In 1956 Elie Wiesel published his memoir “Night” based on his experiences in the Holocaust. Wiesel recalls life before being moved to a concentration camp. Wiesel shares the challenges he faced, the harsh environment, and the constant losses. Due to his experiences Wiesel changed throughout his time at the camps such as his relationship with God, his relationship with his father, and shifts his view of humankind.
Wiesel was very devoted to his faith and had a strong belief in God. He dedicated much of his time to learning Kabbalah with his teacher Moishe the Beadle. The difficult and harsh environment at the Auschwitz concentration caused a turning point for Wiesel’s belief. After discovering that people were being burned Wiesel no longer had
…show more content…
After being separated from his mother and sisters Wiesel’s only sense of home was his father which led to a growth in their bond. Once his father discovered that he might be going to the gas chambers he wanted to give Wiesel everything he had to help him “My inheritance… “Don't talk like that, Father.” I was on the verge of breaking into sobs. “I don’t want you to say such things. Keep the spoon and knife. You will need them as much as I. We’ll see each other tonight, after work.” (75) The two endured so much together, and grew such a tight bond. So it pained Wiesel that on a long journey to Buchenwald in line for the showers his father began to give up “I could have screamed in anger. To have lived and endured so much, was I going to let my father die now?> Now that we would be able to take a good hot shower and lie down? “Father!” I howled. “Father! Get up! Right now! You will kill yourself.” …show more content…
His experiences in the Holocaust changed his view on humankind. Not long after his arrival to Auschwitz he was on a procession heading to the crematorium. He noticed flames but soon saw the harsh reality of what humans are capable of “Babies! Yes, I did see this, with my own eyes… children thrown into the flames. (Is it any wonder that ever since then, sleep tends to elude me?)” (32) It hurt Wiesel when he discovered that his father was being beat by his own neighbors. It gave him another reason to not view human kind in a positive light “One more stab to the heart. One more reason to hate. One less reason to love.”