The author believes that determination was the key to surviving in tough times. For example, Elie Wiesel is with his father at a concentration camp called Buna. Wiesel walked in on something at the wrong time. The SS officer is furious and punishes him. On page 38 the book states, “I came forward. A box! he ordered. They brought him a box. Lie down on it! On your stomach! I obeyed… It was over. But I did not realize it, for I had fainted. I felt myself come round after a bucket of cold water was thrown over me… Get up!... I nodded ceaselessly. as if my head had decided to say yes without ever stopping.” This shows that even though he was being beaten, he just powered through it. Although, he had fainted, in the end he was able to get up, and obey to the officer. …show more content…
If he didn’t obey he most likely would’ve been killed. It takes strength to not talk back to someone who took everything from you. Another reason is, Wiesel is being moved from camp to camp because the Allies are getting closer to their original camp. He was hurt in the hospital, and didn’t know if he should move on with the rest of the camp or stay behind in the hospital to be supposedly killed. Wiesel and his father had to make a big decision. In the text on page 55 it says, “Do you think you can walk? Yes I think so. Let’s hope we shan’t regret it.” This shows how Elie had perseverance to try and stay with his father under the terrible circumstances. He could’ve easily gave up with the other hospitalized. He however kept going because of his will to live. After all the Wiesel has been through, he refuses to believe. He questions his own integrity. The last example is, Wiesel and his father chose to go with the others, and had to run to the other camp. If they stopped running they were killed. Later in the story, they reach the camp and they all collapse. His father doesn’t want Elie to die in his sleep so he attempts to wake him