Elie Wiesel Dehumanization In Night

Elie’s fight with dehumanization Enduring five concentration camps seems like an impossible feat, however, Elie Wiesel recounts his experience of just that in his memoir titled Night. Elie was imprisoned in theses camp (five different concentration camps) from the age of fifteen to the age of sixteen. Throughout his time in the camps Elie and many others experience unthinkable tragedies. After prolonged exposure to inhumane treatment the members of the camps began to lose their humanity. This process is known as dehumanization. Elie and countless others experienced the three different types of dehumanization: physical, psychological and social, although Elie manages to escape some aspects of the dehumanization process, he is still affected

This type of dehumanization affects the mind rather than the body. Many of the victims of social believe “It was as though madness had infected all of us” (Wiesel 26). This quote explains the emotional toll that is put on all of the prisoners. Being deprived of human qualities can take a huge emotional toll on a person. Elie and the others are greeted with such phrases as ““If anyone goes missing, you will all be shot, like dogs”” (Wiesel 24). Phrases like this became normal for Elie and the others to hear on a daily basis. On many occasions people were shot at or punished for no reason other than pure cruelty. On one train ride Elie overheards a woman screaming “‘look! look at this fire! This terrible fire! Have mercy on me!”’ (Wiesel 25). The harsh punishments and inhuman treatment became to much for this woman to bear. She had begun to hallucinate a burning fire outside of the train. This poor woman is treated so horribly she began to slip slowly into madness; madness that would ultimately lead her to her death. Even though Elie escaped the physical side of dehumanization he was still affected by

During this time in the book the Nazis are starting to separate men and women into two separate groups. After being separated they transport them to different concentration camps. This starts the process of social dehumanization because it takes away the support given by one's family members. Elie recalls “... the moment when I left my mother” (Wiesel 29). When Elie and his family are first Taken from their home he loses contact with his mother and sister. Although Elie is separated from part of his family he still gets to remain with his father. When Elie and his father first boarded the train to be taken to the camps Elie says “Still I was happy, I was near my father!” (Wiesel 32). Elie was glad to be with his father, it is a privilege that most people did not get to experience while in the concentration camps. Countless people lose their entire family, leaving them completely