Essay Symbolism in Elie Wiesel's Night

"The night seemed endless" (Wiesel 26) on the train to Auschwitz. In the memoir "Night" by Elie Wiesel, Night is symbolic, and its meaning can be interpreted in multiple ways. Night epitomized fear whilst also serving as a haven from the torture in the camp. The horrors Elie witnesses in the camp are relieved, even if it be for a little while, at night. Night is not just a period of respite, but also a time of anxiety for the coming day of torture.

Often, the theme of a novel extends into a deeper significance than what is first apparent on the surface. In the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, the theme of night and darkness is prevalent throughout the story and is used as a primary tool to convey symbolism, foreshadowing, and the hopeless defeat felt by prisoners of Holocaust concentration camps. Religion, the various occurring crucial nights, and the many instances of foreshadowing and symbolism clearly demonstrate how the reoccurring theme of night permeates throughout the novel.

In conclusion, Night, a novel by Elie Wiesel, is a heartbreaking and dark story Elie's memoirs during this time of war. He speaks of the misfortune he faced regarding his family and his own fate. Imagery is present at all times in order to help develop the story, this is revealed by the descriptions of the yellow star, his impressions on life in the concentration camps and death itself. This novel is able to fully develop the theme of human inhumanity, which directly connects

The Holocaust changed the lives of many. Those that survived have many terrifying stories to tell. Many survivors are too horrified to tell their story because their experiences are too shocking to express in words. Eli Wiesel overcomes this fear by publicly relaying his survival of the Holocaust. "Night", his powerful and moving story, touches the hearts of many and teaches his readers a great lesson. He teaches that in a short span of time, the ways of the world can change for the worst. He wants to make sure that if the world didn't learn anything from hearing about the atrocities of the Holocaust, maybe they'll be able to learn something from Elie's own personal experience. Usually, a person can internalize a situation better

In the memoir Night, by Elie Wiesel, the word night is repeatedly used as a metaphor symbolizing the conditions and emotions that the Jews struggle with during the Holocaust. Elie’s personal struggle with his experience evoke connotations of darkness that describe the inhumane treatment that Elie and the Jews are forced to endure throughout the memoir. In the beginning, Elie's town is invaded by German soldiers and soon, the Germans force all of the town's Jews to evacuate. After being thrown onto a freight train to Auschwitz, Elie experiences a whole new world filled with fear and hatred. Elie uses “night” to describe the struggles and hardships that he encounters throughout his experience. The literal meaning of the word night is simply the period of darkness everyday between sunset and sunrise. However, the metaphorical meaning of night, in this memoir, is far more sinister. As depicted in Night, the title metaphorically refers to the evil, hopelessness, and emotional coldness that the Jews are constantly forced to face throughout the Holocaust.

Elie Wiesel writes a powerful and moving novel titled “Night” detailing his journey throughout what we now know today as the Holocaust while also bringing in elements of symbolism and imagery to strengthen the novel and deliver a story that is not only incredible but impactful as well. Throughout the book Elie slowly begins to lose his faith, his father, and his dignity which is shown through the symbol of night. "We were given no food. We lived on snow; it took place of the bread. The days were like nights, and the nights left the dregs of their darkness in our souls"(Wiesel 94).” In this quote Elie states what the nights would bring to the Jews which is darkness. This reveals his feelings of being alone with no God and the dark of night that

Inhumanity. The cruelest of people are responsible for this. In Night, Elie Wiesel uses imagery, tone, and characterization to show the effects of inhumane actions. Night is about a young boy and his father who get separated from the rest of their family during selection of the Holocaust. This story tells how Elie survived his times in the concentration camps, even with all of the inhumane actions of the Germans.

The author of the book Night is Elie Wiesel and the main character is Eliezer. The title Night points out to the darkness of mind, life and soul experienced by everyone who had suffered in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. The theme of Night is Eliezer’s difficulty to maintain his faith in God. In the book Night, Eliezer’s faith fades away by seeing the horrible conditions of his surroundings, the painful deaths of many innocent people and by persecution.

