Night Questions

1) Wiesel’s home was Sighet, Transylvania.

2)Cabala is a system of esoteric theosophy and theurgy developed by rabbis, reaching its peak about the 12th and 13th centuries, and influencing certain medieval and Renaissance Christian thinkers. It was based on a mystical method of interpreting Scripture by which initiates claimed to penetrate sacred mysteries. Among its central doctrines are, all creation is an emanation from the Deity and the soul exists from eternity.

3) Wanting to study the truths about the world to Wiessel is a lot different from the begining of the book. He sees how Hitler is working and how evil he is and wonders why he does. Also throughout the story he tries to find out about God and why he is letting this happen and that he doesnt believe in him. Although he doesnt believe in God he seems to always pray to him and seems to believe in him.

4) Moshe the Beadle is a significant character because he was the one who really introduced Eliezer to a type of commitment to Judaism. He widens Eliezer’s eyes. He tells him that faith is based on questions, not answers. He says that the truth can be found through asking the right questions, and this was Eliezer’s struggle. Moshe was prescient in his admonition because he was like a little warning of what is going to happen. He was trying to warn them, but nobody listened.

5) The people of Sighet decide not to listen to him because they dont think that hey stories he tells that happened to him could never happen to anyone ever. So when he tells the stories people call him crazy and dont listen to him.

6) Madam Schachter is a jewish women who is present in the cattle car with all the other Jews. She is sort of considered crazy because she just yellls out of nowhere FIRE FIRE and frankly thier is no fire, but when they arrive to thier camp thier is a cremotoria and that has a big similarity to fire. This relates to moeshe because people think that he is crazy for saying stories he sees and she feels a fire and it ends up thier is. SO they are both misunderstood and should be heard.

7) hearing these words makes me realiuze that this is exactly how he is feeling all of the time and it makes me feel so depressed. This is making them crazy and they will never ever forget about it.

8)Reading it shows just how much thier dreams have turned to dust and that his whole theology has changed. His life is terrible right now at the camps and when he gets back it will be the some because he has his morals ruined and what not.

9) At first the story begins and Elizezers beliefs in God are not on good terms and he is questioning. Later when they get into the camp he says he doesnt believe in him but yet he still prays to him. So i think that in his mind he doesnt think anything of God and that he is just thier but un his heart he knows the truth and that is he believs in him he will be safe.

10) After reading this book i have a totally different view on the night toime. This book has a wonderful title and the real meaning of it is that everything that happens to Elizer that is bad happens at NIght its like a time witout safety, he has to move from camp to camp at Night and has to leave his family at Night it is just a very insecure time for Elizer.

11)Wiessel surely could of included a lot more details about what happened to him and his family. I think that if he would of added al of the details he thinks that we would of lost the total expierience of the actual meening of Night.

12)This is a memoir of tragedy and triumph becaue of the different things that happen to Elizer he goes through tragedy when he has to go to the camps and do all of the horrible things but it also shows triumph because he has to get through it all and he does.

Night Vocab

Night VOCaB
1. Prostrate- to cast face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration.
2. Interlude-short dramatic piece, esp. of a light or farcical character, formerly introduced between the parts or acts of miracle and morality plays or given as part of other entertainments.
3. Reprieve-to delay the impending punishment or sentence of (a condemned person).
4. Rations-a fixed allowance of provisions or food, esp. for soldiers or sailors or for civilians during a shortage
5. Dysentery-Pathology. an infectious disease marked by inflammation and ulceration of the lower part of the bowels, with diarrhea that becomes mucous and hemorrhagic.
6. Robust- strong and healthy; hardy; vigorous
7. Quarantine- a period, originally 40 days, of detention or isolation imposed upon ships, persons, animals, or plants on arrival at a port or place, when suspected of carrying some infectious or contagious disease
8. Apathy- absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
9. Humane- characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for people and animals, esp. for the suffering or distressed
10. Grimace- a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, etc.
11. Nocturnal- of or pertaining to the night
12. Livid- having a discolored, bluish appearance caused by a bruise, congestion of blood vessels, strangulation, etc., as the face, flesh, hands, or nails.
13. Pious- having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations.
14. Interminable- incapable of being terminated; unending
15. Wizened- withered; shriveled
16. Morale- emotional or mental condition with respect to cheerfulness, confidence, zeal, etc., esp. in the face of opposition, hardship
17. Infernal- hellish; fiendish; diabolical
18. Refuge- shelter or protection from danger, trouble
19. Oppressive- burdensome, unjustly harsh, or tyrannical: an
20. Expelled- to drive or force out or away; discharge or eject

