Dehumanization In Night Research Paper

The book “Night” by Elie Wiesel is the story of a young Jewish boy undergoing Jewish removal, now known as the Holocaust. During this removal, the Jewish people of Sighet and our main character, Eliezer, underwent many dehumanizing events. These forms of dehumanization consisted of the removal of their identities and possessions, beatings, starvation, and much more. These forms of dehumanization were taken to the extreme during the Holocaust, many hangings and many deaths. Eliezer is separated from his mother and sister at the beginning of the book, leaving him to be very close to his father. With the arrival to Sighet from the German soldiers, they immediately began marking the Jews and stripping them of their identities and possessions. The Germans required every Jewish family to submit and release all their gold and other valued possessions; they later lost the rest during the arrival of the camps.

Everything had to be handed over to the authorities, under penalty of death.” (pg.25). The Jewish people have to wear yellow stars in order to identify them from the rest of the people of Sighet, though thought to be harmless this would soon lead to much more horrific events “The yellow star”. Oh well, what about it? You don't die of it.” (pg.9). Starting at the entrance to the concentration camp Eliezer and many other Jews are separated from their families through splitting males and females; they are later divided through the process of the selection. “Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight simple, short words. Yet that was the moment when I left my mother.” (pg. 29). Once the men and women were separated, they were further dehumanized by being either selected to work or killed, similar to animals on a farm. “There's a long road of suffering ahead of you. But don't lose the