Mortality In Night By Elie Wiesel

Over the ages, philosophers have debated the meaning of humanity in pursuit of a way to differentiate between humans and animals, but each time the question arises a conclusion is never fully realized. Different religious beliefs have contrasting views on the meaning humanity. Likewise, scientists also have a plethora of ideas about what defines a human being. In Night, Elie Wiesel explores the idea of humanity and what it means to be human. Over the course of the anecdote, Wiesel compares and contrasts the actions of humans and animals, showing the similarities and differences between people and the other creatures on Earth with the goal of identifying elements that define what it means to be human, namely the recognition mortality and the

No human can live forever. Because life is limited, Wiesel argues that it’s what you do with it before it’s over that counts, that makes you human. Constrained by the walls of time, humans can not live in the past, nor in the future. Therefore, they must live in the moment. One way that Wiesel connects mortality with humanity is through the selection in the concentration camp. When Elie’s father realizes the SS officers selected him to be slaughtered, he could “fe[el] time was running out.”(75). Knowing he will not live forever, he gives his inheritance, a knife and a spoon, to his son. He understands his mortality, so he uses the time available to make what he views as the best choice. Humanity requires a finite lifetime in which one must make hard decisions to best use their time. Again, Wiesel shows the connection between humanity and mortality with the death of his father near the end of the book. When Elie’s father realizes he is dying, he, “began talking, faster and faster, afraid of running out of time before he could tell [Elie] everything.”(108). The threat of death affects how people live. A sense of urgency exists that only humans feel because they understand death. As a result of a healthy knowledge of death, people make hard decisions in order to use their time wisely. Wiesel believes that these factors partially define what makes people

Although his definition of what it means to be human is not complete nor perfect, Wiesel brings light to several elements that help start the conversation about what it means to be a human. Wiesel argues that a knowledge and recognition of mortality is essential to being human because it causes people to live with a purpose. Because humans are aware of an end, they must make the best of the time they have on earth. Additionally, Wiesel also states that emotional connection is inherently human. Without emotion, people would act like robots who fail to learn from their mistakes or have no emotional reaction to events, something that Wiesel implies is a defining factor of being human. Lastly, Wiesel shows his audience that being human is not much different from being an animal. Their responses to life-threatening circumstances can often be very similar. Both humans and animals exhibit the fight or flight instinct when attacked or frightened. Defining what it means to be human is a tough, inconclusive task, but Wiesel does his best to bring these important elements to the table for discussion about what it really means to be a human