Wiesel, La Nuit Flashcards
What are the main themes in Elie Wiesel’s “La Nuit”?
The main themes include equality, freedom, identity, Europe, violence, and conceptions of history. The book focuses on the Holocaust, depicting violence, cruelty, hope/despair, dehumanization, faith, racism, nationalism, and fascism.
Describe the process that new arrivals undergo before entering the camps, as outlined in “La Nuit.”
The process involves new arrivals facing the demand to lie about their age and abilities to prove they are fit for forced labor. There’s a distinction between those who know what awaits them and those who don’t. Detainees try to save the lives of newcomers, urging Wiesel and his father to lie about their age.
What is the significance of the repetition of the words “cauchemar” (nightmare) and “rêve” (dream) in “La Nuit”?
The repetition helps convey the author’s emotional experience. It allows readers to perceive, in a certain way, the nightmarish and dreamlike feelings associated with the events described.
How does Wiesel depict the loss of childhood innocence in “La Nuit”?
Wiesel portrays the loss of childhood innocence through the necessity to lie for survival. Children, like Wiesel, are forced to lie about their age, experiencing a premature loss of innocence.
What moment in “La Nuit” marks the loss of trust in humanity for Wiesel and his father?
The loss of trust in humanity is evident when Wiesel and his father lie about their age and profession to survive, reflecting a loss of innocence and a pragmatic adaptation to the dehumanizing circumstances.
