Night By Elie Wiesel Analysis

“It is a mysterious thing, the loss of faith-as mysterious as faith itself. Like faith, it is ultimately not rooted in logic; it is a change in the climate of the mind.” Words well written by George Orwell, the story of Night by Elie Wiesel pervades to this as the reader examines the novel, depicting the destruction of faith after a traumatic experience that tests even the strongest of believer's faith in their leader. There are hundreds of moments in this world that can destroy someone's faith in their religion in only a few instants; the Holocaust is one of these moments that existed, a destructive massacre of the Jewish people. A young boy, who happens to be the author of this novel, was an extremely religious child in his youth; consequently,

Schachter who goes insane during the trip, having lost her husband to the war. Spoken with terror and madness, her words started to affect the others and to keep her quiet “the young men bound and gagged her. When they actually struck her, people shouted their approval: ‘Keep her quiet! Make that madwoman shut up!’” (26). No one moves to help her, the first sign that something is wrong; would it not be the respectful action to assist her and calm her down rather than beat her? After a few days on the train, they finally reach their destination and Mrs. Schachter once again cries out about a fire; when the townspeople check there truly is a fire, rising from the crematories of the camp. They exit the cattle cars quickly, leaving behind the weak people that could not make it any further, including Mrs. Schachter. The officers separated the group, males on one side and females and children in another line. As “[his] mother, [his] sisters, move to the right...[his] mother stroking [his] sister’s blond hair, as if to protect her,” Elie watches without realizing that “this was the moment in time and the place where [he] was leaving [his] mother and [his little sister] forever” (29). Then he walks forward with the rest of the men in line, the Angel of Death, Dr. Mengele preparing to examine the individuals.

Why should [he] sanctify,” or pray, “His name? The Almighty... chose to be silent” (33). But as he approaches the fires, preparing to jump towards the electrified barb wire, he feels his lips moving in the form of a prayer to God and two steps before he is to jump to his death, orders are given that the men are to proceed left and enter the barracks. The suffering of the two remaining members of the Wiesel family continues for years, until one memorable moment; the death of a little pipel for being the ‘servant’ of a man who tried to revolt; one man in the crowd asked ‘Where was the merciful God?’ as the rebels hung, the little boy alive for at least half an hour being strangled. “A voice [answered]: ‘Where He is? This is where-hanging here from this gallows…’” (65). By this time, broken spirits haunted the captives, faith extinguished as they watch the young boy struggle in the face of death without the protection of God, the one they had all prayed to for years. Soon, the two of the Wiesel family becomes one as his father dies of sickness a few weeks before being rescued by the American troops. The men are malnourished and as soon as they are free, they attack the kitchens, eating bread and soup until they finally felt sated. For the first time ever since he left the ghettos,