Night Journal
Date: 15 December 2007
Journal #: 1
Page/ Quote: "Babies were thrown into the air and the machine gunners used them as targets" (4)
I began this novel knowing that it was about the Holocaust. I have never really taken the time to really research it in full detail and full depth and whatnot, so I dove in thinking this can be a way for me to broaden my education surrounding this topic. So you know you that you start reading this and you think that it will be sortof easy but then you see that they use babies so that they can practice thier tarfet. OMG how could they do this what HEARTLESS people
16, December 2007
Journal #: 2
Page/ Quote: "They know we've buried everything, and that they'll have to hunt for it: it's easier when the owners are on holiday..." (19)
I just do not understand why or even how people grow to be so mean and awful. I almost could not even believe my eyes to hear that the people used the term HOLIDAY to describe the awful "journey" that they sent these poor innocent souls on. UGH! That just makes me so mad. This is not a holiday- it's a death sentence. I still am flabbergasted to even think of the nerve of these people. I would really like to wish, hope, even dream that they were stopped during this process of removing people from their homes and burning them... ALIVE. I really wish someone would have, could have spoken their minds. We all know every single person there was thinking it, but none of them who actually did speak their minds were killed on the spot- therefore leaving their message unheard and uncompleted. The entire situation just breaks my heart.
Date: 17 December 2007
Journal #: 3
Page/ Quote: "To save was our rule; to save up for tomorrow. Tomorrow might be worse." (21)
I couldn't even imagine.......... I couldn't even imagine living my life not to it's fullest because tomorrow might be worse! I couldn't even imagine living a bad day, and not worrying over it, because you know tomorrow might be worse! You are NOT supposed to live day by day worrying over the intensity of how BAD your day is. When you hear this you know the situation is harsh. It breaks my heart. I don't know if I could go on living in a situation like this. It is so awful, so depressing, so... so bad I can;t even think of any more adjectives to describe it! You just can't live life thinking how bad tomorrow will be- so don't eat today, or don't sleep allot today. I just wouldn't be able to handle it. It amazes me that Wiesel lived through it at the time, I can barely handle reading his novel!!!
Date:18 November 2007
Journal #: 4
Page/ Quote: "He didn't want to see his only son burn." (30)
This book really depresses me.It hurts to know that this is an autobiography. This really happens to thousands of people! It just makes me want to cry. Anyways, about the quote, this is kind of like a no-brainier! Of course he doesn't want to see his only son, yet alone ANYBODY burn to death. In his mind he is probably racing through the millions of thoughts cramming into his head. I'm sure he is feeling petrified... HELLO he is about to DIE. Then he realized that his son is going to die too. His entire family is about to die. Death is not something to fool around with. He is probably feeling like a failure; he didn't do his duty as the husband, as the father, to protect his family. He is in worse trouble then anyone else right now. He is feeling defeated and he does not want to witness his defeat, by watching his son burn in a slow painful death. He refuses. I would too.
Date: 19 December 2007
Journal #: 5
Page/ Quote: "The important thing is not to get transferred to the building unit... as if the choice were in our own hands! " (45)
If only the choice was in their own hands. If only they weren't here in this situation in the first place. If only these stupid concentration camps didn't exist whatsoever. If only... If only... this is all that could be done. Anything else would not be considered acceptable. Anything else would result in death! The way these people talk to the Jewish.... it's just.... unbearable. They make it seem like they CHOSE to be in the position they are in now. That is GARBAGE and they know it. They are probably thinking they are doing them a favor telling them little "hints" like what the important thing is to do.... but what they don't seem to understand is that they are just hurting them even more. They make them feel like it is their fault they are in their position in life! They did NOTHING to deserve this. Nothing.
Date: 20 December 2007
Journal #: 6
Page/ Quote: "Every heart trembled, but with envy above all" (57).
This scenario is related to when the man tried to sneak some extra soup- everybody watched, and yet did nothing. This is when this quote took place, but the irony of this is that this is what everyone has on their mind one hundred percent of the time; whether it be when someone gets a little extra soup or bread, or later on, the saddest thing, when you see someone die. Their conditions were so poor, so awful, so crude, they often became jealous and envied those whose suffering ended. This is just, pathetic... so sad... so heart breaking. I think that just speaks for itself.
