"Night"
By: Elie Wiesel
Comprehension Questions
Preface:
1.) Read the preface by Elie Wiesel. Why do you suppose Wiesel imposed a ten-tear vow of silence?
He took the vow of silence in memory of everyone who died in the Holocaust. He might have took the vow of silence because he was shocked.
2.) Why did he have trouble finding a publisher?
It was too morbid. It was to grotesque. It wasn't popular of a topic. It was also too sensitive of a topic to talk about.
3.) What is the “devastation that will never end”?
The "devastation that will never end" are the memories, the reflections, and book like this one. The ones that talk about devastation, like the Holocaust.
4.) What is Wiesel saying about how we can make sure that something this horrible is never repeated?
To inform and to never forget. To be educated and to be knowledgeable. To validate.
He took the vow of silence in memory of everyone who died in the Holocaust. He might have took the vow of silence because he was shocked.
2.) Why did he have trouble finding a publisher?
It was too morbid. It was to grotesque. It wasn't popular of a topic. It was also too sensitive of a topic to talk about.
3.) What is the “devastation that will never end”?
The "devastation that will never end" are the memories, the reflections, and book like this one. The ones that talk about devastation, like the Holocaust.
4.) What is Wiesel saying about how we can make sure that something this horrible is never repeated?
To inform and to never forget. To be educated and to be knowledgeable. To validate.
Foreword:
5.) Read the Foreword by Francois Mauriac. Why is Mauriac so moved by Wiesel’s book – of all the Holocaust literature he had seen?
Wiesel's book comes from the perspective of a child. He thinks it is a little more genuine and authentic. He also thinks that the graphic material included is an authentic representation or memory of the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel is remembering the whole event of the Holocaust.
6.) How do you explain the “inconceivable passivity” with which the Jews of Sighet yield themselves to the Nazis?
Jews are being passive because they are not an aggressive people. Also, it is because of fear. They might get killed by the Nazis by being aggressive towards them. In addition, part of it is hope. Jews just follow along the steps and hoping things will get better. They were naive.
7.) What aspects of Wiesel’s experience does Mauriac find most disturbing?
The sister and the mother are burned to death. Also, children are being hung and killed and people being transported in cars. Also, the father is being tortured constantly. Also importantly, Wiesel talks about the absence of God. He talks about how God isn't protecting the Jews. He relates people dying to Jesus dying on the cross.
Wiesel's book comes from the perspective of a child. He thinks it is a little more genuine and authentic. He also thinks that the graphic material included is an authentic representation or memory of the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel is remembering the whole event of the Holocaust.
6.) How do you explain the “inconceivable passivity” with which the Jews of Sighet yield themselves to the Nazis?
Jews are being passive because they are not an aggressive people. Also, it is because of fear. They might get killed by the Nazis by being aggressive towards them. In addition, part of it is hope. Jews just follow along the steps and hoping things will get better. They were naive.
7.) What aspects of Wiesel’s experience does Mauriac find most disturbing?
The sister and the mother are burned to death. Also, children are being hung and killed and people being transported in cars. Also, the father is being tortured constantly. Also importantly, Wiesel talks about the absence of God. He talks about how God isn't protecting the Jews. He relates people dying to Jesus dying on the cross.
Night:
8.) When and where does Elie Wiesel grow up? (city, country and time period) How old is he?
Elie Wiesel grows up and lives in Sighet, a little town in Transylvania. It was in the 1940s. Elie Wiesel was twelve years old.
9.) Try to picture Elie’s childhood. How is his childhood like yours and how is it different?
We both study and we are both religious. Differences is that I am Catholic and he is Jewish and that I don't live in Sighet, Transylvania, but Elie Wiesel lives in Sighet, Transylvania.
10.) Who is “Moshe the Beadle” and why does Wiesel begin the story with him?
Moshe the Beadle is Elie Wiesel's mentor. Moshe the Beadle also teaches Elie the Jewish religion. The story begins with Moshe the Beadle because Elie wants to express how dedicated he is with his faith and religion.
11.) What do Eliezer’s parents and the other in the community think of Moshe?
Eliezer's parents and the other in the community think of Moshe the Beadle as a clown and a poor person. Moshe is not well-respected.
12.) Why does Elie spend so much time with Moshe?
Elie spends so much time with Moshe because they talk about the Jewish religion and his faith and things that Elie is interested in.
13.) What is Elie’s father’s profession?
Elie's father's profession is a store owner.
14.) Is Elie’s father highly respected in the Jewish community?
Elie's father is highly respected in the Jewish community. People in the Jewish community go to him for advice on many things. He is well liked. People also go to him for questions and help.
15.) What has happened to Moshe that caused a great change in him?
Moshe witnessed the murder of dozens of Jewish people. He said that he has been taken out of town and into the forest. The Germans have taken them to kill them. Somehow, he escapes to tell the story to the community. He saw the people digging ditches, and then the Germans shot them with their guns and threw them in the ditches. They burned the bodies. He also saw babies being killed or used as target practice.
