Night by Elie Wiesel Notes
Characterization:
Eliezer-flat and dynamic
While he was the main character, we really didn't know much about him as a person, mostly the events that happened.
He is also dynamic because at the end of the book he no longer had such a strong belief in religion.
Moché the Beadle-flat and dynamic
Elie doesn't tell you much about Moché, and he changed from being a very focused on religion person, to being panicked
and trying to warn everyone.
Mom-static and flat
She was kind of a stereotypical, old-fashioned mother: didn't say much, just cared about her family, and we didn't know anything about her, not even her name.
Dad-static and round
There was a lot of background information on him and his relationship with others, and he was a lot like you would picture
a father to be: caring, looking out for his family, hiding his emotions, etc.
The sisters: Hilda, Béa, and Tzipora- flat
There is literally no information on these three expcept their ages, and how the mom wanted Hilda to get married.
Motifs:
Eliezer-flat and dynamic
While he was the main character, we really didn't know much about him as a person, mostly the events that happened.
He is also dynamic because at the end of the book he no longer had such a strong belief in religion.
Moché the Beadle-flat and dynamic
Elie doesn't tell you much about Moché, and he changed from being a very focused on religion person, to being panicked
and trying to warn everyone.
Mom-static and flat
She was kind of a stereotypical, old-fashioned mother: didn't say much, just cared about her family, and we didn't know anything about her, not even her name.
Dad-static and round
There was a lot of background information on him and his relationship with others, and he was a lot like you would picture
a father to be: caring, looking out for his family, hiding his emotions, etc.
The sisters: Hilda, Béa, and Tzipora- flat
There is literally no information on these three expcept their ages, and how the mom wanted Hilda to get married.
Motifs:
- Night
- Religion
- Unknowing
- Change
- Loss
- Smoke
- Silence
- Family
- Violence
- Survival
- Death
- Hope
- Faith
Theme:
People will do anything for survival.
This shown throughout the book. Some examples are when a boy killed his father trying to take his bread, Elie gave up his gold crowned tooth so to protect his father, one man tried to get to the soup when there was an air raid and ended up dying.
People will do anything for survival.
This shown throughout the book. Some examples are when a boy killed his father trying to take his bread, Elie gave up his gold crowned tooth so to protect his father, one man tried to get to the soup when there was an air raid and ended up dying.
Tone:
You can tell that Elie doesn't really want to write about his experiences, it's very reluctant, and some parts are very vague when you know it is definitely something that he'd be able to remember. It is also very somber, he doesn't try and make anything seem better than it was, he is very honest about the horrors he saw.
Mood:
While reading this book, I felt very sad. I would almost get depressed because it is just so horrible to believe these things actually happened. I also got sort of upset whenever he, or others, got upset with their parents and thought about abandoning them. Towards the end of the book I would cry a lot because I just felt absolutely horrible that someone had to go through all those horrors.
You can tell that Elie doesn't really want to write about his experiences, it's very reluctant, and some parts are very vague when you know it is definitely something that he'd be able to remember. It is also very somber, he doesn't try and make anything seem better than it was, he is very honest about the horrors he saw.
Mood:
While reading this book, I felt very sad. I would almost get depressed because it is just so horrible to believe these things actually happened. I also got sort of upset whenever he, or others, got upset with their parents and thought about abandoning them. Towards the end of the book I would cry a lot because I just felt absolutely horrible that someone had to go through all those horrors.
Symbols:
Night- in the book, all bad things happen during the night
ex. found out about the deportation, arriving at camp, marching, and Elie's dad dies during the night
Fire- stands for death
ex. Mrs. Schächter screaming about the fire (foreshadows the crematorium), when they are walking and
see the fire in the distance
Corpses- stands for literal and spiritual death
ex. at the end he looks into a mirror and sees a corpse: he's remembering all the things that happened
and that stole his childhood from him.
Night- in the book, all bad things happen during the night
ex. found out about the deportation, arriving at camp, marching, and Elie's dad dies during the night
Fire- stands for death
ex. Mrs. Schächter screaming about the fire (foreshadows the crematorium), when they are walking and
see the fire in the distance
Corpses- stands for literal and spiritual death
ex. at the end he looks into a mirror and sees a corpse: he's remembering all the things that happened
and that stole his childhood from him.
PICTURE Method
Predict- make a prediction on what's going to happen
Imagine- picturing what is happening
Clarify- does it make sense
Try- ask myself questions while reading
Use- relate to my life/things I've read (or watched)
Review- write a summary
Evaluate- essay "What does this book have to do with our world today?"
