Vocabualry/Journals/Essay/ReviewQuestions

	Ronald Williams Mrs. Bosch English Honors 10 7 January 2008 The Questions for Night Questions for Consideration: Elie Wiesel's Night 1) Where is Wiesel's childhood home? Locate the country on a map. Wiesel was born in Sighet in Romania. 2) Wiesel opens Night by relating his youthful desire to study the cabala. What is the cabala? The Cabala is the collection of Jewish writing mainly dating back to medieval times. Cabala is a mystical method of interpreting Scripture. 3) Wiesel says that when he was young, he wanted to study the cabala in order to know the truths of this world. What kinds of truths is he referring to? After you complete Night, return to this question: what kinds of truth was the young Elie ignorant of? After reading this novel I found out that the truths Wiesel was referring to was his God and Cabala. The truth was that the Jews were going through disaster for God’s purpose. 4) Why is Moshe the Beadle a significant character? What does he tell Elie about answers, questions, and the truth? After you complete Night, return to this question: why was Moshe prescient in his admonition to Elie? Moshe the Beadle was a very significant character because he was a master guide for young Elie who wanted to be taught the Cabbala, and warned the Jews about the coming disaster that will be upon them. People in the community looked down on him because he was poor. He taught Elie that some answers rest in the depth of the soul that you won’t find out until death. Answers lies deep within a person. Moshe the Beadle also taught Elie that men questions God. 5) Why do the people of Sighet ignore Moshe after he returns from his escape? Why don't they listen to him? The people didn’t believe in what Moshe had to warn them about, because he was a past master in the art of making himself insignificant. He was a poor man that everyone looked down on. When Moshe was trying to warn the people of the coming wrath; they thought that he was sick and didn’t know what he was talking about. 6) Who is Madame Schachter? In what ways is she similar to Moshe the Beadle? (Think about prophetic figures and how people often ignore them.) Madame Schachter was another significant character in the novel night because she warns the people abroad the train about the fire that she had seen in the night sky. She and Moshe was both rejected about what they had seen and was both considered crazy. The only thing Moshe and Schachter was trying to do was to warn the Jews of their disastrous fate. 7) Consider this passage on pg. 32:Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desires to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Never. This passage clearly shows how Elie has lost faith in his God. When he saw the burning of the flesh he no longer thought that God was on his side. No matter how long he live even if it is in eternity he will never forget what God has allowed them to go through. He totally gave up on God forever. 8) What is the context of this passage? How has the young Elie's theology changed? As you continue reading, ask yourself how this passage speaks to the rest of Night. This passage clearly shows how throughout the concentration camp Elie have given up on God. He didn’t know why God allowed the Jew to go through so much suffering. Elie theology had changed because once he thought that God could answer all of his questions, but instead he taught God didn’t have any answers for what the Jew was going through. 9) How does Elie's understanding of God and God's presence—or absence— continue to change throughout Night? When is he most angry with God? When is not angry at all? Mark passages throughout Night that illustrate his changing attitudes toward God. Throughout the pain that Elie had to go through he began to not have faith in God because he thought that he was cruel for letting the Jews go through so much disaster. Throughout the texts he had stated that he had given up on God forever for what he has allowed. Throughout the whole concentration camp Elie began to loose faith in God until he no longer had a relationship with him. He was most angry with God when he saw the burning of flesh in the pit. Later throughout the novel he begins to just forget about God. 10) What literal and figurative (symbolic or metaphorical) meanings does night have in Night? The figurative meaning of night is simply evil, condemnation, suffering, and no hope. When night came the Jews went through the most suffering. 11) Why do you think Night is such a slim book? Surely Wiesel could have included much more detail. Night is a slim book because there is enough information in theses pages for the reader to live the action that Elie had went through in the concentration camps. He probably couldn’t remember all the details that had occur during his life at the camp. 12) Is Night a memoir of tragedy or triumph? Can it be both? If so, why? If not, why not? Night was a memoir that was about tragedy which message was about triumph. Elie wrote documents about his own life in the concentration camps. There was a lot of death and suffering in these camps, but through it all he faced death and conquered it which gave him the victory. Vocabulary Prostrate 1. to cast (oneself) face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration. 2. to lay flat, as on the ground. 3. to throw down level with the ground. Interlude 1. an intervening episode, period, space, etc. 2. a 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. one of the early English farces or comedies, as those written by John Heywood, which grew out of such pieces. reprieve 1. to delay the impending punishment or sentence of (a condemned person). 