16.) How does this experience change Moshe?
This experience changes Moshe's faith. This experiences has caused him to no longer believe in God. He lost faith on God. The joy in his eyes is gone.
17.) How does the rest of the community react when he tells them what has happened to him?
The rest of the community ignores Moshe. They don't believe in Moshe the Beadle. A reason why they don't believe him is that he is the town clown. They think he is delusional. Some think he is crazy and making the story up.
18.) The Jews of Sighet are optimistic because of the news they hear on the radio in late 1942 and 1943. What is the news and why are they so optimistic?
The news is the daily bombings of Germany and Stalingrad and the preparation of the second front. They think people are coming to help them. They think the whole Hitler epidemic is going to die out. They think they are not involved and think it is just political issues.
19.) With an ironic tone, Wiesel says, “Besides, people were interested in everything – in strategy, in diplomacy, in politics, in Zionism – but not their own fate.” What does he mean?
This is ironic because the elders are worried about everything that is going on to the world except for them. They don't understand that they could be next to be killed. They think they are safe and exempt from the situation.
20.) Berkovitz brings news from Budapest that anti-Semitism (hostility or discrimination against Jews) war is rampant. Why then, is “optimism soon revived”?
Optimism is restored or revived because they think the Germans will stay in Budapest. They think the Germans can't go all the way to Transylvania. They still think that they are exempt from the situation and are too far away from the conflict.
21.) Why do “the optimists rejoiced” even three days after the German soldiers appear in Sighet?
Even though the Germans are in town, they are happy because the Germans are being polite to them. The Germans are using their manners. One German even gave a lady a box of chocolates.
22.) Why is celebrating Passover like playing a “comedy”?
Celebrating Passover is like playing a "comedy" because in this religious holiday their heats aren't even in the religious holiday. They are too distracted by the Germans' politeness and sincereness.
23.) What does the following mean? “On the seventh day of Passover the curtain rose.”
This means that the Germans arrest the Jewish leaders in Elie's community. All of a sudden, the happiness in the town of Sighet vanishes.
24.) Name the decrees (laws) the Germans put into place.
The decrees or laws that the Germans put into place are:
- they have to stay in their homes for three days
- they have to give up valuables and hand them over to the Germans
- every one of them had to wear a yellow star to signify that they were Jewish
- they can't go out to eat
- they can't travel by train
- they can't go to Church
- they can't go out past six o' clock at night
- if any of these decrees were broken or disobeyed, the person who broke it or disobeyed it would be put to death
25.) Describe the ghettos.
The ghettos appoint their own police force and welfare agency. They think that the ghettos have a government apparatus. They are surrounded by barbed wire.
26.) How do the Jews of Sighet generally feel about the ghettos?
The Jews of Sighet generally feel that the arrival of the ghettos is a good thing. They are living amongst the Jews of Sighet and they don't have to look at the soldiers anymore. They feel that they are excluded from the hostile environment. The Jews of Sighet enjoy that.
27.) Why do the Jews of Sighet think they are being deported and why is their destination kept secret from them?
They think they are being deported because they are too close to the front lines of war. Also, they think they are being taken to Hungary to work at a brick factory.
28.) How could the Jews of Sighet have possibly escaped from the Germans?
From the beginning, the Jews of Sighet should have left Sighet assuming that they believed in Mouche the Beadle.
29.) How do they prepare for deportation?
They brought personal belongings. They also were supposed to bring a backpack, food, and a few items of clothing.
30.) Why is there “joy” when the signal finally comes for them to leave?
There is joy because anything is better than just standing there and sweating and being thirsty and worried about what will happen next. They don't want to stand there miserably. They are relieved.
31.) How does Elie feel as he watches the procession or deportees?
Elie feels sorrow and pain. He watching other people share the pain and sorrow Elie feels as they go through the Holocaust.
32.) Who offers Elie and his family safe refuge?
Maria, the maid, offers Elie and his family safe refuge.
33.) Why doesn’t Elie’s father accept the offer?
Elie's father doesn't accept the offer because the father has stronger morals. He is an elder and well-respected person of the community. He doesn't want to abandon his community. He wants to continue having the role he already has in the community.
34.) On what day of the week is the family expelled and why is this ironic?
They were expelled on Saturday. This is ironic because in their religion they are supposed to rest on that day. But, they are forced to continue traveling to a camp by the Nazi Germans.
35.) They spend 24 hours in a synagogue. What are the conditions like? Give examples.
The conditions of the synagogue are bad and horrible. The German soldiers destroyed the synagogue. Furthermore, to keep order, the Germans forced the men to go downstairs and the woman to go upstairs. People are separated from their families. They go to the corner to go to the bathroom in the synagogue.
36.) How are the Jews moved out of Sighet?
They are put in a cattle car. Eighty people on one cattle car. It is very tight for the people.
37.) Why do you suppose no one tries to escape?
No one tries to escape because if someone tried, he or she would be shot. There is also a person in each cattle car that supervises the cattle car.
