Symbolism In Night By Elie Wiesel

The well-spoken Quintus Horatius Flaccus, more commonly known as Horace, once professed that hardship has the ability to provoke hidden skills that otherwise would have never displayed themselves. This philosophy is especially true in comparison to the life of Elie Wiesel, a courageous Holocaust survivor. Wiesel writes to all who haven't lived through the horror that is known as the Holocaust, in efforts of “transmitting the history of the disappearance” of those who were brutally and unrightfully killed. With a tone of gloom and mourning, Wiesel argues that if it wasn't for the fire that was ignited under him to relay the stories of those who were lost at Auschwitz, he would have never become the descriptive writer that he is. Many find that

For example, the troublesome events of the Holocaust instilled a drive within Wiesel to dedicate his life to writing about the horrendous months that he was forced to stay in Auschwitz, in hopes of retelling the stories of those who were brutally killed during this time. Wiesel contends that, “The fear of forgetting remains the main obsession of all of those who have passed through the universe of the damned. The enemy counted on people’s incredulity and forgetfulness. How could one foil this plot? And if the memory grows hollow, empty in substance, what would happen to all we have accumulated along the way?” (75). By explaining that he feels as if the memories of the Holocaust are becoming “forgotten” and “hollow” in content, Wiesel implies how distracted and unaware the modern generation of citizens are in regards to the discrimination and genocide that took place not so long ago. By using distinct imagery Wiesel validates his fears of others forgetting about those who died a gruesome death during this time of terror by providing a way of visualizing and ultimately relating to his valid concerns. After reading Wiesel’s phrase, one is

This descriptiveness is evident throughout Wiesel’s writing due to his ample use of specific imagery and diction. Though these elements aren’t blatantly obvious to his message, these additional pieces of information dramatically enhance the connection and visualization that is able to take place in regard to what the author is writing about. For example, due to Wiesel’s tenacious and repetitious use of imagery and diction, the ability to relate to what is being said becomes more second nature. Imagery has the power to excite the senses, making them work to their full potential. With the senses engaged, one becomes truly able to begin to comprehend what Wiesel went through. On the other hand, diction gives one insight into what time period a piece was written in. In addition to this, a varied use of diction has the ability to relay emotions from one party to another. In the case of “Why I Write,” Elie Wiesel’s use of gloomy (yet very direct) diction, implies how traumatic and horrific the Holocaust was. But, at the same time, in can be inferred from Wiesel’s diction how impactful this experience has been on his life, due to his use of words like, “duty bound” and “ my mission.” When all of these complex elements come into play, they create the beautiful piece of art that Wiesel originally set out to portray in hopes of retelling the experiences of his fellow captives that