Similarities Between Elie Wiesel And Larry Itliong

Two very different men led very different lives, and yet, both their works helped changed the world. These two men are known as Elie Wiesel, a human’s rights activists, and Larry Itliong, an American civil rights leader. Elie Wiesel, on top of being a Noble Peace Prize recipient, also received an honorary knighthood in London (2006) (cite: Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia). He is also a renowned author and has written over 35 books (most notably, Night). On the other hand, Larry Itiong was part of the 31,000 Filipino men who came to California to work in the late 1920s. Itliong devoted his life to his work, standing up against farm workers’ struggles from age 15 to his death. Both men lived through WWII, both spoke publicly about their

He was born after his two older sisters, and had one younger sibling (also a sister). During his childhood, Wiesel lived in a Hasidic community (Hasidism is an orthodox branch of Judaism). According to FamousPeople.com his studies revolved around religion, but his father, Shlomo, also encouraged him to read literature. His mother Sarah also wanted him to learn the Torah and the Kabbalah. Wiesel spoke Yiddish at home, but also speaks Hungarian, Romanian, and German.

In 1944 all Jews living within that region were sent to concentration camps. Elie Wiesel was only 15 years old. His younger sister died in the Holocaust with his mother; both were gassed to death in a gas chamber in an Auschwitz concentration camp. Wiesel wrote his famous book La Nuit (or Night)about his time in the concentration camps. Night features the death of his father at a concentration camp in Buchenwald; his father struggled through the pain of hunger and disease for days. Shlomo Wiesel’s life was ended by an angry soldier’s death blow to the head on was January 28,

Both men were public speakers; Wiesel was a lecturer and shared his Holocaust experience. Itliong led protests and strikes, and was often the voice of the Filipino farm workers. Additionally, neither had much of a childhood, their lives both took a turn at age 15; this was when Itliong immigrated to America, and was also the unfortunate year for Wiesel when he was taken to a concentration camp with his family. Finally, both people were subjected to oppression. Of course Wiesel was subjected to the German Nazis with his fellow Jews, and Itliong (like many other farm workers in the 60s) had his rights denied by the greedy farm owners. In spite of these similarities, Itliong and Wiesel lived very different lives. For example, Wiesel was part of the Holocausts, and Itliong part of the farm workers’ movement in America.

Additionally, Itliong was president of the AWOC while Wiesel was the chairman of the Holocaust Memorial Council. Lastly, while Itliong was part of the UFW, Wiesel and his wife started the Elie Wiesel Foundation, a charity that strives to combat ethical issues. Elie Wiesel and Larry Itliong, both led extremely remarkable lives. Their work helped change the world for the good of the people. Today few people look at the past, and recognize these names, but there’s doubt that Wiesel and Itliong were true heroes. Their struggle and efforts to fight not only inequality, but also