38.) Why does the Hungarian lieutenant move among the prisoners with a basket?
The Hungarian lieutenant is taking any valuables they have with them, such as gold and silver.
39.) What actions do “those who no longer wished to taste the bitterness of terror” take?
When Mrs. Schachter is scaring them, they try to calm her down. They are being obedient.
40.) Who is Madame Schachter and why is she so upset?
Madame Schachter is a Jewish woman. She is upset about being separated from her husband and two sons. She only has one son with her.
41.) How do the others treat her and why?
The others tie her up and gag her so that she can't scare them anymore. They are annoyed by her. She is terrifying everyone.
42.) What is the first thing the prisoners see when they got to Birkenau?
The first thing the prisoners see when they got to Birkenau is a fire. They see a chimney with flames rising from it.
43.) What do they smell?
They smell burning flesh. Bodies were burned in the fire.
44.) Who are the SS men?
SS men are soldiers of the German army. In the internment camp, they are not good people. They are Hitler's soldiers.
45.) How do Elie and his father get separated from Mother and Tzipora?
The SS men separate the men and the women, which separates Elie and his father from Elie's mother and Elie's sister, Tzipora.
46.) What is Elie’s last memory of them?
Elie's last memory of them is his mother stroking Tzipora's hair.
47.) Why do some of the younger men want to attempt an escape?
The younger men want to attempt an escape because they don't want to go to the crematorium and get burned. They don't want to die this way.
48.) Why don’t they go through with it?
The elders convinced the younger men not to revolt and to be optimistic.
49.) What lies do Elie and his father tell to Dr. Mengale and why?
Elie tells Dr. Mengale that he is eighteen and that he is a farmer instead of a student. His father tells Dr. Mengale that he is forty.
50.) Why does Elie’s father wish Elie has gone with his mother and why is this ironic?
Elie's father wishes that Elie should've gone with his mother because he wants to see Elie with the rest of the family. He doesn't want to see his only son die. This ironic because the father kind of wishes that he should've taken the chance of safe refuge when he was offered it.
51.) What do you suppose Elie would say to those who claim that innocent children were not murdered during the Holocaust?
He said that babies are going to the crematorium. He assumes that they and other children are being killed.
52.) What is the Kaddish and why doesn’t Elie join his father in reciting it?
It is a respectful prayer to the dead. Elie's father still has his beliefs and faith. Elie thinks that if they pray it, he supposes that they are going to die. Instead, he chooses not to recite it in hope of survival.
53.) How do the prisoners who are already in the barracks treat the newcomers?
The prisoners give them orders. They harm and hit the newcomers. The prisoners are mean to them.
54.) What are Elie and the others ordered to do?
Elie and the others are order to take off their clothes and to hold on to their shoes and belts. Then, they are ordered to go to the barber shop to get all the hair shaved off them.
55.) How does Elie change by the end of the first night? (physically, emotionally, and spirirtually)
Elie sees themselves as tormented souls. They gave up hope. They gave up God and their faith and are questioning themselves about why would God allow this. He considers himself as just a body without a soul.
56.) How does Elie keep his his shoes from the “Kapos” at first?
The mud disguises the fact that Elie's shoes are new. Elie's new shoes look older with the mud on them.
57.) According to the SS officer, what is the only way to avoid the furnaces?
According to the SS officer, the only way to avoid the furnaces is to work. If someone refuses to work, that person who refuses to work will be put to death.
58.) Why does the gypsy strike Elie’s father and how does Elie react?
The gypsy strikes Elie's father because of the fact that Elie's father asks the gypsy to go to the bathroom. Elie just stands there and doesn't do anything to help his father. Reasons are that he might want to survive, maybe he is shocked, or maybe he has no soul.
59.) To what new camp are the prisoners taken?
The prisoners are taken from Birkenau to Auschwitz.
60.) Who is in charge of the block and what is his advice?
A young Polish guy is in charge of the block. The advice he gives is to help each other.
61.) How does Elie become “A-7713”?
The Germans don't want to remember everyone's name. Numbers are tattooed on every person for roll call. Elie becomes a number by the number being tattooed on him.
62.) Describe “roll call”.
In roll call, an orchestra comes out and plays some music. This is unique and ironic. This convinces the prisoners to stand up and line up more quickly for roll call.
63.) Who is Stein and why does Elie lie to him?
Stein is a relative of Elie's family. Elie lies to Stein to make him feel better. He doesn't want to destroy Stein's emotions any further.
64.) Why does Stein stop coming to see Elie?
Stein stops coming to see Elie because, possibly, he realizes Elie was lying to him about his family. When Stein tries to find his family, his family doesn't appear. Stein gives up and loses hope.
65.) Akiba Drumer believes that God is testing the Jews and that this punishment they are enduring is actually a sign of love. What does Elie think of this theory?
Elie doesn't believe in this theory. He thinks it is fake. Elie begins to question God on why he would test them on such an awful way.
66.) How could Elie have bribed the assistant to arrange for him to go with his father to a “good unit”?