2. to relieve temporarily from any evil. –noun 3. a respite from impending punishment, as from execution of a sentence of death. rations 1. a fixed allowance of provisions or food, esp. for soldiers or sailors or for civilians during a shortage: a daily ration of meat and bread. 2. an allotted amount: They finally saved up enough gas rations for the trip. 3. rations, a. provisions: Enough rations were brought along to feed all the marchers. b. Chiefly South Atlantic States. food or meals: The old hotel still has the best rations in town. Dysentary disease of lower intestine: a disease of the lower intestine caused by infection with bacteria, protozoans or parasites and marked by severe diarrhea, inflammation, and the passage of blood and mucus robust 1. strong and healthy; hardy; vigorous: a robust young man; a robust faith; a robust mind. 2. strongly or stoutly built: his robust frame. 3. suited to or requiring bodily strength or endurance: robust exercise. quarantine 1. a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease. 2. 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. 3. a system of measures maintained by governmental authority at ports, frontiers, etc., for preventing the spread of disease. apathy 1. absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. 2. lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting. humane 1. characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for people and animals, esp. for the suffering or distressed: humane treatment of horses. 2. of or pertaining to humanistic studies. grimace 1. a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, etc. –verb (used without object) 2. to make grimaces. nocturnal 1. of or pertaining to the night (opposed to diurnal ). 2. done, occurring, or coming at night: nocturnal visit. 3. active at night (opposed to diurnal ): nocturnal animals. livid 1. having a discolored, bluish appearance caused by a bruise, congestion of blood vessels, strangulation, etc., as the face, flesh, hands, or nails. 2. dull blue; dark, grayish-blue. 3. enraged; furiously angry: Willful stupidity makes me absolutely livid. pious 1. having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations. 2. characterized by a hypocritical concern with virtue or religious devotion; sanctimonious. 3. practiced or used in the name of real or pretended religious motives, or for some ostensibly good object; falsely earnest or sincere: a pious deception. interminable 1. incapable of being terminated; unending: an interminable job. 2. monotonously or annoyingly protracted or continued; unceasing; incessant: I can't stand that interminable clatter. 3. having no limits: an interminable desert. wizened dried up: looking wrinkled, shriveled, or dried up morale emotional or mental condition with respect to cheerfulness, confidence, zeal, etc., esp. in the face of opposition, hardship, etc.: the morale of the troops. . infernal 1. hellish; fiendish; diabolical: an infernal plot. 2. extremely troublesome, annoying, etc.; outrageous: an infernal nuisance. 3. of, inhabiting, or befitting hell. refuge 1. shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc.: to take refuge from a storm. 2. a place of shelter, protection, or safety. 3. anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape. oppressive 1. burdensome, unjustly harsh, or tyrannical: an oppressive king; oppressive laws. 2. causing discomfort by being excessive, intense, elaborate, etc.: oppressive heat. 3. distressing or grievous: oppressive sorrows. expelled 1. to drive or force out or away; discharge or eject: to expel air from the lungs; to expel an invader from a country. 2. to cut off from membership or relations: to expel a student from a college. Journals Ronald Williams Mrs. Bosch English Honors 10 11 January 2008 Reflections Page# 1-10 Moshe the Beadle was a poor man that lived humbled. He was a past master in the art of making himself insignificant of seeming invisible. Moshe the Beadle was a master guide for a young little boy who wanted to be taught the cabbala. One of Moshe the Beadle famous quotes was “There are a thousand and one gates leading into the orchard of mystical truth. Moshe the Beadle and the little boy grew a close relationship with one another. One day Moshe the Beadle was expelled from his own land and was now taken as a foreigner. Train came to take these Jews and all of a sudden they disappeared through the horizon. After weeks and months later, life had become normal again, and all the people had forgotten about Moshe the Beadle. Page# 20-30 All was awaiting for Father to come back home to give the whole family good news and about the situation that they were in. When papa returned his face was pale and full of emotion. He told his family the bad news that was about to take place. They had to get ready to leave their homes because all of the Jews were being taking away. The little Elie had gone to his neighbors houses to warn them about the horrible news. He went into a house to awake an old gray bread man. Elie told him to het his family together because they were going to be expelled from their homes the following day. The man looked at Elie like it was sum kind of game, but after looking at this little boy serious face he began to awake his family. The family was expelled from their homes the next morning by the Hungarian officers. The whole ghetto was evacuated the next day. Page # 30-40 it was Elie family turn to finally get into the trains. While on the train a woman by the name of Madame Schachter was screaming all through the night, a Fire. The men on the train began to beat her with blows that could have killed her, but she continued to shout out about a fire. Everyone one the train began to become worry about this lady. The Jews thought that an evil spirit was in her. The train was coming to its destination when they saw the smoke coming up from a chimney. As the bars unlocked and they stood outside they could smell the burning of flesh