since it was all part of their “life” now.
I agree with Daisy. The Germans need some people to work for them. If the Germans killed all the strong ones, the weak ones can’t do a lot of work. They will die after they started working for only about two weeks, but on the other hand, if they leave the stronger ones, they can work for a longer amount of time and carry heavy stuff and build stuff for the Germans.
89 comments:
OMG things are turning nasty... They went to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the worst place on earth at the time.
Pity the poor woman on the train who kept crying out about fires. She probably wouldn't have made it past a few more hours of survival. Question was, although the fires were believed to be a hallucination while on the train ride, they saw the fires leaping out of the crematorium once they arrived. Were her screams of fire just by chance that there were in Auschwitz, or did she fortell it?
Even though the lady kept yelling about the fire outside of the train repeatedly, everyone in the train still got up to see if it was real. Even during the last time she shouted it, they still peered through the window to see if there were any fires. Why did they want to assure? Weren’t they tired of her like the “boy who cried wolf?”
When they arrive at the camp, the officer tells Eli and his father to say they are younger or older than they are. Why is that? Why is the German willing to let them live even though they are Jews?
What is the significance of meeting the woman on the train? Is she foreshadowing that there will be a fire at Auschwitz?
Weifan: I think the woman was mainly hallucinating because there was no possible way to fortell where and what was happening, mainly because it was night if i am corect.
pg 21
"We still had a few provisions left. But we never ate enough to satisfy our hunger. To save was our rule; to save up for tomorrow. Tomorrow might be worse."
Do you think they realized that by the next day, they could be dead? Why or why not?
Albert:
I also think that the officer was trying to help them live through the examination. Because this is a real story and things aren't always as they seem, mabye the officer had passion for the narrator and his dad.
Another reason the German officer might do that is to taunt in a cruel way to the Jews. With his angry attitude towards the narrator and his dad, the officer forces the kid and his dad to "change" their ages.
No, I don’t think they knew that they were going to die. I think they were preparing themselves for a harsher tomorrow, not death. Probably only Mrs. Schachter could foretell about them dying but I don’t think death was on their mind. Especially after two men came back and told them news about where they were staying and how the conditions were, their “Confidence soared. Suddenly we felt free of the previous night’s terror. We gave thanks to God.” From here, even though they were given false information, they were relieved to have good news. They may have been thinking about death, but I don’t think that was what they were actually afraid off. I think they were trying to save up enough supplies for the next day if in case it turns out to be bad.
Albert, They changed their ages to survive. those who are too old or too young, or unable to work are eliminated. Those able will work until they can't.
"Was I alive? Was I awake? How is it possible that man, woman and children were being burned and the world kept silent"{32}
Yes, indeed how is it that such terrible things are happening and the world kept silent? At that time Germany had conquered almost all europe and even advanced into the Soviet territory, how is it that the allies waited so long to fight back? How could they let the German Nazis get so far? How can other countries such as the USA watch silently for so long? When millions of people are getting killed.
Why did everyone believe the lady on the train who kept talking about a fire? What was the purpose of talking about that lady who saw a fire?
Where did Moshe go? What happened to him? Why does Eli not talk about him anymore?
Response:
After reading I thought Mrs. Schachter’s words were foreshadowing the people’s nightmare or doom. She wouldn’t stop; I think she knew that something bad would happen to them. When they arrived at Auschwitz, a German came up to them and told them to say they were eighteen and forty. I thought that this was touching, and it made me think that even though they are Germans they still have feelings, passion for others. It really surprise me when the German gave them a chance to live.
Weifan:
Her screams of the fire were a hallucination which brings a sort of fortelling and eerie atmosphere into the story. I think she had probably gone mad from everything that was going on and began seeing things in her mind. Or perhaps God had let her see something? I don't know. The part where Mrs. Schachter screamed "Jews, look! Look at the fire! Look at the flames!" is creepy because she was able to see what was to come, and that creepiness makes me keep reading it.
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Near the end of the reading, Akiba Drummer says that God is "testing" them. Why would a God who is supposedly merciful and kind kill off the very people who believe in him?
When Mrs. Schachter started to scream there was a fire, why didn’t Weisel and the others told her to shut up, but instead they just left her there in the corner?
"On the way, we met some young German girls. The guards began to tease them. The girls giggled, pleased. They let themselves by kissed and tickled, exploding with laughter. They were all laughing and joking and houting blandishments at one another for a goof part of the way." Why do you think Wiesel put this part in the story? Doesn't this just simply emphasize the countrast between the marching Jews and happiness?
What is the significance of Mrs Schachter's words? Does it foreshadow anything at all?
