Father Son Relationship In Night

Your father is someone you look up to, model after, he is someone you want to be like. But, entering a concentration camp could have a tragic impact on that relationship between a father and son. In Night, Eliezer and his father go through many ups and downs that reflect on how strong their relationship really is. Elie Wiesel uses an effective father and son relationship to illustrate the effects of what concentration camps have on human beings. Eliezer and his father own a quite distant relationship, a strong growing relationship, and a picture perfect relationship. To begin, Eliezer and his father’s relationship is seen to be quite secluded previous and within the early days of entering the concentration camps. Within the early days of entering
The relationship is seen to resemble a true father and son relationship when Eliezer becomes scared and nervous for his future. Once their cattle car arrives to the first concentration camp that they visit, Elie thinks to himself, “My hand tightened its grip on my father. All I could think of was not to lose him. Not to remain alone”, (Wiesel 30). Eliezer is relying on his father. He wants his father to protect him throughout his time at the concentration camps. The action that is seen here represents Eliezer’s firm dependance on his father. He wants to stick by his father throughout their time in the concentration camps. Eliezer does not want to get seperated and be on his own because he would feel weak and alone constantly. He wants his dad to protect him, just like any boy would want. The relationship between the two is also seen as very strong when one night the two are trying to fall asleep and Eliezer's father states, “Don’t worry, son. Go to sleep. I’ll watch over you.” and then Eliezer says, “You first, Father. Sleep.” (Wiesel 89). The two want to go to bed but both are feeling a little nervous and unsettled. Eliezer’s father usually is the one who watched over his son while sleeping but tonight, Eliezer wants to look over his father. This action shows the mutual respect and care that the two
At many times, the relationship is illustrated as so right and heartwarming. At the end of the novel, Eliezer’s father is seconds away from dying. Eliezer begins to narrate the death, “My father groaned once more, I heard: ‘“Eliezer…” (Wiesel 111). This quote is extremely important. At this time Eliezer finally feels the perfect love that he has always wanted from his father. Eliezer watching his father dying is very difficult and painful to watch but, him hearing his father say “Eliezer” as his final words must have been very heartwarming. The father and son relationship closes out here in a tragic way but Eliezer will now feel that love from his father forever and ever. The relationship has come a long way and for it to end like this is terrible but also just as beautiful. Another moment of the beautiful relationship is also seen prior to the passing of Eliezer's father. While watching his father die, Eliezer remarks, “I did not weep, and it pained me that I could not weep. But I had no more tears. And, in the depths of my being, in the recesses of my weakened conscience, (Wiesel 112). This quote illustrates the tough conditions that come upon people within the concentration camps. Eliezer is saying here that he cannot cry due to the fact that he has cried to many times within the camps and has run out of tears. Eliezer is extremely bereaved that