Night
Night
by Elie Wiesel
The book “Night” narrates the experience of Eliezer and his father while at the concentration
camps during the time of the Holocaust in the Nazi German regime. The Holocaust is a term
that describes the period in history, before the Second World War, when genocide of
approximately six million Jews took place. Various themes are put across in this book. One
major theme portrayed in this book is faith in God and region. Jews were stronger believer in
God and their faith. But their experiences inside the concentration camps made them doubt the
existence of God and the truth of their religion. This is exactly what happens to Eliezer.
Eliezer was a religious character in his family, though he never expressed any type of
spirituality until he was forced out of his home and into a concentration camp where his religion
fully turned into his faith. His faith undergoes deeps to the lowest levels when he could no
longer bear the prevailing situation at the camps. However, he is eventually able to overcome
his anger and resentment and revives his faith in God. This paper will focus on the transition of
Eliezer’s faith which was driven by his experiences in the concentration camps.
“Night” story begin in 1941 when Eliezer was twelve years old. He grew up in a town known as
Sighet in Transylvania. His family consisted of his mother and father and three sisters. In 1944,
Eliezer witnessed events unfold that would change his life and that of million other Jews forever.
The Germans reigned in on their town, took over everything and deported all the Jews to the
concentration camp in Auschwitz. Ellie narrates how they were forced into crowded cattle
wagons, for a horrific train ride to Autchwitz (Ch. 2. pg. 22). The condition of the train was
terrible and the people were treated worse than animals. At Auschwitz, Elie is separated from
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her mother and her three sisters and remains with his father. After a brief stay at Atschwitz, Elie
and his father are transferred to another camp, Buna.
At their stay in the two camps, Elie undergoes very dehumanizing processes and experiences.
They are constantly overworked and malnourished. Every once in while, the Jews prisoners
were appraised and those found to be weak were condemned to death by the furnace. Due to
the Advancement of the Russian army, Elie, his father together with hundreds of other prisoners
are forced to trek to another camp. Out of over 100 hundred prisoners only a dozen survive the
grueling walk in the harsh weather condition. Elie and his father were among the survivors but
his father died shortly afterward due to an aliment. On April 11, 1945, American troops arrived at
Bunchenweld in time to save Elie and the other prisoners who were fighting extermination by
the Germans.
One aspect that has constantly been highlighted during the narration of Eliezer’s ordeal during
the holocaust period is faith. Before the takeover of their home and their subsequent
confinement into the camps, Eliezer was a deeply religious boy, studious and who had a loving
family. He even report having studied the cabbala in the period before the holocaust. The
cabbala is an ancient Jewish tradition that entails interpretation of Hebrew Scriptures. In chapter
one, Eliezer narrates of his interest in Religion. His favorite activity was studying the Talmud
and spending time at the temple with his spiritual mentor, Moshe the Beadle. Talmud refers to
the mainstream texts in Judaism. During this period, Eliezer faith in God and religion was naive
and idealistic. He was fascinated by the Idea expressed in the religion and about God but his
faith had not really been tested. Through out his early life while at their home, he remained
religious but never expressed any type of spirituality.
After the invasion of their homes by the Germans and their subsequent enclosure into the
concentration camps, Eliezer’s views about God and religion drastically changed. As Eliezer
narrates, their fast encounters during the holocaust were very horrific and terrifying. Eliezer
narrates of their terrible ride to Auschwitz, witnessing of the burning of babies and the eventual
separation of their family. These events were so traumatizing to Eliezer and the only thing that
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kept his hope arrive was his faith in God. During the initial period of their detainment in camp,
Elie used to pray and it seemed his faith in God grew stronger. We are informed in the story
that, he identified with the Biblical character, Job, who also underwent suffering and
misfortunes. Many other prisoners also relied on their faith as a source of strength during this
period. In chapter 3, one of the prisoners, Akiba Drumer, sings Hasidic melodies and claims that
the ordeals they are undergoing are tests from God.
Eliezer stand and view point about God again changed after he began to feel that they have
overstayed in the Camp. It seemed like during the initial period of their confinement, Elie had
hoped that God would rescue them from the situation. With Months and years going by without
any sign of their redemption, Eliezer’s faith in God began to decline. His hope of ever surviving
the life at the camp diminished as situation went from bad to worse. In chapter four, Elie
witnesses the hanging of young Pipel. He watched the boy struggle for his life for about 30
minutes and then giving in to death. Elie felt that it was his God who was hanging on the
gallows and slowly and painfully his faith in God died. Elie replies to a fellow prisoner’s cry
“where is God now?” with his statement: “He is hanging here on this gallows…” (Chp 4, p 62).
In chapter five, Eliezer’s resentment against God persisted. He could not understand why they
had to suffer the way they did if there was a God in existence. He accused God of leaving them
at the point of their needs. However, in his rebellion against God, Elie report to have
experienced a feeling of loneliness and emptiness. As the Yom Kippur day approached, the
prisoners began to debate on whether to fast or not. Yom Kippur is one of the holiest days in
Judaism calendar, which is celebrated with a 25 hour period of fasting and praying. Eliezer
defies this day and swallows his food as his physical needs became more important than his
faith. Even the staunchest believers in God began to loose their faith. Akiba Drumer showed
doubts in his faith when he abstained from making the decision on whether to fast during Yom
Kippur or not. A rabbi from Poland is reported saying that God was no longer with them. When
Elie was in hospital after injuring his leg, a faceless neigbor told him that he had more faith in
Hitler than in God as Hitler was able to keep his promise to the Jews.
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In chapter six, Eliezer’s faith is rekindled after he witnessed the actions of Rabbi Eliahou’s son.
Eliahous was a rabbi whose son left him in several occasions during their imprisonment. Eliezer
prays to the God that he does believe in, that he does not become like this son. Despite his son
abandonment and cruelty towards him, Eliahou still went out to look for him. This action by
Eliahou restores Eliezer’s faith and hope. He could relate the action of the son that leaves his
father during tough times, to the situation between him and God. He decided to remain faithful
to God till the end no matter how the situation will turn out.
In summary, the memoir “Night” describes the ordeals that Eliezer and other Jews went through
during the Holocaust. A theme that is clearly brought out in this story is that of Faith, in God and
Religion. A very horrible picture is painted about Jew’s experiences during this period. Scenes
of burning babies, hanging and cremation of other prisoners and sons turning against their
fathers because of their physical needs are what characterized Eliezer’s life during the
holocoust. These tough experiences transformed Eliezer’s views and beliefs about God and
made various transformations in regard to Eliezer’s approach toward his religion. Eliezer’s life is
marked by a shift in religious faith from strong believe in God during post holocoust period, to a
period when he completely lost faith in God. At one time we are informed on how he was
dedicated to learning the ways of Judaism and at another we see completely lose his faith in
God. When things became worse he developed the conception that God was dead. He answer
his fellow prisoner who asks about God is is that: “He is hanging here at the gallows….”(Chp 4,
p 62). He was eventually able to rekindle his faith after observing the incident between Eliahou
and his son.
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Reference
Wiesel E. (auther) Rodway S. (Translator) (1982). Night. Bantam Books
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