"The Night" analysis
ENC 1102
Module 2/ Final Draft
Spring 2013
The Relationship between Father and Son In the book “Night”, Elie Wiesel displays loyalty and solidarity within his relationship with his father even through the horrid obstacles he had to endure. Wiesel demonstrated to us readers that his love for his father was a stronger force for survival than the selfish idea for self-preservation. He also demonstrated how having little faith can conquer and that a person should not lose faith no matter how hard the challenges are. As times became harder, their relationship became stronger. Although their relationship transformed, Elie had to face burden and guilt towards the end of their journey. Before the deportation to Auschwitz, Elie recalls his relationship with his father to be extremely distant. Elie and his father did not have a close, intimate relationship. The distance between the two is so vast that Elie recalls his father as the one who “…was more concerned with others than his own family” (Wiesel 2). Elie felt that the people in his community were more of a priority to his father than his own flesh and blood. Rather than to demand attention from his father, Elie would always keep himself busy with numerous praying and studying the cabbala with Moshe the Beadle. He became quite fond of Moshe the Beadle, growing remarkably close to him instead because he did not receive the affection and love that a son would usually get from a father. When Elie and his father arrived at Auschwitz, there was a change in the way they relate. Elie recalls his father weeping because he wished that Elie went away with his mother rather than to see what they were going to do to him (Wiesel 30). This was probably the only time Elie ever saw his father weep. In this part of “Night”, Elie begins to feel his father’s affection and love for him. Elie’s father also begins to show emotion towards him. After spending countless days at Auschwitz, Elie experiences a stronger father-and-son
Module 2/ Final Draft
Spring 2013
The Relationship between Father and Son In the book “Night”, Elie Wiesel displays loyalty and solidarity within his relationship with his father even through the horrid obstacles he had to endure. Wiesel demonstrated to us readers that his love for his father was a stronger force for survival than the selfish idea for self-preservation. He also demonstrated how having little faith can conquer and that a person should not lose faith no matter how hard the challenges are. As times became harder, their relationship became stronger. Although their relationship transformed, Elie had to face burden and guilt towards the end of their journey. Before the deportation to Auschwitz, Elie recalls his relationship with his father to be extremely distant. Elie and his father did not have a close, intimate relationship. The distance between the two is so vast that Elie recalls his father as the one who “…was more concerned with others than his own family” (Wiesel 2). Elie felt that the people in his community were more of a priority to his father than his own flesh and blood. Rather than to demand attention from his father, Elie would always keep himself busy with numerous praying and studying the cabbala with Moshe the Beadle. He became quite fond of Moshe the Beadle, growing remarkably close to him instead because he did not receive the affection and love that a son would usually get from a father. When Elie and his father arrived at Auschwitz, there was a change in the way they relate. Elie recalls his father weeping because he wished that Elie went away with his mother rather than to see what they were going to do to him (Wiesel 30). This was probably the only time Elie ever saw his father weep. In this part of “Night”, Elie begins to feel his father’s affection and love for him. Elie’s father also begins to show emotion towards him. After spending countless days at Auschwitz, Elie experiences a stronger father-and-son