Imagine- picturing what is happening
Clarify- does it make sense
Try- ask myself questions while reading
Use- relate to my life/things I've read (or watched)
Review- write a summary
Evaluate- essay "What does this book have to do with our world today?"
Section 1
Prediction: the book is a book about the holocaust and is a real story of a Jew
Clarify:
Cabbala=ancient wisdom that reveals how the universe and life
work, not typically learned until older
Talmud=Jewish "orders"
Deportation=concentration camp/death
All Jews in Sighet were moved to one of the two ghettos there
The Jews were too scared to fight back
Try:
Why is it bad for Elie to want to study these books?
Why doesn't the whole family just run? Wouldn't that be better than their future?
How important is Elie's father to the Jewish community?
How are all these people able to make up stories when the truth is being told to them?
Use:
I have studied other religious things that might be frowned upon like Elie did
I have gotten really sweaty and hot, but not have access to water like when they were lined up outside
When things are really bad, I try and go about as usual like Elie did before they were deported
Review:
Elie found someone to teach him about the cabbala (Moché the Beadle), but he was eventually captured
but he escaped and returned to warn the rest of the Jews of Sighet of what was to come. Sadly, no one, not even Elie, believed the horrors he saw. Eventually the Germans took control of Sighet, but at first everyone believed that the soldiers were just nice people. They were then put into the larger of two ghettos set up in Sighet, were they stayed for a short period of time. The Jews set up there own little community, with their own police and council. After a portion of the Jews were escorted from the large ghetto and were moved to the other one. Elie's father told the older children that they could leave if they desired, but the wanted to stick together. After a few days the rest of the Jews were marched to the train station, and were sent off.
Cabbala=ancient wisdom that reveals how the universe and life
work, not typically learned until older
Talmud=Jewish "orders"
Deportation=concentration camp/death
All Jews in Sighet were moved to one of the two ghettos there
The Jews were too scared to fight back
Try:
Why is it bad for Elie to want to study these books?
Why doesn't the whole family just run? Wouldn't that be better than their future?
How important is Elie's father to the Jewish community?
How are all these people able to make up stories when the truth is being told to them?
Use:
I have studied other religious things that might be frowned upon like Elie did
I have gotten really sweaty and hot, but not have access to water like when they were lined up outside
When things are really bad, I try and go about as usual like Elie did before they were deported
Review:
Elie found someone to teach him about the cabbala (Moché the Beadle), but he was eventually captured
but he escaped and returned to warn the rest of the Jews of Sighet of what was to come. Sadly, no one, not even Elie, believed the horrors he saw. Eventually the Germans took control of Sighet, but at first everyone believed that the soldiers were just nice people. They were then put into the larger of two ghettos set up in Sighet, were they stayed for a short period of time. The Jews set up there own little community, with their own police and council. After a portion of the Jews were escorted from the large ghetto and were moved to the other one. Elie's father told the older children that they could leave if they desired, but the wanted to stick together. After a few days the rest of the Jews were marched to the train station, and were sent off.
Section 2
Predict: the family is going to be split up
Clarify:
The train car is very squished
The mother has gone crazy
The train car is very squished
The mother has gone crazy
Try:
Why would people hit and beat a mother in front of her child, especially when they are all equals?
Why would people hit and beat a mother in front of her child, especially when they are all equals?
Use:
I've been squished with other people in a tight space
My biological grandmother was driven certifiably insane
I've been squished with other people in a tight space
My biological grandmother was driven certifiably insane
Review:
After being stuck in a small train car, the family does not eat much of their food since they don't know when they'll get more. During the night, one of the women gets hysterical about being separated from her family and one night keeps on crying out that she sees a fire. At first the Jews try and calm her, but eventually tie her up, and then beat her when she won't stop. Then some men find out that they are at the last stop in exchange for a golden watch. Everyone is convinced that Auschwitz is just a labor camp, and that families will not be split up. When they finally spot a real chimney with fire they are all silent, and then some people start ordering the Jews to exit the train.
After being stuck in a small train car, the family does not eat much of their food since they don't know when they'll get more. During the night, one of the women gets hysterical about being separated from her family and one night keeps on crying out that she sees a fire. At first the Jews try and calm her, but eventually tie her up, and then beat her when she won't stop. Then some men find out that they are at the last stop in exchange for a golden watch. Everyone is convinced that Auschwitz is just a labor camp, and that families will not be split up. When they finally spot a real chimney with fire they are all silent, and then some people start ordering the Jews to exit the train.