In this section, Elie, his family, and all the other Jews calmly let the officers lead them to the trains, not knowing what is in store for them. They suffer through harsh conditions: almost no air, everyone was tightly squeezed together, and they were dying of thrist and hunger. After a few days, an old lady, Madame Schachter starts to howl. She screams on and on about seeing fire and flames. My question is: How did Madame Schachter foretell what was going to happen to them?
angela: Do you think they realized that by the next day, they could be dead? Why or why not?
Since they calmly let themselves being led onto the train, I don't think they knew what was their fate. When they arrived at Auschwitz, they heard that they were going to work at a labor camp and families weren't going to be split up.Their "barometer of confidence soared" and there was "sudden release from terrors of the previous nights." This showed that they still didn't understand what the Germanswere planning to do to them.
When he sees the crematorium, Wiesel seems to lose his faith in God. "Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes." But later on, when the soldiers are doing an inspection, he "thanked God...for having created mud in His infinite and wondrous universe." This seems sincere enough, so has he really lost his faith?
Weifan: It might depend on your personal point of view. I think she was probably hallucinating, but maybe she had heard rumors about the camp. That's why she kept seeing fire.
Near the end of the reading, Akiba Drummer says that God is "testing" them. Why would a God who is supposedly merciful and kind kill off the very people who believe in him?
This question is a religious question haha. First of all, the people aren't dead yet. Second, the people who believe in God, as recorded by the bible and the Torah, have always thought their misfortunes were tests sent by god to test their faith and their loyalty.
Richard and Albert: It was another prisoner who told Elie and his father to change their ages. “‘Here, kid, how old are you?’ It was one of the prisoners who asked me this… ‘No. Eighteen…Fool. Listen to what I say.’”
On the iron doors of Auschwitz, there is a plaque with “Work is liberty” inscribed upon it. What is the phrase supposed to mean? That the Jews should feel pleasure for working under brutal conditions?
Angela: I think that they thought that they would have survived through out this war. The Jews still believed in their god which gave them hope or some sort of faith that made them believe that they would live. In the quote that you mentioned it shows that they are saving their food so that if tomorrow is worse then they are prepared. However, they still believe there is a tomorrow which shows that they believe that there will be a next day.
For about Pg22 the old lady named Madame Schachter saw a fire, and had shocked every Jews on the train.I think Madame Schachter was so terrifying and nervous because the seperation of her family was broken. She was worried that her husband and her sons would be shot by the Germans.
Is it truly that is because Madame Schachter was worried about her family that had created the imagination in her mind? Or is it that her mind was true that there would be a fire on the train?
Albert
(When they arrive at the camp, the officer tells Eli and his father to say they are younger or older than they are. Why is that? Why is the German willing to let them live even though they are Jews?)
It was a prisoner, not a German officer.
p28
"It was one of the prisoners who asked me this. I could not see his face, but his voice was tense and weary."
Frank:
Even though the everyone knew she was hallucinating they still checked whenever she started screaming. I think they do this because they are still insecure, they still don't know where they are heading. They also have fear over things so they still check to make sure.
Question:
Whenever it was night the lady would always start screaming and would stop during the day. When night came "she began to scream: "There's a fire over there!"'Do you think there is a significant meaning to this?
Doris
"Work is liberty" means that there is almost no way that they can escape from the concentration camps without getting caught. They have almost no choice but to work. Work also sets them free because they work until they become too weak to work anymore, which is when they are either shot or sent to the crematorium. When they are murdered by these methods, they achieve liberty. They are finally freed from the concentration camps through death because when they die, they cannot work; their souls are free to go to the heavens.
We see that Wiesel is starting to question God in this part of the novel. "For the first time, I felt anger rising within me. Why should i sanctify His name? The Almighty...chose to be silent. What was there to thank him for?" (Pg. 33 newer book) and again on pg. 34. "Never shall i forget... those flames that consumed my faith forever." What makes him lose his faith? Wasn't he the devout Jew before these events? Why do you think the events made him turn this way? What do you think you would do in his place?
For about Pg22 the old lady named Madame Schachter saw a fire, and had shocked every Jews on the train.I think Madame Schachter was so terrifying and nervous because the seperation of her family was broken. She was worried that her husband and her sons would be shot by the Germans.
Is it truly that is because Madame Schachter was worried about her family that had created the imagination in her mind? Or is it that her mind was true that there would be a fire on the train?
I think that Madame Schachter was worries about her family thathad created the imagination in her mind. She became to stressed that she began so "see" things.
My question:
Why were some Jews lucky enough to survive, while others are shot and killed?
“’Mother’s still young woman,’ my father once said,’ She must be in a labor camp. And Tzipora, she is a big girl now. She too must be in camp…’
How we would have liked to belief that. We pretended, for what if one of us still did believe.” pg 46 (bigger book)
What did this quote mean? I’m not sure, but did this mean that they no longer believe that his mother and sisters are alive? They just pretended to be hopeful and ignore the actual fact and are the denial thing once again. Eliezor, even though he seemed to know that his mother’s dead, wanted to believe in what he hope to be real. So, does this mean that his mother and sisters are dead?
