Night By Elie Wiesel Theme

Theme Analysis Essay: Having and Losing Faith In God

Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right that protects all people. Religions faith can be tested under certain circumstances, which can falter the relationship one can have with their God. In the memoir Night, by Elie Wiesel, the author creates the universal theme that religious faith is questioned and challenged during traumatic events. Throughout the story, we see many relationships with God scarcely survive, and some completely fail entirely. For the duration of the memoir, Wiesel uses plenty of narrative elements to help convey this theme. He uses plot and setting to help depict the situation the characters are in, and how that tests their relationship with God. He also uses

Many who had a faith, had their relationship with God put through several trials and tribulations. Some relationships prevailed, and some failed, but the questioning was fundamental. As Moshe the Beadle says, “I pray to the God within me that He will give me the strength to ask Him the right questions.” (pg 33) The Holocaust forced many people to ask horrible questions concerning their relationship with God, but the fact that one is asking the questions in the first place, still proves their faith. For example, once Wisel found himself in the concentration camps, he started to question God, and why he permit something as horrible as the Holocaust to occur. On page 33, he asks, “Why should I sanctify is name?...What was there to thank him for?” Elie starts to question why he should continue to have a relationship with God, because He had allowed a traumatic event, such as the Holocaust to exist, proving the relationship to be challenged. As the story continues, Wiesel proceeded to ask himself questions. On page 67 he asks, “Blessed be God’s name? But why would I bless Him?” This quote is coming from the same person, who when asked why he prays, he replied with why do we breathe. Eliza was once a strong follower in Judaism, and although he questioned God, and the religion itself, his faith in God never truly went away. Once he was put in the traumatic situation of the Holocaust, his relationship with God was challenged, and