Memoir Project
By: Andrew Tao
Biography of Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel was born on September 30, 1928 in Sighet, Transylvania. He also wrote the book Night later on but before that he and his family were taken to a Nazi concentration camp at the age of 15. In 1945, he and two of his sisters were freed from Buchenwald. After that he began to study at Sorbonne in France and became a journalist. Elie Wiesel wrote many books and publications for France and Israel including Night.
Overview
World War 2 was one of the bloodiest wars in history. Over 38 million people died and 50 different nations were involved. Some countries became a totalitarian government, which means the government has total control and there is no opposition. Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazis, became dictator of Germany and began to attack. Other countries followed his lead such as Italy and Japan. The US got involved when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. After that the US took up leadership and began to lead the revolt against the Axis Powers.
Summary of Night
In the book Night, he and his family are taken away by the Nazis and his sister and mother are killed in a crematory. He and his father are forced to go to a concentration camp where they will work. Life gets tough and he witnesses horrible things. Then his father gets sick and eventually dies and he is forced to survive alone. Near the end, the Americans come and free everyone in the concentration camps.
Significant Quotes
"To hang a young boy in front of thousands of spectators was no light matter. The head of the camp read the verdict. All eyes were on the child. He was lividly pale, almost calm, biting his lips. The gallows threw its shadow over him" (61).
"The commandant announced that we had already covered 42 miles since we left. It was a long time since we had passed beyond the limits of fatigue. Our legs were moving mechanically, in spite of us, without us" (83).
"So much has happened within such a few hours that I had lost all sense of time. When had we left our houses? And the ghetto? And the train? Was it only a week? One night- one single night" (34)?
Writer's Purpose
I think the Writer, Elie Wiesel, wrote Night to share his story and experience during World War 2 and the Holocaust. Many people just hear stuff about it but he was actually in it and shares how it was tough and how his faith in god was tested. He may have also wrote it because at the time he was becoming a journalist and wrote several other books
Major Themes
Faith in God
Silence
Inhumanity towards other Humans
Father-Son bonds
Major Symbols
Fire & Night
Personal Reaction
I was actually shocked when I first read this book because before then, I had only heard about the holocaust from other people, but this book was in 1st person and gave a more in depth explanation to what happened and it came from his own eyes so it shared what he was feeling and what he was thinking.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read more about the Holocaust or would like to read books from 1st person that are true. It is somewhat similar to Anne Frank's Diary.