The woman screaming about the fire, i think it symbolizes their demise and what will happen to them. when they arrived at the camp, the author kept emphasizing on the crematorium. I think the woman is the most pessimistic woman from the town, unlike all the others
On page 42 (old version), the book says "some talked of God, of his mysterious ways, of the sins of the Jewish people, and of their future deliverance. But I had ceased to pray. How I sympathized with Job! I did not deny God's existence, but I doubted His absolute justice." In this quote, what does the word job mean? And why is it capitalized?
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Is "Word is liberty" the main theme of this chapter?
Allen,
The Germans wanted to keep the stronger Jews to work for them. Females might have been killed because they were weaker. The sick, old, or young were killed just because they could not work. It’s really not a matter of luck but of health condition and age. Also, I think in this book most Jews were burned rather then shot.
Did that "fire" that the woman supposedly saw symbolize anything? And i thought the fact that the woman screamed at night versus screaming in daytime when everyone was awake. Why did she do that? Did that mean anything else, because during class we discussed that the night symbolizes fear, so does that mean anything in particular?
In section two, hopefulness and hopelessness are brought out even more. Why does the author do this? “Confidence soared. Suddenly we felt free of the previous night’ terror. We gave thanks to God. Mrs. Schachter remained huddled in her corner, mute, untouched by the OPTIMISM around her. Her little one was stroking her hand.” By the way, this is a quote on page 27 (big book). Just in a short five lines, its shows both hopefulness and hopelessness. Is there a purpose of puting two opposites together? It seems to me that the author wants hope, but there is actually no hope.
In section three, there is a part where Eliezer and his father hide their identity. On page 31 of the big book…
In no time, I stood before him.
“Your age?” he asked, perhaps trying to sound paternal.
“I’m eighteen.” My voice was trembling.
“In good health?”
“Yes.”
“Your profession?”
Tell him that I was a student?
“Farmer,” I heard myself saying.
This conversation lasted no more than a few seconds. It seemed like an eternity.
From the dialogue, it shows that he himself was uncomfortable in telling a lie about his own identity. I think that hiding one’s identity is like hiding your life, because people don’t see you as whom you really are. Why is Eliezer doing this? He has been studying the Talmud and Kabbalah, shouldn’t he know that he is who he really is? Does hiding one’s identity count as one of the themes in the novel?
Respond to Dawn’s question:
Elie’s father was pious towards God even if he was encountering death, yet he still believed in hope and strength that will be given by God. Before the Jews were going to be cremated, Elie’s father was reciting the Kaddish, the prayer of the dead, still praising God, “May his name be celebrated and sanctified.” We can see the change in Elie’s view towards God. He was supposedly a devout Jewish teenager who has strong beliefs toward the creator. However, “for the first time, [Elie] felt anger rising within [himself]. Why should [he] sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal and terrible Master of the Universe, chose to be silent. What was there to thank Him for?” Elie started to question God’s existence and significance. Elie no longer was faithful and devoted to God, he was angry for his blind faith towards God.
Question:
Why are the Jews ordered to run? I don’t understand the purpose of running. Also, how did Elie change throughout the days in concentration camp?
Allen: People are categorized by their background, body structure, and age. If you're an adult who's not too old and is stong, you'd get a higher chance to be accepted to go concentration camps. The SS would check to see if you qualify to work in concentration camps. The babies got burned, because they are useless.
Q: The people are about to die, would it be beter for them to just die or survive?
James: Remember the first section before they were evacuated, when everything was normal and things, and how devoted they were to their religion? These people have lived with believing in Judaism and in God all these years; they cannot just give it up now. I think saying that “God was giving them a test” is the only reasoning they can give for a situation this bad, but I doubt they really believe it themselves, just barely. Perhaps it’s just like the rest of the optimistic things they say – oh, it’s just temporary, everyone’s still going to be together, etc – words said for comfort and to pass the time, but don’t really mean anything at all, because no one believes them. You can tell from Eliezer himself that he is questioning God and his previous devout thoughts on Judaism. I’m not really sure how that made sense. To sum it up I think it’s either his only way of escaping the question “Is there really a God above?” and whether his religion is true to him, OR it is just the last assurance or comfort he can offer in these terrible situation.
About Madame Schachter – it’s really sad when reading about her. As a reader of now, and knowing about the crematory, you know that she is – perhaps insane, yes, from all the stress and sorrow – but her words, like Moshe the Beadle’s, are to an extent, true. This makes her a foreteller of the future – unlike Moshe, who had witnessed it with his eyes; she has never been to the camps and therefore would not have any idea of what it was like.