Elie could've give the boy his shoes.
67.) Why doesn’t he try the bribe?
Elie doesn't try the bribe because his shoes are the only things he has left of his belongings. Part of the reason why is whether the boy can keep his promise of the bribe.
68.) Where is music played in the camp?
Music is played in the entrance of the camp. They call the entrance the first block.
69.) Why can’t the musicians play Beethoven?
The musicians can't play Beethoven because they are prohibited from playing German music. Beethoven is a German composer.
70.) Why is Elie sent to the dentist?
Elie is sent to the dentist to get his gold tooth extracted.
71.) Why is he so desperate to keep his tooth and why doesn’t he succeed in keeping it?
Elie is so desperate to keep his tooth because he might be able to sell it, or buy something with it. He doesn't succeed in keeping it because it is extracted from his mouth.
72.) Who beats Elie in front of the French girl and why?
Idek beats Elie in front of the French girl. The reason is just that he wants to beat up Elie.
73.) Why is she afraid to speak to him?
She was paralyzed with fear. She didn't want to get beat up also. She also didn't want Elie to get beat up even more.
74.) What advice does she give to Elie and what does this show about her?
The French girl tells Elie to hold his anger. She tells Elie to wait it out. The French girl tells Elie that they day will come when he can release his anger.
75.) Why does Idek beat Elie’s father?
Idek beats Elie's father because he thought that Elie's father wasn't working hard enough.
76.) Why is Elie angry at his father for getting beaten?
Elie is angry at his father for getting beaten because Elie's father is not trying to do his work. Elie's father also doesn't fight back. Elie thinks that his father has brought the beating on himself.
77.) Why does Elie give his father “marching lessons”?
Elie gives his father "marching lessons" because the father can't march. Franek keeps beating up Elie's father for not marching properly. Elie gives his father marching lessons to prevent the beating.
78.) Why does Elie laugh at Idek and what is the result?
Elie laughs at Idek because Idek is hooking up with a girl. Idek is taking control of the girl. Elie laughs because Idek sent the whole Kommando away and everyone just for him to hook up with a girl. Elie thinks that is ridiculous and funny.
79.) What do the air raid sirens signify?
The air raid sirens signify that there is going to be a bombing by planes. The airplanes are bombing the camp. Planes are bombing the Buna factory and other buildings in the camp.
80.) Why is this a particularly dangerous time for prisoners?
This is particularly dangerous for prisoners because the prisoners are left in their blocks. They could be killed by the bombs being dropped by the airplanes. The SS officers are safe because they go underground, protected from the bombs of the planes.
81.) How is “terror stronger than hunger”?
Terror is stronger than hunger because the fear of dying, the fear of the lashings, and the fear of death is greater than the soup. Getting the soup is not worth it. The prisoners don't want to die.
82.) How does the death of that one man affect Elie and how does he react when the air raid is over?
The death of that one man doesn't affect Elie. Elie already knows what is going to happen if you break the rules of the camp. The consequence for breaking the rules is death
83.) Who are some of the people who die on the gallows?
The first person who dies on the gallows is a young boy from Warsaw. The pipel is also hung because he stole weapons, or arms.
84.) What phrase so many repeat before their deaths?
The phrase "Long live liberty" is repeated before their deaths.
85.) Why are people hanged rather than being shot or killed some other way?
People are hanged rather than being shot or killed some other way because being hung is painful and torturesome. It is haunting. You see the breath being taking out of the victim of hanging. You see the life being taken out from the victim of hanging. The Germans want to send their message through hanging.
86.) Whose death affects Elie the most and why?
The death of the pipel affects Elie the most because the pipel was a little child. Even the Kapo didn't want to execute the pipel. It also questions Elie's faith. He asks himself why God is allowing this to happen.
87.) Why does Elie find the soup “excellent” after one execution, but tasting of “corpses” after another?
Elie finds the soup "excellent" after the first execution because the execution was usual and it wasn't him. The soup tastes like "corpses" after the second execution because Elie realizes that the German army has no boundaries on who to kill. He realizes that the one being hung on the gallows could be him.
88.) What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year
89.) Why do you suppose even “Kapos, functionaries of death” come to the Rosh Hashanah service?
Kapos come to the Rosh Hashanah service because part of it is supervision and part of it is protection. Also, the Kapos are they to just participate. They are there to reflect on the year. This is the whole camp's celebration.
90.) What is going through Elie’s mind?
Elie is losing faith. Elie feels alone and that God is not with him. He feels defeated and feels like a body without a soul. Elie is questioning himself about his faith: why would God allow this to happen in the world?
91.) Is Elie in the minority when he “rebelled” inwardly and why does he call the place where the Kews meet to pray a “mirage”?
The Jews think they see hope, but they are kidding themselves.
92.) What does Elie mean when he says of his father, “We had never understood each other so clearly”?
Part of it is that they love each other and they don't need to say. Elie was in the blocks and father was in the depot. They are thankful to have each other, but they are also afraid.
93.) What is Yom Kippur?
