The book Night is an autobiography written by a valorous holocaust survivor named Elizer (Elie) Wiesel. The book takes place during Hitler’s reign and contains what I believe to be two exceedingly heavy and key themes: terror and hate. First, let's kick off with terror. One event that is crucial to mention actually happened when Elie first arrived in Birkenau. This is when he witnesses the horrific scene of babies being burned alive. Furthermore, this ties in with the theme of terror in so many ways, but I think it mostly connects with the fact that this was the first form of loss Elie experienced during his time at the concentration camps, which probably made it hit a little harder. Although, this event is absolutely mortifying to picture, …show more content…
It’s also interesting to wonder if he hadn’t made these bonds earlier while in the camp, would he still have chosen to stay with his father later on during their imprisonment? In addition, we have the moment when the Wiesel family first arrives at Birkenau and a stranger tells Elie and his dad to lie about their age. I personally believe that despite this not being something most people would take away from the book, it just may have been the most important thing that happened during his whole time at the internment camps. If this man had not given Elie and his dad that tip, this book probably wouldn’t even have been written because there’s a good chance Elie would have just been tossed in the crematory! Without a doubt, this may have been the biggest act of kindness/friendship shown in the entire book; furthermore, it was a stranger who could have turned a blind eye and not help at all who chose to not be indifferent. I think the takeaway the author was going for was that even the smallest gesture can make the biggest impact. Above all, I walked away from the book with many questions but also many understandings of how horrific the actions of the Holocaust