Adam: I think they are in denial. From the narrative part, you can tell “We pretended” that they knew the truth, but hid it behind lies to themselves. A lot of people do the same – live in denial for a while after their loved ones have gone. But this is a different case- not only is it their mother/wife and sister/daughter, but they can scarcely believe the horrors that their loved ones have been taken into and killed in.
Denial is what Eliezer and his father – and all of the rest of the Jews are living in now. It is hard to accept their drastic, horrifying change that has come into their lives now.
Ted Wu: maybe they want to make an excuse to get them to shower (gas chamber), or maybe just to waste their energy so they can die faster.
In Response to Ted Wu,
Question:
The purpose of making the prisoners is merely to get them from one side of the camp to another. It was merely to speed the procession of Jews coming into the camps. It shows the inhumanity that they were treated to, that they had to run even when they were dead tired and naked.
In the story, Eliezer starts to lose faith in his god. At first a hopeful child, he suddenly becomes cynical and questioned his god. Nevertheless, in joyous moments he still tends to still give his thanks to god. This shows his inner connection with god and how his faith is still existent inside him even when he starts doubting it.
I think even now there's an air of disbelief. Eliezer believed that it was impossible for God to let such atrocities happen and that it must have been a dream. I think the whole horrors or it were so terrible and sudden that this disbelief was still around.
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On page 34 (the new big book), Eliezer's father asks:
"Do you remember Mrs. Schächtner, in the train?"
when they were getting close to the fire pit.
Why did he ask this question? What is Mrs. Schächtner's importance in the chapter?
Ted Wu
I think they made the Jews run just as another act of torture. It has been made quite clear how much the Germans enjoy torturing the Jews, and forcing them to run inhumane distances could just be another act of torture, just like overworking them and underfeeding them are other methods of torture. We don't like running long distances, and it makes us tired. The Jews probably didn't enjoy running for so long either, but they were driven by the fear of getting shot which the Germans probably knew, so they used this to drive the torture of the Jews.
Demi: I think the lady in the train yelling about the fire foreshadows their fates - the furnace.
What does the "Work is liberty" mean? Many are worked to death. Is that saying that liberty would then equal death? Or is it just providing false hope for the Jews, for them to think that they could work their way to freedom (but in truth, death)?
In this part of the story, I was astonished to know what’s happening to them. How terrify to see them burning in the flames, especially seeing the children dying in those smoke and bright flames. It was a terrible sight, a night which was unforgettable and unspoken. I’ve never experience anything so much of closing to death. There was one incident that happen when I was around six or seven years old. That night, the electricity was out, and we had to light up candles to keep the house light. I was tired, so I lay down under or rather next to the table. On the table was the candle. It was around midnight 2 o’clock when the candles almost finish, and the liquid part was floating over to the edges of the table, dripping down. Obviously, the fire did go on over to the edges of the table. That moment, my parents and my brother were asleep. If the fire was kept on burning, so close of me. I could’ve die is one drop of that liquid hit on my face. Good thing my mom was wakening from the smell and was in time to dismiss that fire before it reaches my face. From this incident, connecting it back to “Night”, that many things could happen or unpredictable. Because people could be blind from it, and think the way they think is right. If you’re not careful, like me not careful for not sleeping close to the table that has a candle on it. Just like those Jews, unaware of things and blind fully believed in everything ever from what they heard. This then would bring them a very difficulties in the concentration camp.
Dawn:
I think at this point, just like people who lost faith because it seemed that although they loved God, God had abandoned them, Elie has begun questioning the existence of God. To Elie and the rest of the Jews, they had done nothing wrong; in fact, they were just being rounded up and killed because they were who they were—people of the Jewish religion. What had they done to deserve such torture and cruelty? Where was God when they needed Him? These must be questions that they ask.
"Here, kid, how old are you?"
It was one of the prisoners who asked me this. I could not see his face, but his voice was tense and weary.
"I'm not quite fifteen yet."
"No. Eighteen."
"But I'm not," I said. "Fifteen"
"Fool. Listen to what I say."
Then he questioned my father, who replied: "Fifty."
The other grew more furious than ever.
"No, not fifty. Forty. Do you understand? Eighteen and forty."
He disappeard into the night shadows.
Question:
Who's this prisoners? Why is he helping Elie and his father? Why only the two of them while there are many others?
What does this tells us?
Chuni:
I think he ask this question because, it tells them or himself that there are many warnings along the way. And they did not notice it, especially from Mrs. Schächtner, when she shouted out flames and fire everywhere. It's a sign to them, to make them be prepare for this. To speak in a religious way, it's like God is telling them through Mrs. Schächtner wilderness, and screaming every now and then.