A day of atonement. It is a time where Jewish people fast.
94.) Why doesn’t Elie fast?
It is a symbol of rebellion. A protest against God. Another reason is that he is already starving. He is in no position of fasting because he is already skinny.
95.) What is the “fine New Year’s gift” the SS gives the prisoners?
Selection is what the SS gives the prisoners as a "fine New Year's gift".
96.) What advice does Elie get from the head of the block about avoiding selection?
The head of the block tells Elie to warm up, run as fast as he can, and to never look back, only look forward.
97.) What does Wiesel mean when he says, as the prisoners stand naked, “This must show how one stands at the last judgment”?
The last judgment is the difference between going to heaven and hell. If you pass, you stay alive. If you fail, you will be put to death.
98.) What is Dr. Mengele’s attitude during the “selection”?
He kind of acts like it is a game. He kind of smiles.
99.) What are Elie’s thoughts as he goes through the “race”?
His head is spinning. He is just saying that he is too skinny and too weak. He says this to himself throughout his whole run.
100.) What sorts of “presents” and “inheritance” gifts does Wiesel’s father give Elie and why?
He gets a half ration of bread and a piece of rubber. The bread would be for Elie to eat. The next two things he gives Elie is a knife and a spoon.
101.) Why does Elie return them to his father?
Elie gives back the knife and spoon to his father because he doesn't need an inheritance. He is not going to take things from his father if he is strong. If he doesn't give them back, it would be thought that the father would be dead or weak.
102.) What does this show about how life changes when mere survival is a struggle?
You need actual survival tools to stay alive. The stuff Elie received were supplies in order to survive.
103.) What happens to many of the prisoners when they lose faith?
The prisoners lose hope. The lose incentive to fight. Typically, they are giving to selection.
104.) Why does Wiesel tell the story of Akiba Drumer – and how everyone forgets to say the Kaddish for him?
He would bring up Akiba Drumer because he is a perfect example of how they lost their faith, brotherhood, and Jewish religion.
105.) How does Wiesel end up in the hospital?
Elie's foot is swelling. He probably has an infection or something in his foot.
106.) What decision is Wiesel faced with while he is in the hospital?
If he should leave and go away from the infirmary or if he should stay.
107.) What is Elie’s choice and why does he choose this option?
Elie's choice is to stay. He chose this option because he doesn't trust his neighbor. He learns that you can't trust anyone. Also, he likes being there. There is no bell and no roll call.
108.) Why is the camp being evacuated?
The Red Army was coming towards them. The war was quickly approaching, toward the concentration camp.
109.) Why do the prisoners want the Russians to arrive first?
They want the Russians to arrive first because of protection and rescue and liberation. If they don't arrive first, they are dead anyway.
110.) What is meant by the question the prisoners ask: “were they (SS) going to let the Jews hear the twelfth stroke sound?”
Everybody was supposed to be killed by midnight. The prisoners ask the SS officers because they wanted to see if they were going to kill them or not.
111.) How does the “face of the camp” change on the morning of the evacuation?
They change clothing and get more clothing. They get food and whatever they take. It kind of turns into a free for all for survival.
112.) Why does the head of the block order the prisoners to clean the floor, and how do you think the prisoners feel about this task?
The head of the block orders the prisoners to clean the floor to make the Russian soldiers think, when they arrive, that they were men. Even though they were prisoners taking care of themselves, they were treated as men. This is ironic for the prisoners because they were treated as animals.
113.) Reread the description of the evacuation at the end of the chapter. Why does the author choose to use a series of short sentences in this passage? What is the effect?
It is happening fast. It gives you a sense of urgency when you read it. You kind of relate what the characters are going through.
114.) What does Wiesel mean by the observations of the SS men “Their fingers on the triggers, they did not deprive themselves of this pleasure”?
Whoever stopped running or slows down, they get shot. The fingers on the triggers suggest that the SS officers are still in charge. If any prisoner messes with them, that prisoner will be shot.
115.) What is sadism and where do you see evidence of it in the novel?
Sadism is to be sadistic. Sadistic people find pleasure in pain. They get off on it. They make people feel injured or harmed. One example, when Elie's father is dying and crying for Elie, the SS officer just gives him a blow to the head. Also, Idek just randomly beats up people. In addition, the doctor ignored the well-being of his father near the end of the story. People abused their power. They had no empathy nor pity.
116.) What happens to Zalman?
Zalman has stomach pains. He pulls his pants down to relieve it, but it doesn't do anything. Then, he tramples down and gets run over by the other prisoners behind him. He probably died.
117.) In what way are Wiesel and the other Jews who keep rushing onward “masters of nature” -then in the morning “without strength, without illusions”?
Nothing phases them anymore. They have gone through so much abuse that they have figured out to master it. They are strong. They are used to the pain. Then, they changed their mood when the morning star appeared in the sky. They were exhausted. They were running all day.
118.) How do Wiesel and his father help each other stay alive?
Wiesel and his father help each other stay alive by looking out for each other and keeping each other awake.