throughout the air. As they continued to walk they spited the males from the females which would be the last time that Elie would see his mom and his sister. He was with his dad when they entered the camp. The prisoners told Elie and his father with a brutal tone that there was flesh being burned. Page # 40-50 shortly after Elie had the conversation with prisoner they was brought to the barrack. They had to take off all their cloths and stand in the cold air. Shortly after that they had to change into their new outfits that the SS had given them. They near the pit which was in the flames. Everyone was scared out of their minds almost like walking after the Hearst at your own funeral. The burning of flesh was still in the air which brought concerns on their minds. It was so bad at the concentration camps that even Elie started to lack faith in his God. He wanted to question to the high God why was everything happening to his family and others. Elie said that he would never forget about the flesh that was being burned in the crematory. Page# 40-50 it has been a couple weeks that Elie and his dad had been in the concentration camp. Elie is really starting to doubt his God because of the situation that he and his dad are going through. Elie and his father were sent to a new camp called Buna. It was more relaxing and calm on this new camp. As Elie describes this camp it doesn’t seem like a lot of deaths are going on. When he asks some of the imamates of this camp how is it, they told them that there’s nothing to really worry about. As they went to the camp they had to go under a Medical checkup. Elie had his turn to go to the dentist to under his checkup. Elie had a gold crown in his mouth that he needed to get taken out. On his next checkup date he made up an excuse that he was not feeling so well in hope that the dentist would see him another time. The dentist ended up getting hanged some Elie didn’t loose his gold crown. Page# 50-60 in these couple of pages Elie was describing to the young girl how his last years at the concentration camp was. There was an alert alarm going off throughout the whole camp. All of the prisoners had to go back to their blocks to resist being shouted for being outside. While young Elie was looking out to find out what was happening he saw a man crawling outside on his knees trying to get some bread. Everyone knew that if any prisoner was caught outside they would be shot on the spot. The old looking man was successful for the moment that he was outside. The man must have had in his mind that he was going to do whatever he had to do in order to escape this cruel pain of the concentration camp. He yelled to the top of this voice and within second he was short to death letting only his blood tell his story. Page# 60-70 after the bombing of the camp the prisoners were allowed to roam the campus to see what had happen. There was not a single person killed off the bombs. Elie was not afraid of the bombs which landed heavy on the camp, but he was glad deep down because he knew that something was being done to the Germans. Death has no longer been a problem in the heart of Elie because he had seen death close to him. After the bombing of the camp all of the prisoners under went another health inspection to see if they were still good to work. When the inspection had past Elie and his father were both pleased that they both had past the checkup. Elie wanted to be as far away as he could from the block. Page# 70-80 Elie father has just found out that he was listed for the inspection list. He gave Elie a knife and a spoon for his son to keep because he thought that he was never going to see his son again. He had to stay behind while his son Elie goes onto work. When work was all over Elie rushed back to find out that his dad passed the second selection. Elie foot began to bother him and he decided to go see a doctor so he can figure out what to do. The doctor tells him that he will have to under go surgery the next day in order for his foot to be completely healed. So he under went surgery and the doctor gave him two weeks to rest and to receive plenty of food. An older man tells him that they are going to kill them if they stay past he next selection. Page # 80-90 after leaving the camp the SS officer ordered the imamates to run as fast as they could out of the camp. If any one stopped they would be shot and was never to get back up again. It was snowing without cease and I know that it was so cold outside. Elie knew that if he stopped he would come face to face with death. Even tough his foot was hurting he never gave up on his faith in himself to keep going. He also pushed his father to keep going because he knew if his father had died than he would have nothing to live for. He was tired out of his mind and he could see the dead corpses all around him as he past through the night. It seems like every bad event that took place happened at night time. It was very good to se that Elie father had made it that far on the Journey. Page # 90-100 it seemed like everyone had became like savages not having no more common sense. People were dying left and right because they had given up on themselves. There was no longer water to drink from so everyone ate the snow that was on the next persons back. Even a drop of bread caused men to kill. You had no brother, Fathers, or no relatives at this camp. There was a time when a son had killed his father over a piece of bread. Another selection had taken place during these long nights. All of the healthy people were to right, and all of the useless people were to step to the left. Among the people that had to step to the left was Elie father who had finally failed his selection. Page# 100-110 It was the last couple of days of the long journey that the Jews had to take. A lot of people had decided that death was going