“’It’s a shame…a shame that you couldn’t have gone with your mother…. I saw several boys of your age going with their mothers…’ His voice was terribly sad. I realized that he did not want to see what they were going to do to me. He did not want to see the burning of his only son.”
What is the significance of the quote? How has the scene of the burning babies affected Elie and his father? How have their personalities changed after the sight?
Kristen,
I don't know if you believe in the Bible, but there is a particular reason why the genocide of Jews was allowed to take place.
As we know, the Jews were God's "chosen people", but they rebelled many times under God. Hence, God promised them that he would scatter them, and he did.
During the time of the Romans, came Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. When he was being tried, the Jewish priests yelled to the Roman judge saying, "Let his blood be on US AND OUR CHILDREN!"
Put quite frankly, they had asked for their deaths. While their grandchildren may not appreciate it, they are paying the price of their forefathers' sins.
pg. 20-43 quote response
“For the first time I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal. Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank him for?” (Wiesel 31). I have read stories where a religion or belief keeps a character from falling apart. I also know that religion and beliefs can motivate people to do both good and bad things. Many examples have been seen in history. We can see an example with Hitler, where Darwinism, a belief, is something that motivates Hitler to kill the disabled and weak. I guess one of the reasons that Wiesel is giving up on his God is that he is not devoted to his religion in the sense that he thinks his religion is the way of everything; the right way. He is just following it as a routine, as discussed in class. Maybe this is why Wiesel’s religion will not be something that keeps him together in the camps, but instead a routine that is broken because he cannot keep to it anymore.
Question:
When the book says " Work means freedom" do the Germans really mean that? Or is it just something to goad them into working for them? Will the Jews really be free?
Response:
I think that the Germans are just using the statement to deceive them into working hard. What kind of freedom will they receive? death? Death can be liberty, because it frees them from all this hard work; they belive that they will be in heaven. Even if the Jews are alive and set free from the concentration camps, their minds are not free from the horror of Auschwitz, or the terrible stories Moishe the Beadle told.
Ted Wu:
They are probably checking which ones are stronger and more fit. Some of the weaker people would lose their stamina easily, so they'll become too tired to run. After they slow down, the officers would probably notice and plan to kill them.
Matthew:
DID God kill them? I think it was the Germans who did. And who knows that God might punish the Germans after? Killing some of the people might be God's way of freeing them from the concentration camp.
Another question:
page 34(big book)"Never sahll I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the small faces of children under a silent sky. Never shall i forget those flames that consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those momenets 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."
Another Question:
Can "Never forget" be a theme in the story?
to Frank:
The lady on the train shouted "fire" when they were in a state of sleep, when you just wake up, your brain doesn't work that well, so when she started to shout "fire" every one sleeping got up and atomaticaly went towards the window, before they knew who was shouting "fire".
What News did Stein of Antwarp get, his wife was dead or the information that he was going to be killed
Q: Near the end of the reading, Akiba Drummer says that God is "testing" them. Why would a God who is supposedly merciful and kind kill off the very people who believe in him?
A: The Jews can’t believe that something this terrible has happened to them, and any explanation is welcome, as long as it brings hope that things will change for the better. Helpless in the face of Germans and forced out of their previous life, they have only their belief left, so naturally their first reaction to this is that it’s another test, just like how their ancestors had been discriminated against. I don’t feel like the Jews truly believe that God is testing them, but because they have lost everything, their faith that God still watches over them is all that keeps them going. They don’t want to feel that God has abandoned them, so the only other possibility that this is a test of their faith, and gives them that God will protect them after they’ve shown their endurance.
I myself don’t believe in God, because I feel that it makes better sense to rely on yourself than to put your trust in something you can’t even see, but I understand how the Jews felt at that time. When everything you have is taken from you, your freedom of mind is the only thing left, so you cling on to that little part left of you. I would have done the same if I was forced in this situation too. Sometimes, faith is the only thing that keeps a person going after everything is gone, so I would have held fast to any hope available, such as the anticipation of seeing my family again, and Elie Wiesel did the same.
Q: Why didnt the Jews band together and help those in need. with the woman, they could've helped her, but instead, they attack her viciously. What does this show about the human nature?
I think Mrs. Schachter was screaming about fire because she imagines that is what lies in wait for them. Or perhaps to her, the fire symbolizes a gruesome death, which is certainly what awaits them. Auschwitz-Birkenau is probably the worst place you could ever go. I mean, the barracks are sturdy and all, and it was rather sanitary, as told by accounts from survivors. But you also have the greatest chance of dying. So you get a place to sleep that has sturdy walls, but you could also die at a moment's notice.
Demi: The main reason for the woman to be yelling about fire is for foreshadowing purposes about the harshness prepared for them. It was emphasizing how the road ahead of them was filled with pain and suffering in the form of fire. Fire has a lot of destructive power and many people fear it because of its ability to kill. When most people think of Hell they think of fire because of its dangerous powers. So the woman’s madness was a foretelling of the coming of Hell.