119.) Why does Wiesel tell the story of Rabbi Eliahou?
It mirrors him and his father. He is brought up with a decision: does he stay with his father or ditch him?
120.) Why is he glad that the rabbi “should continue to look for his beloved son”?
He is glad that the rabbi "should continue to look for his beloved son" because it shows that if they were lost, they would be still look for each other. It gives them the peace of mind that they will be looking for each other when they are lost from each other. Even though they don't say that they love one another, they still care about each other and love each other.
121.) Why do you think that “sons abandoned their fathers’ remains without a tear”?
They are used to people dying, since this is a time when everyone is dying. They have to just move on with their lives.
122.) How does Wiesel avoid suffocation?
He separates the bodies somehow and makes himself a hole to breath through.
123.) Why does Wiesel think he is hallucinating?
He hears the violin. He naturally assumes that he is hearing things and his going crazy.
124.) Why is Juliek playing his violin in this terrible situation?
Juliek is playing his violin in this terrible situation because he doesn't it for his fellow comrades and he does it for his final song for himself and for the dead people. He thinks he is going to die. He might as well die happy.
125.) What happens to Juliek?
Juliek dies. It doesn't say how. We can assume that they were not allowed to play German music. For that, he could have been shot or killed by the SS officers. We don't know how he dies.
126.) How does Wiesel’s father avoid being “selected” at Gleiwitz and why does Wiesel run after him to the left?
Elie goes after his father, through the crowd, and moves him to the right. He runs after his father because he doesn't want to get separated from him. He would've died if he stayed at the left. Elie wanted his father to stay alive.
127.) How does Wiesel convey a sense of hopelessness in this final section of the book?
They are waiting to die. They spend one night after another in torture waiting to die. He conveys this by describing their conditions.
128.) Why do the two men try to throw Wiesel’s father from the carriage?
The two men try to throw Elie's father from the carriage because he looked dead. He was barely breathing.
129.) Why do the living “rejoice” when the order comes to throw out the corpses?
It makes more room for them, to move around.
130.) What is the author trying to say about the prisoners at this point?
They are waiting to die. They spend one night after another in torture waiting to die.
131.) How do the prisoners in the wagon act like animals?
They act like animals. They strangle each other to death. If a crumb is thrown to the floor, they go after it like animals.
132.) Why do the German workmen take a “lively interest in this spectacle” when they have merely stopped and stared at marching prisoners before?
The German workmen started it because it is their way of making fun of the prisoners. They don't empathize or feel pain at all.
133.) Why doesn’t Wiesel join in this scramble for food?
Elie doesn't move for the piece of bread because he knows he is not strong enough to get into a battle for a piece of bread.
134.) How are Meir and his son similar to other fathers and sons Wiesel describes?
It is the father providing the love and the loyalty when the child becomes greedy. In the wagon, the son gets him and his father killed because of bread. It was the son's or child's fault for them dying.
135.) What is the author saying about how the concentration camp affects the bonds between loved ones?
The father and the son get closer because they need each other to survive. Another outcome is to have the father and the son survive on their own because they can't take care of each other.
136.) How does Meir Katz save Elie Wiesel’s life?
Meir Katz stopped pushes the guy on top of Elie Wiesel off. He responds to the father's cry. Meir Katz prevents the suffocation of Elie Wiesel.
137.) What advice does Wiesel’s father give Katz in an attempt to save him?
Wiesel's father said to Katz to not give up and to not give in. Elie's father says to Meir Katz to don't lose faith in himself.
138.) How does Meir Katz save Elie Wiesel’s life?
Meir Katz stopped pushes the guy on top of Elie Wiesel off. He responds to the father's cry. Meir Katz prevents the suffocation of Elie Wiesel.
139.) Why is it that Wiesel “could have wept with rage” when his father begs for rest upon arrival at Buchenwald?
Elie is so upset that his father wants to rest because his father is giving in to death. His father is slowly giving in to not surviving. It seems that he doesn't want to live anymore. He wants to rest. That is why Elie is upset. Elie doesn't want his father to die.
140.) Why does Elie feel that he is arguing “with death itself”?
His father is delusional. His father has totally given in to the fact that he is going to die. Elie's father doesn't want to go on anymore. It seemed that death has already possessed Elie's father.
141.) Why does Wiesel leave his father when the sirens wail, and how does he feel about this later?
Elie leaves his father when the sirens wail because he is trying to save himself. He then feels guilty and ashamed about leaving his father.. He feels like he was Rabbi Eliahu's son.
142.) Is his father angry at Elie for deserting him?
Elie's father isn't angry at Elie for deserting him. The father is already accepting death, and he wants Elie, his son, to survive.
143.) What emotions does Wiesel experience that last week as he watches his father die?
Elie was afraid that his father was actually going to die. Elie feels guilty that he is not helping him. Elie can't take care of himself anymore. His bunk neighbors are complaining about his father. Elie is sad that his father is dying. Elie is angry that he couldn't have done more to help him and protect him.
