Drew Klinkhamer Mrs. Rivard History of the Holocaust 25 March 2024 Development of Elie Wiesel Elie Wiesel, the author and protagonist of Night, goes through a transformation throughout the events he describes. He wrote this book to tell others what it was like to be a Jew in the Holocaust. Another reason being that he wanted people to learn from what had happened, and to remind readers about the past so no one would forget. Through the series of events, readers can see Wiesel's personality fade. At the beginning of the book, Elie is a young and devout Jewish boy, deeply connected to his faith and family. However, as he experiences the horrors of the Holocaust, his beliefs and identity are tested in unimaginable ways. Elie was taken by Gestapo's, …show more content…
His first thoughts were, “The camp looked as though it had been through an epidemic: empty and dead.” (47, Wiesel). There was no sign of color in the camps, which made them seem bland. Elie knew it was going to be hard to survive. A few days at the camp, he was beaten and challenged with daily torture. Still further, Wiesel watched as others received punishment. Fortunately, he was one of few that was able to escape. He came back to his town to tell his story, his innocence and faith shattered, no one believed him. He witnesses the cruelty and brutality of the Nazi’s, losing his trust in humanity. The suffering and death he witnesses in the concentration camps challenge his belief in a just and compassionate God. Elie questions the existence of God and struggles to find meaning in the face of such immense suffering. Throughout the novel, Elie's transformation is marked by a loss of his former self. He becomes hardened, both physically and emotionally, as he fights for survival in the dehumanizing conditions of the camps. He learns to prioritize his own survival, even at the expense of others. Elie Wiesel writes, “I gave him what was left of my soup. But my heart was