Examples Of Inhumanity In Night By Elie Wiesel

The depths of inhumanity know no bounds, but how have we ever wondered how far we can take it? Well, there is no extent to how far cruelty can go. The Holocaust was a prime example of this, as the corruption of inhumane nature spread among the victims of this harsh time period. In Night, Elie Wiesel illustrates the thematic concept of humanity, and the idea that once people's lives are jeopardized with the constant threat of death in dehumanizing conditions, people start to lose a sense of humanity, as developed through the use of foreshadowing, a tragic mood, and the symbolism of silence. First of all, Wiesel reveals how people in the concentration camps during the Holocaust have lost a sense of humanity through foreshadowing. "Humanity?

“A shadow had lain down beside him. And this shadow threw itself over him. Stunned by the blows, the old man was crying: "Meir, my little Meir! Don't you recognize me…You're killing your father...I had bread...for you too…for you too…” He collapsed.” (101). This part of the story occurs closer toward the end of the memoir, where another pair of father and son prisoners have already experienced the long term effects of the Holocaust together, including hunger and starvation. The quote gives off a tragic, heartbroken mood, as this father cries to his son for mercy trying to appeal to his son's humanity, reminding them of their familial bond (just before his son beats up and kills his own father for only one piece of bread). It is used to reflect the cruel occurrences that happened in the concentration camps. The tragic mood of this savage event in the narrator's experience conveys how desperate and selfish people had become for food, even if it means putting aside family and unleashing brutality toward those loved ones for their own survival - as violence and cruelty had become a norm, showing how people have lost their humanity. All in all, Wiesel uses mood to convey the theme of losing humanity, reminding us of the cruel, inhumane nature of prisoners who have been affected by the Holocaust, as families got torn apart by selfishness. Nearly

“No prayers were said over his tomb. No candle lit in his memory. His last word had been my name. He had called out to me and I had not answered” (112). At this moment at the end of the memoir, Wiesel's father had just died, and the narrator realizes that it was his fault that he let it happen, as he failed his duty to protect his father. This evidence contains symbolism of silence, since the lack of prayers and candles suggest the lack of hope and care, while having a metaphoric sense of darkness and isolation. It represents the absence of mourning and remembrance for Wiesel’s father, conveying thoughts of loss, guiltiness, and regret. Also, connecting to Jewish tradition, prayers and candles are typically used to honor and remember the dead, so the absence of these things symbolizes the dehumanization and disregard for human life. In addition, the phrase in the quote that “He had called out to me and I had not answered”, also symbolizes silence, which consumed Wiesel at the moment. This is because the close relationship between the narrator and his father that had once existed, is now deceased. It emphasizes the guiltiness and shame that the narrator is feeling now as he knows deep down that he has become heartless and uncompassionate enough to have no more care for family, letting his father die without any notice. It shows how