Date: 21 December 2007
Journal #: 7
Page/ Quote: "Where is God. Where is he?" (61)
This is one of those situations in which even I as the spectator wonder where God is. I know what he is feeling and experiencing. It makes him wonder the actual existence of God, and in the long run ends up killing his spirit in believing. Personally, I do not blame him. If I was in this situation, I am sure I would question his authority as well. But being that this novel is autobiographical, we can obviously assume that he, Wiesel, survived- and that should be enough to prove His existence and authority, but I must keep in consideration that at the time, he had no idea on what could happen as his fate. He even had suicidal plans! I think his life being at stake was a bit extreme, but God knows his plans and knows what he is up to. He works in mysterious ways and everything happens for a reason.
Date: 21 December 2007
Journal #: 8
Page/ Quote: "I've got more faith in Hitler than anyone else. He's the only one who's kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people" (77).
Now this is just the icing on the cake. Now they are becoming more proud to speak of Hitler because of the lack of sincerity of their own kind. I could not even believe my eyes when I read this sentence! I almost had a heart attack. This is just a way to prove that this entire situation is just.... just.... just.... unbelievable. It is hard for me to even grasp the idea that this is really happening. This really happened in this world, yet alone in the authors LIFE! I don't even know what to think, it is all overwhelming, and then when I think of how overwhelming it is to me, it just breaks my heart to think of how overwhelming it must have been to poor Elie. He lived through this. He was a survivor. I feel like I am touching history as I read the novel. It holds the truth. That is just amazing.... I don't even know what to think.
Date: 22 December 2007
Journal #: 9
Page/ Quote: "The idea of dying, of no longer living, began to fascinate me" (82).
Was this their overall intentions!???!! To make everyone suicidal! OH! This makes me so mad!!! I could not even imagine living through this. And apparently Elie almost didn't make it either. The conditions were so poor, death seemed more appetizing! How could this be? How could someone cause such pain, such agony.How could one live even knowing all the harm they are causing. I sickens me. I can't even believe this is a true autobiographical story. I can't believe anyone had even lived through this, and then wrote about it. I can't even believe Hitler wasn't stopped. I can't believe the Holocaust happened on this planet, yet alone to actual people living normal lives. I can't believe anything anymore.
Date: 23 December 2007
Journal #: 10
Page/ Quote: "A hundred of us had got into the wagon. A dozen of us got out" (98).
This is just sickening to me. I don't understand why in the world someone like Hitler would do this to these poor innocent people. How could he live with himself knowing that he is killing people by the hundreds. These people have been worked until their wits end, and then when they get a simple ride in a wagon, as they leave again, eighty people died... they died from falling asleep from pure exhaustion, and being so tired, that they could never wake up again. It just makes me wonder, it makes me wonder how so many people could be under just this one man's control. I wonder why he wasn't stopped! I really want to bring myself to dream that this was not the way life was, but deep down it kills me to know that it was, and even more that maybe way far down the line, a relative of mine died just like all the others. It just breaks my heart...
Date: 27 December 2007
Journal #: 10
Page/ Quote: "From the depths of the mirror, a corpse gazed back at me" (109).
I could never imagine this......I have finally realized something about this entire experience. Many may have thought that being in a concentration camp was better than dying on the spot. But now I realize the reality. Those who died on the spot were the lucky ones. They were the ones who sis not suffer through any hard labor, harsh conditions, and pain- the pain of living internally and externally. The internal pain was so crushing, he made this little boy loose hope in God, in his father, and in himself. It was so awful, he looked at himself and saw a corpse! He saw a dead person living right before his eyes. He saw himself as two parts, his body, and him. He was so broken, his body just showed his pain and agony. He probably regrets being taken aside and saved from the fire hole. He probably would have liked to just die from the beginning, because now that he is alive, he feels dead from all the pain he witnessed and dealt with hands on. Either way, you were doomed.