Night Research Paper

The novel Night, written by Elie Wiesel gives a firsthand account of the events of the Holocaust from one of its victims. The novel goes through some of Wiesel's experiences, and by association the trauma he faces. In Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night, Wiesel asserts that cruelty and inhumane treatment may result in a shift in one's individualism, spirituality and ethics. Ultimately the author's purpose is to suggest that trauma within an individual or group can cause them to lose their innocence much quicker than without. The cruelty displayed in Night demonstrates individuality being stripped away from the victims of the Holocaust. From the start of their imprisonment, the Jews endure treatment that causes them to become victims rather than people.

During the events at Auschwitz, the Jews of the camp would often pray, but the justifiability of their prayers were questioned by Elie. He describes his confliction with an extreme amount of emotion, “Blessed be God's name? Why, but why would I bless him? Every fiber in me rebelled… He caused thousands of children to burn in his mass graves” (Wiesel 67). Wiesel not only provides reasoning as to why he wouldn’t praise God, but the quote also contrasts Elie from the beginning of the novel. Wiesel includes this segment in the novel to highlight his change as a character. The Elie that lived to praise his God has turned sour against what he once stood for. The quote describes Elie’s complex relationship with God, and how the longer he is in the camp the more strained his relationship gets. As far as Elie is concerned, God has turned his back on his people in a time of abuse against them. The cruelty indured in the camp directly causes the shift in spirituality within Elie. This is so important in the novel because from the beginning it is laid out that Elie lived for God. Without that drive for religion Elie’s character begins to lose a part of himself, his innocence and childhood. Wiesel also compares his faith with those around him. He listens to their prayers and makes attempts to understand, but he remains silent during the prayers. He remains true to

The shifts were not always just as individuals. The shifts also affected relationships. “... his son had seen him losing ground… he had wanted to be rid of his father… [he] had thought by this separation to free himself of a burden that could diminish his own chance for survival” (Wiesel 91).This quote has a special significance because a son leaving his father mirrors Elie’s relationship with his father as he grows more dependent on Elie. The victims of the camp are so close to death that their fight or flight has been activated. They believe that it is either them or those around them, and they choose themselves. The cruelty they have faced has completely ruined their current ability to maintain relationships, and feel compassion for those around them. The ethical changes were often subtle until provoked. Once provoked the changes revealed themselves, and were more often than not violent. “One day… a worker took a piece of bread out… and threw it in the wagon. Dozens of starving men fought desperately over a few crumbs” (Wiesel 100). In describing the fight for bread as involving many, and for so little Wiesel’s detail of the situation stays with the reader. The scenario portrays how because of how the men were treated and starved they are willing to do anything for something of substance. Even killing the men they have suffered with. The men behaving