Many Jews considered Auschwitz to be a kind of Hell because it was such a brutal concentration camp. It was where many of the Jews died through labor or incineration. The woman was somehow given insight on the road ahead of them and she uncontrollably let it out.
When Ellie’s father asked for the location of the restrooms why did the gypsie in turn slap him?
“For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?” (Page 31)
For the first time Eliezer questions himself about God. Why should he thank Him, why should he bless His name? How could someone he has believed in for so long turn so cruel and unkind? From this quote we could see that Eliezer is losing his faith in God, losing faith that they will survive—“Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.”
Later on Eliezer even questions himself if his mother and sister is alive, working in a labor camp—“Where is my mother at this moment? And Tzipora…?"“How we should have liked to believe it.” Does this mean they don’t really believe that they are alive, they are just pretending? Pretending that they have faith that his mother and sister? Believing and thinking they are alive because they are afraid to admit the truth?
In this section of the novel, I think the author emphasizes the loss of hope. When they see how cruel people could be, they lose their faith in believing in themselves and others important to them.
Kathy: I thought they did tell her to be quiet and they even beat her.
For those who are asking about Mrs. Schachter screaming about the fire, I thought that I should remind everyone that this is a true, complete retelling of what happened to Wiesel when he and his family went though the Holocaust.
On to my response:
I was just wondering: when they get to Auschwitz, the people there seem to treat them so nicely. That's the impression I got from reading; correct if I'm wrong. Why were they treated so nicely upon arrival? They were even happy there for a while. I've heard that Auschwitz was one of the most brutal concentration camps. What's going on?
“For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?” (31)
In the first section, Eliezer was still faithful and devout towards his religion, but in this section Eliezer started to question God and he started to “doubt God’s absolute justice.” Suffering from the Holocaust, I think Eliezer will slowly break away from his religion. I think Eliezer would’ve been better off not being a Jew because they wouldn’t be so optimistic about their life and they would’ve escaped or revolted by then. But then again, if Eliezer wasn’t a Jew, he wouldn’t be caught in the Holocaust anyway. I don’t think it is possible for God to be all-justice, there will always be people with better educational opportunities or more political rights.
In the beginning of chapter 2 the Jews were trapped in a small wagon with no food and water, the Jews began to act like animals. This part reminds me of Lord of the flies because similar to the children in the island, the Jews are also forced to turn to their animal instincts. I think humans only show their evil side when they are forced to certain limits, which in the perspectives of Jews, the Nazis are the ones who are purposely pushing their limits. Before the Jews were all optimistic about the deportation, but when Madame Schaechter started screaming, the Jews optimism was starting to turn into worries and fears. I think the screaming of Madame Schaechter demonstrates the beginning of the evil world of the Nazis and the end of security and calm.
In chapter 4 Elie and other prisoners are completely treated like animals by the Nazis. Because of the brutal methods of the Nazis, the Jews are turned into obedient, animal-like machine humans.
"Our senses were blunted; everything was blurred as in a fog. It was no longer possible to grasp anything. The instincts of self-preservation, of self-defense, of pride, had deserted us. Within a few seconds, we had ceased to be men." This quote demonstrates that the Jews are forced to deny their identities because the only way to do that is to have no sense of emotions.
My Question: why do the Jews obey the Nazis eventhough they know tht one day they will kill them?
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Ted L- Did that "fire" that the woman supposedly saw symbolize anything? And i thought the fact that the woman screamed at night versus screaming in daytime when everyone was awake. Why did she do that? Did that mean anything else, because during class we discussed that the night symbolizes fear, so does that mean anything in particular?
I think the screaming of Madame Schaechter symbolizes the beginning of cruelty and the edn of security and calm. Before the Jews were all optimistic about the deportataion, but once when Madame Schaechter started screamind, the optimism turns into worries an uncertainty.
I agree with Jasper L. and Chuni, I think that the Jews were forced to run to speed up the process, so that the officers would have an easier time. The process would probably be ten times slower if they were walking. It can be also seen as an act of torture to make them more tired. Since it is a concentration camp, it can also be seen as doing work.
Throughout the days in the concentration camp, a major change in Elie can be seen. He starts to lose faith in God and questions himself on why he should thank him. During his days in the concentration camp, he questions himself, “Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?” (Wiesel, 31)
Kristen:
I think the significance of that quote is that it shows how Eliezer’s father doesn’t want Eliezer to be tortured and see things that makes them sad. It shows how Eliezer’s father wanted death than seeing the dead bodies of the children and the other Jews. After the baby-burning scene, Eliezer couldn’t “believe that they could burn people in our age, that humanity would never tolerate it…” and he exclaimed that he would rather suffer a quick death from the wires. Everyone started to weep and Eliezer’s father recited the prayer for the dead and Eliezer started to doubt the absolute justice of God. I think this foreshadows how Eliezer will break away from his religion.
