Relationships In Maus One In Elie Wiesel's 'Night'

The Significance of Loved Ones “‘The only thing that keeps me alive,’ he kept saying, ‘is to know that Reizel and the little ones are still alive. Were it not for them, I would give up.’” (Wiesel, 45) In the graphic novel Maus II, Art Spiegelman reveals what hardships his father had to go through to survive his time during the holocaust. Elie Wiesel depicted what him and his father went through to withstand the suffering in the concentration camps during the holocaust in his novel, Night. The connection between these two works from contrasting genres is the relationships and the loyalty to family and friendships shown throughout these accounts. When facing critical situations, remaining loyal to your family and friends is more essential to

Furthermore, you will be able to receive support and resources from them. Your family and friends will be able to contribute to your survival. In Maus II, Vladek became acquainted with a benevolent French man who kept him from starving. “He insisted on sharing with me, and it saved my life.” (Spiegelman, 93) Due to his friend’s kindness, Vladek was able to receive items which he used resourcefully to attain food when he needed it. He was able to depend on his friend and avoid starvation in the camp. Having that friendship made him stronger in the fight against death. Elie also experienced receiving support and resources from his family. “ ‘Here, take this knife,’ he said. ‘I won’t need it anymore. You may find it useful. Also take this spoon. Don’t sell it. Quickly! Go ahead, take what I’m giving you!’...My inheritance…” (Wiesel, 75) When Elie and his father were getting ready to separate for good, his father gave Elie all that he could so that he could survive. Elie received his father’s last, most valuable possessions. Therefore, being able to depend on friends and family during a crisis plays a big role in survival. They can provide you with resources necessary to

They can become your will to live or the reason to keep going. Vladek was able to meet his wife, Anja, at the camp and stated, “ Just seeing you again gives me strength.” All it took for Vladek to feel strength to keep living was being able to contact his wife and seeing that she was safe. Motivation to survive is necessary in a critical situations similar to what the Jewish people went through during the Holocaust. What better motivation than your own friends and family? What better than to have the idea of living peacefully, together with your loved ones, after surviving the crisis as motivation? Elie Wiesel’s reaction when he believed his father to be dead demonstrates how significant relationships with loved ones can serve as your motivation to survive. “My father had huddled near me, draped in his blanket, shoulders laden with snow. And what if he were dead, as well? I called out to him. No response. I would have screamed if I could have. He was not moving. Suddenly, the evidence overwhelmed me: there was no longer any reason to live, any reason to fight.” (Wiesel, 99) Furthermore, he thought of his father as his only reason to keep persevering. At that moment, Elie lost his only reason to continue fighting what was invincible over all, death. Without his father’s love and support, Elie becomes more in danger of death. When fighting death, the most significant necessity is to have