Literary Techniques In Elie Wiesel's Night

With some of the best selling books and highest rated movies being of the memoir genre, it’s easy to wonder how much of an impact they may have on the world. Through Elie Wiesel’s carefully crafted words in the critically acclaimed “Night”, the reader is immersed into the harsh reality that is the Holocaust and granted the opportunity to glance at Wiesel’s personal story. Though however renowned a memoir may be, the genre lacks the ability prevent such atrocities from happening again due to it’s unreliability, the readers own perception of the book and the obstinacy of human nature. Though unable to hinder forthcoming events, memoirs do present the freedom for one to share their intimate experiences, thoughts and feelings. The legitimacy of the memoir is highly dependent on the

In the context of Elie’s situation, he might have subconsciously omitted certain events due to their intensity or traumatizing consequences. He might have also simply forgotten various details of his encounters as even “with the best faith or memory in the world, it is impossible to re-create in writing a reality long gone by,” (Sungolowsky .pg. 132). Sungolowsky addresses the author’s restrictions in terms of their ability to recount the past as honest as possible. Wiesel apprehended ten years for the creation of this memoir so a little error in memory is to be expected however, this could cause the reader to challenge the frankness of the text. Elie may have also felt reluctant to share his experiences and while the memoir’s “degree of sincerity remains the sole prerogative of the [author], [he] can choose to shield himself behind his own writing” (Sungolowsky .pg. 134-135), due to fear of judgment or controversy. Sungolowsky discusses the author’s decision to hide specific details from the memoir out of uneasiness of their resulting image. The manner in which the author desires to be depicted greatly