Analytical Essay On Night By Elie Wiesel
Devastating. Horrific. Life changing. These are the types of conflicts that the Jewish people faced during the Holocaust. In the memoir Night, Elie Wiesel, a Jewish boy living in Germany, experiences the Holocaust first hand as he is sent to concentration camps and is changed immensely. Throughout the book, Elie’s faith and belief in God is altered forever, from before the Holocaust, while in the concentration camps, and when he is liberated.
As a boy living in Sighet, Elie Wiesel was very involved in his religion and his faith. Every day, Elie studied Talmud, and practiced religion, and his life seemed to revolve around God. At the young age of thirteen, Elie became interested in the mystical practice of Kabbalah and asked his father to teach him. His father told him he was too young, but even after being discouraged, Elie stated “‘...I succeeded on my …show more content…
own in finding a master’”(Wiesel 4). Even as a young boy, Elie had a sense of identity, and knew what was important to him. Elie had a desire to grow closer to God and improve spiritually. In the beginning of the book, Elie’s faith seemed very strong and showed no signs of it diminishing in the future.
While captive in Concentration camps on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, thousands of Jewish men gathered together to pray to God, and Elie’s faith was tested. Rather than join the men blessing God, Elie stood alone feeling “...like an observer, a stranger”(68). At this point, Elie had started to believe God had abandoned him and was letting his people die, which made Elie refuse to join in worshiping him. Elie showed he had changed when rather than join the men in prayer like his former self would have, he instead just watched in rebellion to God. As soon as Elie’s faith was tested by being put in the camps, it proved that it was no longer as strong and had started to falter.
After American forces finally stepped in and liberated the camps, none of the Jews felt a desire for revenge, or thought about God.
They had all been dehumanized to an extent that after being freed, they thought “...only of bread”(115). Elie’s family and religion had once been the most important things to him, but after everything Elie had experienced, all he cared about was his next meal and to survive. Elie’s faith was slowly destroyed throughout his experiences of the Holocaust.
In Night, Elie Wiesel’s faith was changed drastically because of everything he went through. Before the Holocaust, Elie’s faith seemed very strong, and he demonstrated it by being extremely involved in his religion. During his time in concentration camps, Elie’s faith proved it had been weakened, and almost fully lost. After being liberated, Elie no longer had faith in God. His once mighty faith had been crushed by the Nazis and the Holocaust. Today, nearly everyone faces tough times, but we must learn to push through them just like Elie did. When put through life’s tribulations, people’s beliefs and faith will inevitably
change.
As a boy living in Sighet, Elie Wiesel was very involved in his religion and his faith. Every day, Elie studied Talmud, and practiced religion, and his life seemed to revolve around God. At the young age of thirteen, Elie became interested in the mystical practice of Kabbalah and asked his father to teach him. His father told him he was too young, but even after being discouraged, Elie stated “‘...I succeeded on my …show more content…
own in finding a master’”(Wiesel 4). Even as a young boy, Elie had a sense of identity, and knew what was important to him. Elie had a desire to grow closer to God and improve spiritually. In the beginning of the book, Elie’s faith seemed very strong and showed no signs of it diminishing in the future.
While captive in Concentration camps on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, thousands of Jewish men gathered together to pray to God, and Elie’s faith was tested. Rather than join the men blessing God, Elie stood alone feeling “...like an observer, a stranger”(68). At this point, Elie had started to believe God had abandoned him and was letting his people die, which made Elie refuse to join in worshiping him. Elie showed he had changed when rather than join the men in prayer like his former self would have, he instead just watched in rebellion to God. As soon as Elie’s faith was tested by being put in the camps, it proved that it was no longer as strong and had started to falter.
After American forces finally stepped in and liberated the camps, none of the Jews felt a desire for revenge, or thought about God.
They had all been dehumanized to an extent that after being freed, they thought “...only of bread”(115). Elie’s family and religion had once been the most important things to him, but after everything Elie had experienced, all he cared about was his next meal and to survive. Elie’s faith was slowly destroyed throughout his experiences of the Holocaust.
In Night, Elie Wiesel’s faith was changed drastically because of everything he went through. Before the Holocaust, Elie’s faith seemed very strong, and he demonstrated it by being extremely involved in his religion. During his time in concentration camps, Elie’s faith proved it had been weakened, and almost fully lost. After being liberated, Elie no longer had faith in God. His once mighty faith had been crushed by the Nazis and the Holocaust. Today, nearly everyone faces tough times, but we must learn to push through them just like Elie did. When put through life’s tribulations, people’s beliefs and faith will inevitably
change.