On the train, Madame Schächter kept screaming that she saw a fire in the midnight. What is the significance? Is it forshadowing anything?
KATHY:
I think the reason that Elie didnt't tell Madame Schächter to shut up is because that under such inhuman conditions, no one will have enough conscious and energy to do such thing, so they let her scream.
hannah
Who's this prisoners? Why is he helping Elie and his father? Why only the two of them while there are many others?
What does this tells us?
I don't think the prisoner is anyone special, just someone nice secretly helping people out. He might have helped the other prisoners too, just that Elie didn't notice it.
Jenny:
My Question: why do the Jews obey the Nazis eventhough they know tht one day they will kill them?
The Jews still obey the Nazis because they get to live longer. Also, the Nazis supply them with a hope of freedom. THe man in charge of one of the blocks had said, "You will all see the day of liberation. Have faith in life, a thousand times faith. By driving out despair, you will move away from death. Hell does not last forever." (41) This promise of freedom drives the Jews to do the only thing they can to survive: obey the Germans.
On the way to Auschwitz, Madame Schächter kept screaming about the fire. She seemed to be insane, but in the end everyone saw that there really was a fire. What does this mean?
To Richard:
I think meeting the women on the train is significant because if the women didn't meant anything butto disturb the people on the train, then Elie Wiesel definitely wouldn't have repeated the women and what she had done so many times. Just like how to find the theme in a novel (look for repetition), Elie Wiesel repeated the poor women many times. I think she is trying to tell us that something that is going to happen in the future. Maybe she is trying to say that there will be a lot of fire, and that those fire (since she said they were big) were to kill the Jews. Maybe the German officers were going to stuff them all into a room and burn them all alive.
I think the women is a big foreshadow. A foreshadow that will foreshadow the death of all the people on the train.
Question:
Do you agree that the women screaming fire foreshadows that everyone on the train will be burnt? If not, what do you think the women foreshadows or symbolizes?
pg 31 "Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?"
pg 32 "Never should I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust"
In section 1, Eliezer is still very devout to his religion. But he begins to lose faith in God after he sees babies getting burned in the furnace. Auschwitz is the place where his God is "murdered". The optimism from section 1 is gone, and the fear increases.
Eliezer's father also changes. In section 1 it says that his father had "never any display of emotion," but on page 31 he breaks down and starts crying. This describes how awful the situation is and how fearful they were.
Angela:
I don't think they knew that they could be dead by tomorrow. The people were Sighet were optimistic and they still carried a bit of hope inside. They had never heard of concentration camps, so they didn't know the hardships they would have to face when they get to Auschwitz. When they arrived at camp, the people told them that families would not be separated and only the young ones would work in the factories. That gave them hope and they thanked their God. They were faithful believers of God and they wouldn't have believed that He would let anything happen to them.
In the train compartment, Mrs. Schacter keeps screaming about a fire and huge flames. Do the flames actually exist? Or are they just a symbol of her madness?
My thoughts on my own question:
I think maybe Wiesel wants to show the extent with which their fear has messed up their minds?
kevin/weifan: i think the mrs. schatchner [sp?] forsees things before they happen, but not of their fate and fortune. i think the fire just simply symbolizes the crematory and furnace at auschwitz.
albert: correction, it is a prisoner that told them to tell them another age. it is because the prisoner already knows that children under 18 will not be able to work, and Elie will be cremated, and that men that are too old, perhaps over 45 or 50, will be too old and weak to work.
reuben: When Elie's dad asked to go the bathroom I think the Gypsy slapped him because he had been treated the same way. The Gypsies were prisoners too, I think, and I think that that gypsy may have done the same thing and been slapped, and after so long in the brutal concentration camp he probably has lost a lot of his sense of right and wrong, kind and cruel.
Also in this section we see how the Jews are beginning to adapt their beliefs in order to hope in the face of such terrible conditions. They try to see the positive side of everything, and succeed at times, failing at others. I think that persisting optimism could be a theme in this story because it keeps reappearing every time it seems to have been crushed by the cruelty of the Germans.
On page 27-28, it says the following:
The man in charge of our wagon called to a German officer strolling down the platform, asking him to have the sick woman moved to a hospital car.
"Patience," the German replied, "patience. She'll be taken there soon."
When I read this i felt a sense of foreboding, as if the German was saying something more. Was there something he was hinting?
JASPER
Q: Why didnt the Jews band together and help those in need. with the woman, they could've helped her, but instead, they attack her viciously. What does this show about the human nature?