Section 3
Predict: the family is going to be split up
Clarify:
Dr. Mengele was a doctor that did many crazy and random experiments on Jews
Try:
What is going to happen to Elie's sisters and mom?
Why are those men saying such weird things?
Which direction do you want to be sent: right or left?
How did those men find out what you want to say?
Why would they recite the Kiddish (the prayer of the dead) for themselves? Why not a prayer for survival?
Why would Stein give up his food for Elie?
Use:
I was separated from my family, and did not know what happened to them
I've been told strange, cryptic hints that later were very helpful
Review:
The men and women are all separated and a man tells Elie to lie about his age and job. When they get to Dr. Mengele, he sends Elie and his dad to the left because they said that they were 18 and 40, and Elie said he was a farmer. Some of the men think they are going to the crematory, but they end up not, and all there clothes and items are confiscated except for their belts and shoes, and they get all their hair chopped off. They then have to run to Auschwitz naked were they are randomly given clothes that don't fit. After that they are given a speech about the camp and what to expect if they don't do as told. Not long after, Elie's father is beaten because he asks where he can go to use the bathroom. Soon after arriving at the camp they meet up with one of their family members who Elie lies to and says that Stein's wife and children are still alive. For the next three weeks, Stein would continually visit and give Elie half of his ration of bread. Elie's father tells him that his mother and Tzipora are still alive, even though neither actually believe this. Then they are transported to another camp and after a few hours they arrive at Buna.
Dr. Mengele was a doctor that did many crazy and random experiments on Jews
Try:
What is going to happen to Elie's sisters and mom?
Why are those men saying such weird things?
Which direction do you want to be sent: right or left?
How did those men find out what you want to say?
Why would they recite the Kiddish (the prayer of the dead) for themselves? Why not a prayer for survival?
Why would Stein give up his food for Elie?
Use:
I was separated from my family, and did not know what happened to them
I've been told strange, cryptic hints that later were very helpful
Review:
The men and women are all separated and a man tells Elie to lie about his age and job. When they get to Dr. Mengele, he sends Elie and his dad to the left because they said that they were 18 and 40, and Elie said he was a farmer. Some of the men think they are going to the crematory, but they end up not, and all there clothes and items are confiscated except for their belts and shoes, and they get all their hair chopped off. They then have to run to Auschwitz naked were they are randomly given clothes that don't fit. After that they are given a speech about the camp and what to expect if they don't do as told. Not long after, Elie's father is beaten because he asks where he can go to use the bathroom. Soon after arriving at the camp they meet up with one of their family members who Elie lies to and says that Stein's wife and children are still alive. For the next three weeks, Stein would continually visit and give Elie half of his ration of bread. Elie's father tells him that his mother and Tzipora are still alive, even though neither actually believe this. Then they are transported to another camp and after a few hours they arrive at Buna.
Section 4
Predict: Elie and his dad will be separated
Imagine
Clarify:
Buna=better camp
Stay away from Idek
Whatever you do: don't draw attention to yourself
Try:
Why is Elie getting called out?
Why are they playing music?
Why is he being sent to the dentist?
What happened to the French girl?
What's wrong with Idek?
How does she know German?
Why is Franek (the foreman) so mean? I thought he was the nice one??
Why does Franek have such a change in his personality?
Why does Idek want to work so badly?
How did the guy that drank the soup die?
Why did that boy get hanged? I thought the guy that drank the soup died?
Why would that boy get hung when he did not take place in the sabotage?
Use:
While I don't have a golden cap, I have a cavity filling
I faked sick once when I was little like Elie did to escape getting his golden cap taken out
Once someone went crazy on me for no reason
I was punished for something that I had nothing to do with once
Review:
Veteran prisoners tell Elie that Buna is a good camp, just try to not be placed in the building unit. Elie is then put in a warehouse, and his father is transferred into it. After making friends, he has to go to the dentist who is going to take out Elie's gold crown, but Elie claims to be sick, and then the man gets thrown into prison for taking some of the golden teeth for himself. When one day Idek starts going into a frenzy and beating Elie, a young French girl tells him to just grit his teeth and wait. Later on, they reunite in Paris in the Metro. Anyways, one day Idek exploded on Elie's father and started beating him, and the whole time, Elie actually felt angry towards his father for not avoiding it. Franek starts threatening and bugging Elie about his gold crown, and eventually gets it after punishing him through Elie's father. After, Franek starts being nice, but is then shipped out of Buna. Before he left, Elie's unit had to work on a Sunday, and Elie went for a walk around the warehouse on his break. During his walk he came across Idek having sex with a young Polish girl, and Elie started laughing when he realized this was why Idek made them word. Later, Idek whips Elie in front of everyone so to get revenge against him.