144.) Why does Wiesel decide to be an “invalid”?
Elie wants to stay with his father. He knows his time is coming to an end. Elie just wants to be with his father and to take care of him.
145.) Why doesn’t he see his father die and why doesn’t he cry?
His father has been taken to the crematorium. Elie can't cry or shed tears because he was out of tears, according to the text.
146.) What are Wiesel’s thoughts during the months after his father’s death?
Elie was only concerned about the well-being of himself. He didn't cry at the time of his father's death. I supposed that he only care about himself.
147.) What would have happened if the children had gone to the assembly place, as ordered?
The children could have been killed. The prisoners told the children to go back in their block and hide.
148.) Why do the SS men flee the camp?
The resistance has arrived and the first American tank shows up.
149.) What is Wiesel finally freed?
Elie Wiesel is finally freed when the American tank shows up at the gates of Buchenwald.
150.) Why is Wiesel sent to a hospital after his liberation?
Elie is sent to a hospital after his liberation because he had some form of poisoning.
151.) The book ends with a haunting sense of hollowness. Why do you think the author ends with this tone?
The author ends with that tone because he will never forgot what he looked like, what he went through, and his experiences of the Holocaust. He will never forget his experiences of the Holocaust. It has become a part of him.
Elie Wiesel grows up and lives in Sighet, a little town in Transylvania. It was in the 1940s. Elie Wiesel was twelve years old.
9.) Try to picture Elie’s childhood. How is his childhood like yours and how is it different?
We both study and we are both religious. Differences is that I am Catholic and he is Jewish and that I don't live in Sighet, Transylvania, but Elie Wiesel lives in Sighet, Transylvania.
10.) Who is “Moshe the Beadle” and why does Wiesel begin the story with him?
Moshe the Beadle is Elie Wiesel's mentor. Moshe the Beadle also teaches Elie the Jewish religion. The story begins with Moshe the Beadle because Elie wants to express how dedicated he is with his faith and religion.
11.) What do Eliezer’s parents and the other in the community think of Moshe?
Eliezer's parents and the other in the community think of Moshe the Beadle as a clown and a poor person. Moshe is not well-respected.
12.) Why does Elie spend so much time with Moshe?
Elie spends so much time with Moshe because they talk about the Jewish religion and his faith and things that Elie is interested in.
13.) What is Elie’s father’s profession?
Elie's father's profession is a store owner.
14.) Is Elie’s father highly respected in the Jewish community?
Elie's father is highly respected in the Jewish community. People in the Jewish community go to him for advice on many things. He is well liked. People also go to him for questions and help.
15.) What has happened to Moshe that caused a great change in him?
Moshe witnessed the murder of dozens of Jewish people. He said that he has been taken out of town and into the forest. The Germans have taken them to kill them. Somehow, he escapes to tell the story to the community. He saw the people digging ditches, and then the Germans shot them with their guns and threw them in the ditches. They burned the bodies. He also saw babies being killed or used as target practice.
16.) How does this experience change Moshe?
This experience changes Moshe's faith. This experiences has caused him to no longer believe in God. He lost faith on God. The joy in his eyes is gone.
17.) How does the rest of the community react when he tells them what has happened to him?
The rest of the community ignores Moshe. They don't believe in Moshe the Beadle. A reason why they don't believe him is that he is the town clown. They think he is delusional. Some think he is crazy and making the story up.
18.) The Jews of Sighet are optimistic because of the news they hear on the radio in late 1942 and 1943. What is the news and why are they so optimistic?
The news is the daily bombings of Germany and Stalingrad and the preparation of the second front. They think people are coming to help them. They think the whole Hitler epidemic is going to die out. They think they are not involved and think it is just political issues.
19.) With an ironic tone, Wiesel says, “Besides, people were interested in everything – in strategy, in diplomacy, in politics, in Zionism – but not their own fate.” What does he mean?
This is ironic because the elders are worried about everything that is going on to the world except for them. They don't understand that they could be next to be killed. They think they are safe and exempt from the situation.
20.) Berkovitz brings news from Budapest that anti-Semitism (hostility or discrimination against Jews) war is rampant. Why then, is “optimism soon revived”?
Optimism is restored or revived because they think the Germans will stay in Budapest. They think the Germans can't go all the way to Transylvania. They still think that they are exempt from the situation and are too far away from the conflict.
21.) Why do “the optimists rejoiced” even three days after the German soldiers appear in Sighet?
Even though the Germans are in town, they are happy because the Germans are being polite to them. The Germans are using their manners. One German even gave a lady a box of chocolates.
22.) Why is celebrating Passover like playing a “comedy”?
Celebrating Passover is like playing a "comedy" because in this religious holiday their heats aren't even in the religious holiday. They are too distracted by the Germans' politeness and sincereness.
23.) What does the following mean? “On the seventh day of Passover the curtain rose.”
This means that the Germans arrest the Jewish leaders in Elie's community. All of a sudden, the happiness in the town of Sighet vanishes.
