The Holocaust Study Guide Flashcards
Describe Elie.
Elie was very religious and had strong belief in God. He wanted to be the master of his religion. He seeks the truth for things. Then, he lost his faith as he continued to be a prisoner. He did not believe that God was helping him. Elie was also a loyal son to his father. He would not leave his father and did everything in his power to keep his father alive.
Describe Schlomo.
He was cultured and unsentimental. He had more concern for outsiders than for his own family. He and his wife were storekeepers. He rarely displayed his feelings, not even with his family. He was more involved with the welfare of others than with that of his own kin.
Describe Madame Schachter.
Madame Schachter is taken for a madwoman when she screams that she sees furnaces in the distance. She loses her mind during the journey and screams hysterically and repeatedly about a flaming furnace that she apparently sees in the distance. She terrifies the other occupants of the train, and she is repeatedly beaten by young men trying to silence her.
Describe Idek.
Idek is in charge of Elie’s work unit at Buna. He has the reputation of going crazy at random times. Once, when Idek got in one of his crazy moods, he beat Elie for no reason. Another time, Elie caught Idek with a girl, which resulted in his second beating. Later, Idek does the same to Elie’s father. Idek’s violence comes from a crazy, angry mood rather than a cold, calculated plan. He was caught with a girl that was half-naked, too.
Describe Sighet.
Sighet, Hungary was where Elie spent his childhood. Elie speaks of his townspeople regarding their attitude towards poor people and he states that although they help the poor they really don’t like them. Elie’s father was a member of the Jewish community in Sighet. Elie’s understanding of his place in the world was influenced by his need to achieve a higher understanding of his religion as seen in his interest in the Kaballah. The Jewish community is unperturbed by the imminent danger posed by the war even when warnings are delivered about the impeding destruction
Describe Buna.
The Buna camp was a factory to which the Auschwitz concentration camp Jews were sent if they seemed fit both physically and mentally to go work there. Elie Wiesel and his father were saved from execution by being transferred there with the condition that they will be submitted to hard hours of labor, starvation, brutal treatment, and discipline.
Describe Buchenwald.
Buchenwald is another section in Auschwitz where Elie and his father were directed to roll call and then showers. The showers were so crowded that they ended up not taking one. A siren started up and everyone was rushed inside because of a raid. Buchenwald is where Elie’s father got sick and died. Buchenwald was just like the rest of the camps.
Describe Auschwitz.
Auschwitz is the most commonly known death camp. Elie and his family were first taken there and then separated by gender. He never saw his mother or sister again but stayed close with his father.
What are Blockaltestes?
Blockaltestes are jews who organized the soup for everyone. The Blockalteste was the block elder and inmate functionary in charge of a single concentration camp barracks.
Describe the camp hospital.
The camp hospital was where Elie was taken for his foot. He needed an operation and was operated on by a doctor. He would’ve recovered in two weeks but the camp was evacuated that night. He went with his father. The hospital patients stayed and were liberated later.
Describe Elie’s relationship with his father. Was he a good son? Was his father a good father?
Elie and his father have stuck together in the camp, and stayed strong for each other throughout most of the story.
The time of crisis brought the father and son together for a long time, at one point only holding themselves together for the sake of the other. Yet, when his father faced dysentery, Elie began to resent having to take care of his father. I think this still made Elie a good son, and he only thought these things because of his suffering. This was why he thought of him as a burden, and for a time, considered taking his rations. His father was an okay father. He was always there to support his son, but at times, he wasn’t doing the best for his son. He rarely showed him any affection before the concentration camp, and when Elie didn’t want his ration of food, his father took it without questioning.
What is the symbolism of the title?
The symbolism of the title is the fear of night itself. Night is a time where all you have is too think, and then you can’t fall asleep. You are most alone at night and the fear reached Elie. Elie’s first night in camp was the scariest. All he had to do was think, and, at that time, was very dangerous.
Who said this:
“I don’t lose track of the days! I know exactly what day it is!”
Mr. Dussel
Who said this:
“You wouldn’t leave when I wanted to. You couldn’t leave your things. You couldn’t leave your precious furniture.”
Mr. Van Daan
Who said this:
“But when I begin to think, I get mad! Look at us, hiding out for two years. Not able to move!”
Peter