During a bombing, a man goes and drinks some of the soup since everyone is hiding, and he ends up dying. A week later a boy was hung for stealing during the air raid, and he cried out against the Germans before dying. A time later, a pipel was hung because his 'master' was blamed with sabotaging the power station, and the little boy hung for more than half an hour before finally dying, and Elie thought to all the people saying "Where is God?" "Here He is... He is hanging here on this gallows...".
Imagine
Clarify:
Buna=better camp
Stay away from Idek
Whatever you do: don't draw attention to yourself
Try:
Why is Elie getting called out?
Why are they playing music?
Why is he being sent to the dentist?
What happened to the French girl?
What's wrong with Idek?
How does she know German?
Why is Franek (the foreman) so mean? I thought he was the nice one??
Why does Franek have such a change in his personality?
Why does Idek want to work so badly?
How did the guy that drank the soup die?
Why did that boy get hanged? I thought the guy that drank the soup died?
Why would that boy get hung when he did not take place in the sabotage?
Use:
While I don't have a golden cap, I have a cavity filling
I faked sick once when I was little like Elie did to escape getting his golden cap taken out
Once someone went crazy on me for no reason
I was punished for something that I had nothing to do with once
Review:
Veteran prisoners tell Elie that Buna is a good camp, just try to not be placed in the building unit. Elie is then put in a warehouse, and his father is transferred into it. After making friends, he has to go to the dentist who is going to take out Elie's gold crown, but Elie claims to be sick, and then the man gets thrown into prison for taking some of the golden teeth for himself. When one day Idek starts going into a frenzy and beating Elie, a young French girl tells him to just grit his teeth and wait. Later on, they reunite in Paris in the Metro. Anyways, one day Idek exploded on Elie's father and started beating him, and the whole time, Elie actually felt angry towards his father for not avoiding it. Franek starts threatening and bugging Elie about his gold crown, and eventually gets it after punishing him through Elie's father. After, Franek starts being nice, but is then shipped out of Buna. Before he left, Elie's unit had to work on a Sunday, and Elie went for a walk around the warehouse on his break. During his walk he came across Idek having sex with a young Polish girl, and Elie started laughing when he realized this was why Idek made them word. Later, Idek whips Elie in front of everyone so to get revenge against him.
During a bombing, a man goes and drinks some of the soup since everyone is hiding, and he ends up dying. A week later a boy was hung for stealing during the air raid, and he cried out against the Germans before dying. A time later, a pipel was hung because his 'master' was blamed with sabotaging the power station, and the little boy hung for more than half an hour before finally dying, and Elie thought to all the people saying "Where is God?" "Here He is... He is hanging here on this gallows...".
Section 5
Predict: Elie and his dad will be separated or his dad will die
Imagine
Clarify:
Try
Use
Review
Imagine
Clarify:
Try
Use
Review
Section 6
Predict
Imagine
Clarify
Try
Use
Review
Imagine
Clarify
Try
Use
Review
Section 7
Predict: Elie's dad will die from the cold
Imagine
Clarify:
Father=struggling to stay alive
Dad's name is Chlomo
100 in the train- 12 out
Try:
Is Elie's dad dead?
Why didn't those people try and do anything else?
How could that boy kill his own father?
What happened to the guy that strangled Elie?
Use:
The fight over bread reminded me of bird fighting over seeds
Review:
After being put into a train car when they are freezing cold, many die, and when they are getting all the dead bodies out, they go to take Elie's dad until Elie finally wakes him up after smacking him. Since they were given no food, one day some workman walking along the train threw bread into the train and watched all the men fight over the bread, and one boy actually killed his father over the bread. One night while he was sleeping someone tried to strangle him to death, so Chlomo called over his friend Meir Katz who took care of the problem. A few days later Katz began to feel very weak. When one man died, everyone began crying because they felt that they too were about to die. When the train finally arrived, only 12 people got off the train, and Meir Katz had remained on it, while the rest arrived at Buchenwald.
Imagine
Clarify:
Father=struggling to stay alive
Dad's name is Chlomo
100 in the train- 12 out
Try:
Is Elie's dad dead?
Why didn't those people try and do anything else?
How could that boy kill his own father?