to be their fate. Elie understood that his own fate rested in his cold helpless hands. He came to realize that if he would have closed his eyes that he would have never open them up again. Elie father had gotten weak and he was on the verge of dying. Racing in the back of Elie mind was to give up on his father because he was going to die anyways. Elie had past his test because he head not given up on his father. He kept on encouraging his father to keep on and to never give up. His father ended up catching a fever. Once Elie went to bed that night he found his dad gone, but he knew that his father had been taken to the crematory. Essay Ronald Williams Mrs. Bosch English Honors 10 6 January 2009 The Death of Elie Wiesel Faith In the novel Night, published by Elie Wiesel; I have found the true significance of why Wiesel faith died while he was incarcerated in the concentration camp. When Wiesel was an adolescent he fought with all of his physical and mental strength to learn the Cabbala which he believe would help him develop an closer relationship with the God of the Jews. This historical collection of Jewish writing mainly dating back to medieval times was only practiced by Adults. Moshe the Beadle was a very significant character because he was a master guide for young Elie who wanted to be taught the spiritual implication of the Cabbala, and warned the Jews about the coming disaster that will be upon them. He taught Elie that some answers rest in the depth of the soul and that you won’t find them out until your very last breath. Moshe the Beadle also taught Elie that men question God because he is the only one who haves all of the answers. Wiesel must have had faith in God because he thought that he would know all the answers of existence, and could arise with a logical answer of why situations occur in his life. Although Wiesel survived the holocaust physically his faith died in Auschwitz because his God couldn’t come up with the answers why the Jews were going through some much destruction. “Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Never (Elie 1; Wiesel 32)". Throughout the pain that Wiesel had to endure he began to loose faith in God because he thought that he was cruel for letting the Jews go through so much tragedy and misfortune. During the course of the novel Night Wisel have indicated that he had given up on God forever for what he has allowed to happen to the Jews at the concentration camp. Throughout the whole concentration camp Elie began to loose faith in God until he no longer had a relationship with him. He was most angry with God when he saw the burning of flesh in the pit, which later throughout the novel he begins to forget about his God. The Jews was getting slaughtered like beasts and God was no where to be found. Wisel assumed that the all compassionate god whom he had placed his trust in was dead along with the Jews. This was the sudden moment that God was murdered out of Wiesel mind and he no longer had a conviction of the cabbala; he had given up on the God of the Jews because he had failed to provide the necessary answers that his soul needed. "Behind me, I heard the same man asking: "Where is God now?" And I heard a voice within me answer him: "Where is He? Here He is- He is hanging here on this gallows....." That night the soup tasted of corpses (Elie 2; Wiesel 62)." The prisoners of the concentration camp was just informed that there was going to be an Execution of three individuals. Amongst the three individuals there was an adolescent who had the appearance of a heavenly angel, and before the young lad was executed an elderly man made a profound statement; “where is God now”. Deep down in the heart of Wiesel he knew that the man would never find the answer because he believed that their God was deceased and there was no more anticipation, and shortly after Wiesel had convinced himself mentally that his God was dead on the gallows the young lad chair was kicked and he was now dangling from the thin and murderous rope. Unfortunately after the hanging the young lad failed to decease, and was left to die a horrible death in the presence of his fellow Jews. The SS guards literally forced the Jew to watch this young lad slowly let life be absent from his body. All of the tension in the atmosphere must have caused some of the Jews to loose a greater faith than they already had in their God. That same night Wiesel had his portion of soup that he denied because it tasted like corpses. After observing the torture that the angel face young lad had to go through and the suffering that the Jews had to endure it must have brought that very horrible taste to his soul, disgust in his God. During the course of the novel night the author Wiesel demonstrated to the audience the lack of his faith in the God of the Jews due to the suffering and pain that he and his fellow Jews had to go through. This caused young Wiesel to fire up hate for the God of the Jews because he allowed devastation to occur to the Jews without any possible cause. Although Wiesel had survived the concentration camp physically, but his faith in God didn’t last the entire journey. Wiesel believed that the God whom he had served since he was still in his homeland had died and so did his faith. He no longer desired the God of the Jew, nor did he want to ever forgive him for what he has allowed him to go through. Throughout the novel God had sent two messengers to warn the Jews of the upcoming wrath that they was about to encounter, but the Jews failed to realize Moshe the Beadle and Madam Schachter. The suffering that the Jews had to go through was not God failing to answer them, but it was the ignorance of the Jews not to take heed to the signals that was sent to them. Work Cited "Night Study Guide, Wiesel, Elie. Night. Hill & Wang edition. New York: Hill & Wang, 1960.