Night themes Flashcards
The suffering of Jews
How the Jewish were treated during the holocaust.
Such as having to wear stars to show that they were Jewish.
As well as verbally and physically abusing the Jewish people.
eg. Separation of families and cremation.
“In front of us, those flames. In the air, the smell of burning flesh.”
Man’s Inhumanity to Man
Having no feeling/emotion and doing reckless actions towards another being.
Eg. Throwing the babies into the fire, Idek whipping Elie.
“I found my Father crying like a child… “my son they are beating me”…One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate. One less reason to live… I began to insult his neighbours. They mocked me… they laughed…”
Loyalty and Problem of Father/Son Relationships.
Sons have mixed feelings, due to the hardships they have endured. The relationships between some fathers and sons lessons the chance of the son’s survival.
Eg. Rabbi and his son, whilst they were running his son left him behind. he went to the shed to ask Elie and his father if they had seen his son. Rabbi’s son wanted to be rid of him to free himself, so he can have a better chance of survival.
Eg. Meir killed his father because he was holding a piece of bread. He killed his father although he saved him a bit of the bread. When Meir got the bread, he was also attacked and they both died.
Eg. Elie put his own survival before his father’s, such as when the gypsy hit his father and when Idek beat him.
Elie shares his food with his father, coffee etc when he should be the one getting his father’s share of food, as he is the sick one
“If only I didn’t find him! If only I were relieved of this responsibility, I could use all my strength to fight for my own survival, to take care of only myself… Instantly I felt ashamed, ashamed of myself forever.”
Kindness and Support in Adversity
Difficulties can bring out the worst in men and the best.
Eg. Prisoner advise Elie and his father to change their ages to aid with survival, changing their ages from 15 to 18 and 50 to 40.
“Do you hear? 18 and 40.”
Eg. French girl in the warehouse comforts Elie, after he was beaten.
“Hey, kid, how old are you?” “Fifteen” “No. You’re Eighteen” “But I'm not. Im Fifteen” “Fool. Listen to what I say” Then he asked my father, who answered. “Im Fifty” “No.” the man sounded angry. “Not fifty. You’re forty. Do you hear? eighteen and forty”
Faith and Loss of faith.
Religious faith is a major theme in Night. Elie is a devoted Jew. He thought he would devote his whole life to the study of religion.
Even during the holocaust many Jews continued their acts of worship, even if this decreases their chances of survival. Many Jews however loss of faith resulted in ignoring Gods existence, or thinking that he wasn’t real.
Eg. Elie asks frequently ‘Where is God?’ and not receiving an answer makes him an accuser to God.
No God intervenes.
The jews are a religious group.
“Where is God’s mercy? Where’s God? How can I believe, how can anyone believe in this God of Mercy?”
Remorse and Conscience.
Elie feels guilt (remorse) for failing to act in a matter that his conscience indicates (moral sense of right or wrong).
Eg. Failing to act against the gypsy who attacked his father.
Also, Elie contemplates abandoning his father.
“Elie recognises his weaknesses and he never acts deliberately to bring harm to his father or others.
No prayers were said over his tomb…His last word had been my name. He had called out to me and I had not answered.”
Role reversals.
Shift in relationships. Children assume responsibilities for their parents and also protect them from danger.
Elie frequently plan ways to protect his father.
Eg. Teaching him to march in step as well as saving him from selection.
When his father is dying Elie brings him food and drinks.
“I decided to give my father lessons in marching in step, in keeping time. We began practicing in front of our block. I would command: “Left, right!” and my father would try. The inmates made fun of us: “Look at the little officer, teaching the old man how to march…Hey little general, how many rations of bread does the old man give you for this?”
Loss of Identity and Alliteration.
Losing their individuality and identity.
Eg. The star Jews had to wear in public. No longer having names A-7713 was Elie’s number, that was what he was known in the concentration camp.
‘To take away people’s identity and sense of belonging is to take away their humanity.’
“I too had become a different person. The student of Talmud, the child I was, had been consumed by the flames. All that was left was a shape that resembled me. My soul had been invaded- and devoured- by a black flame”
Thoughts of death and death in reality.
Constantly exposed to how people think about death, approach death, avoid death and all the horrific ways in which we’ll die.
Eg.
People kill those who they have most reason to protect, Meir killed his father for bread.
Die giving comfort, Juliek playing the violin until he dies.
Elie wanting to throw himself at the electric fence.
“A violin in a dark barrack where the dead were piled on top of the living? Who was this madman who played the violin here, at the edge of his own grave? Or was it a hallucination? It had to be Juliek.”
Survival.
Night shows how much people can endure. An inidivuals survival doesn’t only depend on having strength and food, but also controlled by the authorities, actions by fellow prisoners and workload.
A prisoners state of mind, belief in God, determination and willpower often determined ones fate.
Eg. Some survived by betraying others.
Elie states numerous of times, “who would’ve thought we were so strong?”
“In the wagon where the bread had landed, a battle had ensued. Men were hurling themselves against each other, trampling, tearing at and mauling each other. Beasts of prey unleashed, animal hate in their eyes An extraordinary vitality possessed them, sharpening their teeth and nails.”
