Elie believes it's better to fend for oneself rather to help one another. Elie and his father have been in Auschwitz for 3 weeks. His tent leader was had been explaining what they were to do this week. He says three days in quarantine after you will go to work and tomorrow medical checkup. He then asks Elie if he wants to get into a good unit. Elie replies of course but he adds a condition “I want to stay with my father"(Weisel 48 emphasis added). I bring this up because he was a young boy who wanted his father selfishly. He would have better chances of surviving with him. Later on while working in the warehouse his father is being beaten with a iron bar. Elie’s reaction surprises me “I kept silent. In fact. I thought of stealing away in order …show more content…
Later on the Elie is marching while the ss officers pace the jews while icy wind blows violently in their faces. Elies friend who was struggling to keep up with the pace. He no longer could keep the pace and collapsed into the snow “I soon forgot him[Zalman]. I began to think of myself again”. Elie says” I shivered with every step”(86 emphasis added)Zalman was to never be seen again. He forgets about his friend who just basically died and began to think of himself again it's ridiculous. Once arriving at Buchenwald Elies father is too weak to go on. Elies argues with his father for several minutes then he says “I listened to him without interrupting. He was right I though deep down, Not daring to admit that to myself. Too late to save your old father…”(111). Elie began to think of himself after realizing his father was soon to die and he would be alone. Elie is constantly thinking of himself instead of others. Lastly shortly after his father's death he states “And deep inside me, if I could have...I might have found something like: Free at last!…”(112 emphasis added) he felt free since he had nobody to take care of life would be easier on