Last but not least is the sense of smell which Wiesel used throughout the book by explaining the burners and crematories. “In front of us, those flames. In the air, the smell of burning flesh. It must have been around midnight. We had arrived. In Birkenau” (28, Wiesel). Along with the smell Wiesel had witnessed and heard awful events that took place in the burners. "Over there. Do you see the chimney over there? Do you see it? And the flames, do you see them?" (Yes, we saw the flames.) "Over there, that’s where they will take you. Over there will be your grave. You still don’t understand? You sons of bitches. Don’t you understand anything? You will be burned! Burned into a cinder! Turned to ashes" (30-31, Wiesel). This shows a different tone. It shows fear and worry because does anyone really

At this point, the Jews did not know where they were going and Elie had managed to stay optimistic but he began to change his feelings when he saw his father's tears. The tears were the first stage of change his fathers goes through. Elie had never seen his father cry, so he knew something was wrong. After a long uncomfortable train ride, the Jews ended up at Buchenwald. This is where Elie's family was separated from each other. He and his father were told to go in one line and his mother and sister were ordered to go into another line. It was the last time they would ever see each other again. As Elie and his father walked in their line toward the flames, Elie questions if they could actually burn a human being. When his father tells him that anything can happen on this day Elie says, "if that is so, I don't want to wait here. I'm going to run to the electric wire. That would be better than a slow agony in the flames." (pg. 31) His father did not answer him, he was crying. Although they ended up taking a sudden turn before getting to the flames this symbolizes the small thread by which he and his father hung on. Later on in the book after they had endured more pain and were forced to run and run Elie describes his father's appearance. "How he had changed! His eyes had grown dim. I would have liked to speak to him, but I did not know what to say."(pg. 34) Elie had sympathy for his father and did not like seeing him the way he was. However,

In Night, Elie Wiesel shares his experience of the Holocaust, where he loses his family and his friends. the dehumanization used on the Jews changed their views on the things they believe in. In the beginning Elie was a religious boy who never doubted God but then gradually his faith starts changing to believing in food and things he can only see. Elie Wiesel is telling readers that people's beliefs are weak and are easily controlled when they are in a

* “I shall never forgive myself. Nor shall I forgive the world for having pushed me against the wall, for having turned me into a stranger, for having awakened in me the basest, most

Part of what makes “Night” so challenging to read is knowing what will inevitably happen to many of the characters during this time era. Like the sinking of the Titanic, the fate of most will be tragic. Knowing that these innocent men and women in the novel were forced to endure such torturous events and had the ability to avoid them is painstaking to read. The verbal, situational, and dramatic irony seen throughout Elie Wiesel’s memoir makes his experience during the holocaust even more unreal.

As humans, we require basic necessities, such as food, water, and shelter to survive. But we also need a reason to live. The reason could be the thought of a person, achieving some goal, or a connection with a higher being. Humans need something that drives them to stay alive. This becomes more evident when people are placed in horrific situations. In Elie Wiesel's memoir Night, he reminisces about his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust. There the men witness horrific scenes of violence and death. As time goes on they begin to lose hope in the very things that keep them alive: their faith in God, each other, and above all, themselves.

Though faithful as they enter the horrific camps of Auschwitz, Bergen Belsen, Buna, Birknau, Dachau, and Buchenwald, the Jews become capricious. They start losing grip and begin falling down the slippery slope of death the Germans set up for them as more horrors of the camps become unveiled. Soon after arriving in the camp and being told about the crematoria, he felt “anger rising with me [Elie]. Why should I sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal terrible Master of the Universe, chose to be silent” (33). This is the first time that his faith is challenged. After a few days in Auschwitz he “had ceased to pray. I [Elie] was not denying His existence, but doubted His absolute justice” (45). As seen, Elie is beginning to have doubts about God and therefore his belief and faith in him. Finally, when Elie is looking for God to come though he doesn’t and he asks,