A: This is just human nature at its worst. At a time like this when then didn't even know if they themselves were going to survive the harsh conditions on the trains, they wouldn't care about the old lady. Our human nature tells us to look after ourselves before we look after others. The old lady kept talking about some fire, and it was annoying the others, so they just simply hit her to shut her up. Our human nature makes us competitive, and the situation that they're in right now is like survival of the fittest. They don't care about others, they only care about themselves.
In these chapters, I have seen the most desired part of the novel. The part where the author wrote and repeats, “I was terribly hungry,” It really made me feels the situation of the condition, hopeless and discouraging. Why are some people’s lives like this? Why do they deserve that kind of humiliations?
If I am in that kind of situation, I think I’ll act the same reaction as Elie Wiesel. I will too feel the same feeling like them, the feeling of fear. This feeling of fear is as if I can hear my own heartbeat, beating quickly, that scary and that fearful. Also, in the novel, the word “night” is a very important key word. It is the symbolism where the hopelessness and darkness comes out. In that kind of situation, I think I wouldn't do anything, but to wait. Right now it is really hard to consider about what action I’ll do, because you never know where you will wait or go crazy, you never know. If anybody who have been in this sort of experience, they wouldn't be talking about it and they wouldn't want to talk about it, like Elie Wiesel.
In the last page, the last sentence has leaved the reader a feeling of fear and hopelessness. “The iron gate closed behind us."–page 46 The desire feeling of hopelessness. It is extremely hard to describe it, but it this very easily understood and feel. It also gives a foreshadow to the reader.
To Jasper Huang:
Why didnt the Jews band together and help those in need. with the woman, they could've helped her, but instead, they attack her viciously. What does this show about the human nature?
This shows the selfishness within everyone. Our human nature is to protect ourselves. We need a lot of courage/determination to protect others and to fight for justice. Our another human nature is also to survive. Based on Lord of the Flies, the boys again and again lose their identity and became savages so they can survive in the wilderness. That woman is a risk to all the JEws, because she might attract the SS officers' attention and they might get killed.
"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in the camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times seals. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget these moments which murdered my God and my soul ann turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if ... Never."
What do you think this paragraph brings out? I think this shows the true power of the Holocaust and brings out the theme of "never again". Wiesel repeats numerous times in these few lines that he'd never forget his experience as a Jew during the Holocaust. The fact that it took him 10 years to talk to someone about his experiences shows how big of an impact Hitler has left in our history. Other than what I've mentioned above, do you think these lines mean something more?
“I stood petrified. What had happened to me? My father had just been struck, in front of me, and I had not even blinked. I had watched and kept silent.”
Witnessing his father being struck by a gypsy, Eliezer failed to react the way he normally would have, which would have been to strike back. What stopped him from striking back? Was it because he didn’t want to get into trouble? Or was it that he was frightened of the Gypsy?
Allen~
They wanted to keep the Stronger and healthy jews for work and stuff. So they kill the weaker ones first such as woman or children or the elderly. and they keep the Strong people
I think the woman screaming about the fire certainly plays a small role as a prophet in this chapter, also allowing the author to emphasize the panic and fear that diseased those brutally sent to Auschwitz. Although Jews believe that she has grown mad through the journey, but the descriptions ironically seem to express its meaning differently. Like no one had bothered to pay attention to Moishe the Beedle, it seems that all of the other Jews are ignoring another vital information that could have prepared them slightly for what was ahead. Does this not express how humans fear the truth more than the unknown? Is it really Moishe or the screaming woman imagining things, or is Ellie Wiesel trying to convey a message?
Angela:
I think the quote brings out the themes of hope and denial at the same time. In the back of their minds, they all probably knew there was a good chance of them dying at any given time, but they wanted to deny that and hope for the best. Maybe they refused to accept the fact that God would just let them go through so much torment. As a result, they are forced to create false hope to blindly follow. Though, this quote is also kind of sad. They can't deny the fact that life will get worse for them.
"Yesterday i should have sunk my nails into the criminal's flesh. Had I changed so much, then? So quickly?" (page 37 in the old version)
"I was still the spoiled child I had always been." (page 39)
"After that I had no other name." (page 39)
Elie is constantly reminding the reader of his changes, but he also slips in hints that he has not changed. How long do you think it will be before he loses himself entirely?
On page 26, it says “We had already lived through so much that night; we thought nothing could frighten us anymore.” This shows that they are so scared, to a point that where they aren’t afraid of anything anymore. After seeing so much in the camp, nothing could frighten them anymore, since it was all part of their “life” now.
I agree with Daisy. The Germans need some people to work for them. If the Germans killed all the strong ones, the weak ones can’t do a lot of work. They will die after they started working for only about two weeks, but on the other hand, if they leave the stronger ones, they can work for a longer amount of time and carry heavy stuff and build stuff for the Germans.
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