When Elie Wiesel was taken from his home and placed in a concentration camp, his entire life was changed. Everything from his life to his faith in God was altered. This affected him on a personal level, which made him rethink his position in life and what he believes in. This caused short and long term effects on what he thinks of himself.
Elie Wiesel was a 15-year-old boy from Sighetu Marmatiei in Transylvania. He was born on September 30, 1928. Elie Wiesel would go on to be a writer, a teacher, and a civil rights activist. He wrote a book called Night, in which he would recount the experiences he had after he was stolen from his home and forced to work in death and disease filled labor camps. During the holocaust, family members were stripped
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His belief in God was changed as well. Before the holocaust, Elie was active in his religion and beliefs. He would pray often and wished to know more about God. The holocaust caused him to question these beliefs. Several instances in his book Night recount a man asking the question “Where is God.” The first time, Elie replies with, “I don’t know.” The second time, however, he replies with, “He is up there.” after they have just witnessed the hanging of a young boy. This expressed the fact that he no longer believes in God. This is also noticeable later on in an interview with Oprah Winfrey where he avoids answering questions about whether he believes in God. The holocaust very deeply affected Elie. It made him feel like he was nothing. It made him forget who he was, and made him feel as if the world was every man for himself. Elie lost his father to the holocaust. This caused him to go into a blank state of mind where nothing but food and survival mattered. This lasted for months which were not described by him. Elie was strong enough to survive the holocaust which very few were able to do. He undoubtedly thought about suicide many times. His will to live was greatly tested by the holocaust. After he was separated from his mother and sisters all he had left was his father. Once his father died, nothing else mattered to