What happened to the guy that strangled Elie?
Use:
The fight over bread reminded me of bird fighting over seeds
Review:
After being put into a train car when they are freezing cold, many die, and when they are getting all the dead bodies out, they go to take Elie's dad until Elie finally wakes him up after smacking him. Since they were given no food, one day some workman walking along the train threw bread into the train and watched all the men fight over the bread, and one boy actually killed his father over the bread. One night while he was sleeping someone tried to strangle him to death, so Chlomo called over his friend Meir Katz who took care of the problem. A few days later Katz began to feel very weak. When one man died, everyone began crying because they felt that they too were about to die. When the train finally arrived, only 12 people got off the train, and Meir Katz had remained on it, while the rest arrived at Buchenwald.
Section 8
Predict: Elie's dad is going to die
Elie will escape
Imagine
Clarify:
Chlomo is sick
Invalid=unable to do work
Try:
Why won't Elie just drag his dad into the showers?
Use:
I had kind of wanted my rabbit to die so that I didn't have to go out in the cold to take care of her
Review:
When they get to the camp, Chlomo just wants to die, and after an air-raid, Elie searches all over to find his father. When he does he takes him to the sick block, and Chlomo later reports that the officers said that if they are ill they should die anyways and that they didn't want to wast the food. Elie then gave him some of his food, and after a while of being sick Chlomo tells Elie where all the gold and money is hidden. Elie tries to get the doctor to do something for his dad, but the doctor refuses. Chlomo then reported they he was being hit along with not being fed, he was being hit, and when he was given food, his neighbors would beat him up for it. After a week Elie is told that nothing can be done for his father, and for a minute he thinks that he should have have both rations of the food- not his dad. Then he gives some of his soup to his dad because he felt so guilty. Elie decided to stay in the sick block, and an officer beat Chlomo up when Chlomo was begging Elie for water. Elie saw that his father was still alive, although greatly damaged, and in the morning his father was gone and dead, replaced with another invalid.
Elie will escape
Imagine
Clarify:
Chlomo is sick
Invalid=unable to do work
Try:
Why won't Elie just drag his dad into the showers?
Use:
I had kind of wanted my rabbit to die so that I didn't have to go out in the cold to take care of her
Review:
When they get to the camp, Chlomo just wants to die, and after an air-raid, Elie searches all over to find his father. When he does he takes him to the sick block, and Chlomo later reports that the officers said that if they are ill they should die anyways and that they didn't want to wast the food. Elie then gave him some of his food, and after a while of being sick Chlomo tells Elie where all the gold and money is hidden. Elie tries to get the doctor to do something for his dad, but the doctor refuses. Chlomo then reported they he was being hit along with not being fed, he was being hit, and when he was given food, his neighbors would beat him up for it. After a week Elie is told that nothing can be done for his father, and for a minute he thinks that he should have have both rations of the food- not his dad. Then he gives some of his soup to his dad because he felt so guilty. Elie decided to stay in the sick block, and an officer beat Chlomo up when Chlomo was begging Elie for water. Elie saw that his father was still alive, although greatly damaged, and in the morning his father was gone and dead, replaced with another invalid.
Section 9
Predict: Elie will be freed
Imagine
Clarify:
By liquidate the camp they mean kill all the Jews
Try:
How did the prisoners know what would happen to the Jews?
What happened to Elie's sisters?
Use:
I was once warned about a director of a play, so I knew not to audition
Review:
Elie stayed in Buchenwald for three months after his dad died, and he had been transferred to the children's block. He no longer wanted to do anything except eat. Ten days after it being announced that all Jews were to go to the assembly place (they were going to be liquidated) the Americans took over the camp and freed all the prisoners. The first thing that they did was eat lots and lots of bread. A few days after being freed, Elie got food poisoning and spent two weeks coming close to death.
Imagine
Clarify:
By liquidate the camp they mean kill all the Jews
Try:
How did the prisoners know what would happen to the Jews?
What happened to Elie's sisters?
Use:
I was once warned about a director of a play, so I knew not to audition
Review:
Elie stayed in Buchenwald for three months after his dad died, and he had been transferred to the children's block. He no longer wanted to do anything except eat. Ten days after it being announced that all Jews were to go to the assembly place (they were going to be liquidated) the Americans took over the camp and freed all the prisoners. The first thing that they did was eat lots and lots of bread. A few days after being freed, Elie got food poisoning and spent two weeks coming close to death.
Evaluate: What does this book have to do with our world today?