There were several characters that became part of Elie’s journey in the book; Shlomo, Moishe the Beadle, Idek, Dr. Josef Mengele, and so on. Shlomo, his father, is present throughout most of the book. He is highly respected by the Jewish community of Sighet, especially by his son. Alongside Elie, they try to remain together throughout their time at the concentration camp. Elie gains a will to survive for his father, for example on pages 75-76, when his father does not pass the selection he states “How good would it be to die right here!”
Elie does not want to be separated from his father and be left alone. The Jewish people were first taken to a concentration camp called Auschwitz, and when they arrived, Elie and his father were separated from Elie’s mother and his sister, Tzipora. Later on, they found out that the women and children were burned in a crematorium. The book states, “The baton pointed to the left. I took half a step forward.
“And deep inside me, if I could have searched the recesses of my feeble conscience, I might have found something like: free at last!...” (Weisel 112). When the Jewish people of Sighet, Transylvania were first being transported to concentration camps, Elie and his father were separated from the rest of his family, never to see eachother again over the course of the book. Elie’s strained connection is exemplified when his father, his only family member remaining with him, dies. Instead of feeling depressed, or even the tiniest bit of sadness, Elie does not feel at all.
Elies dad buried some of their valuables because he knew that it was going downhill quickly. They were soon moved to the small ghetto where they saw a nazi guard shoot an old guy because he was not walking fast enough. They were also told to stop and sit with no food or water in the very hot weather.
Elie talks about the numbness he feels without his father, the only person he trusted. Having his father with him during these trying times at the
Elie and his father struggle through hard times, but together they still manage to push through. Each time the prisoners come to a close call with their lives, Elie and his father manage to find a way to stay together. “My father was sent to the left. I ran after him. An SS officer shouted at my back: 'Come back here!'
Elie and his father thought the rest of their family was being sent to another part of the camp, unfortunately they were sent to their deaths in the gas chambers. They did not have enough time to say their sincere goodbye to each other because they did not know
Instead of being there to support his father Elie ignores his father for fear of being punished. In conclusion, Elie and his father
As he and his family ascend to the crematory they are both exhausted and fearful. An SS officer confronts the group of Jews Elie is traveling with. He gives the demands to split up between men and women. Not only at this point in the night will Elie’s family be split up but this is also the last time Elie will ever see his mother and sister’s again. All in one night the corruption occurred but sadly emotional pain caused from Elie’ family becoming separated didn’t end here.
Elie, also known as Eliezer, and his father were sent there and separated from his mother and sisters as men and women were sent to different places. What happens to Elie’s mother and sisters is not mentioned often, but Elie’s memoir is clear and devastating. The brutality, such as starvation, death, and torture, in the
When they arrive at the camp Elie and his father are put to work counting electrical fittings in a warehouse. Here, Elie meets Juliek, a musician and two bothers Yosi and Tibi. Later Idek beats Elie’s father and Elie does nothing to stop it. In the warehouse Elie accidentally catches Idek with one of the concentration camp girls. Angrily Idek beats Elie in public until he passes out.
After a very long horrid train ride of Mrs. Schächter “prophesizing” about seeing flames, the Jews of Sighet arrive at Birkenau where they are separated by gender. Elie and his father are now on their own. 4. With the fear of the first selection behind them, Elie and the other man are sent to the showers, and assigned to a barrack, A while later, all the men are transferred to Auschwitz. Elie and his father are given block 17 to stay in.
Elie’s relationship was cut off, as he was split from his mother and younger sister in the camps. As a young boy, Elie had the choice to go with his mother when they were separated. In addition to his loss of relationships Elie also begins to lose his faith due to the conditions that he suffered through. Elie faces enough dehumanization throughout his experiences in the camp that he views himself as less than human, and he starts to question if God is truly there. After being in the concentration camps for multiple months, Elie is sent to Buna and begins working in a warehouse for electrical parts.
The camp changes Elie, it breaks the link he used to have to his father. Even though they seem inseparable, they are alone when it comes to survival and endurance. Elie’s only wish upon seeing the beating is to get away in case the supervisor attacks him. This moment demonstrates that in the camp survival comes before anything else, even one’s family.
When Elie first arrived at Auschwitz he greatly relied on and lived for his father. Throughout Elie’s time at the camp, his relationship with his Dad became strained because of the unlivable conditions. Elie turned into the type of son that he did not want to be. The first time Elie noticed this change within himself was when his dad was being beaten by the Kapos. Elie said, “I kept silent.