24.) Name the decrees (laws) the Germans put into place.
The decrees or laws that the Germans put into place are:
- they have to stay in their homes for three days
- they have to give up valuables and hand them over to the Germans
- every one of them had to wear a yellow star to signify that they were Jewish
- they can't go out to eat
- they can't travel by train
- they can't go to Church
- they can't go out past six o' clock at night
- if any of these decrees were broken or disobeyed, the person who broke it or disobeyed it would be put to death
25.) Describe the ghettos.
The ghettos appoint their own police force and welfare agency. They think that the ghettos have a government apparatus. They are surrounded by barbed wire.
26.) How do the Jews of Sighet generally feel about the ghettos?
The Jews of Sighet generally feel that the arrival of the ghettos is a good thing. They are living amongst the Jews of Sighet and they don't have to look at the soldiers anymore. They feel that they are excluded from the hostile environment. The Jews of Sighet enjoy that.
27.) Why do the Jews of Sighet think they are being deported and why is their destination kept secret from them?
They think they are being deported because they are too close to the front lines of war. Also, they think they are being taken to Hungary to work at a brick factory.
28.) How could the Jews of Sighet have possibly escaped from the Germans?
From the beginning, the Jews of Sighet should have left Sighet assuming that they believed in Mouche the Beadle.
29.) How do they prepare for deportation?
They brought personal belongings. They also were supposed to bring a backpack, food, and a few items of clothing.
30.) Why is there “joy” when the signal finally comes for them to leave?
There is joy because anything is better than just standing there and sweating and being thirsty and worried about what will happen next. They don't want to stand there miserably. They are relieved.
31.) How does Elie feel as he watches the procession or deportees?
Elie feels sorrow and pain. He watching other people share the pain and sorrow Elie feels as they go through the Holocaust.
32.) Who offers Elie and his family safe refuge?
Maria, the maid, offers Elie and his family safe refuge.
33.) Why doesn’t Elie’s father accept the offer?
Elie's father doesn't accept the offer because the father has stronger morals. He is an elder and well-respected person of the community. He doesn't want to abandon his community. He wants to continue having the role he already has in the community.
34.) On what day of the week is the family expelled and why is this ironic?
They were expelled on Saturday. This is ironic because in their religion they are supposed to rest on that day. But, they are forced to continue traveling to a camp by the Nazi Germans.
35.) They spend 24 hours in a synagogue. What are the conditions like? Give examples.
The conditions of the synagogue are bad and horrible. The German soldiers destroyed the synagogue. Furthermore, to keep order, the Germans forced the men to go downstairs and the woman to go upstairs. People are separated from their families. They go to the corner to go to the bathroom in the synagogue.
36.) How are the Jews moved out of Sighet?
They are put in a cattle car. Eighty people on one cattle car. It is very tight for the people.
37.) Why do you suppose no one tries to escape?
No one tries to escape because if someone tried, he or she would be shot. There is also a person in each cattle car that supervises the cattle car.
38.) Why does the Hungarian lieutenant move among the prisoners with a basket?
The Hungarian lieutenant is taking any valuables they have with them, such as gold and silver.
39.) What actions do “those who no longer wished to taste the bitterness of terror” take?
When Mrs. Schachter is scaring them, they try to calm her down. They are being obedient.
40.) Who is Madame Schachter and why is she so upset?
Madame Schachter is a Jewish woman. She is upset about being separated from her husband and two sons. She only has one son with her.
41.) How do the others treat her and why?
The others tie her up and gag her so that she can't scare them anymore. They are annoyed by her. She is terrifying everyone.
42.) What is the first thing the prisoners see when they got to Birkenau?
The first thing the prisoners see when they got to Birkenau is a fire. They see a chimney with flames rising from it.
43.) What do they smell?
They smell burning flesh. Bodies were burned in the fire.
44.) Who are the SS men?
SS men are soldiers of the German army. In the internment camp, they are not good people. They are Hitler's soldiers.
45.) How do Elie and his father get separated from Mother and Tzipora?
The SS men separate the men and the women, which separates Elie and his father from Elie's mother and Elie's sister, Tzipora.
46.) What is Elie’s last memory of them?
Elie's last memory of them is his mother stroking Tzipora's hair.
47.) Why do some of the younger men want to attempt an escape?
The younger men want to attempt an escape because they don't want to go to the crematorium and get burned. They don't want to die this way.
48.) Why don’t they go through with it?
The elders convinced the younger men not to revolt and to be optimistic.
49.) What lies do Elie and his father tell to Dr. Mengale and why?
Elie tells Dr. Mengale that he is eighteen and that he is a farmer instead of a student. His father tells Dr. Mengale that he is forty.
50.) Why does Elie’s father wish Elie has gone with his mother and why is this ironic?
Elie's father wishes that Elie should've gone with his mother because he wants to see Elie with the rest of the family. He doesn't want to see his only son die. This ironic because the father kind of wishes that he should've taken the chance of safe refuge when he was offered it.
51.) What do you suppose Elie would say to those who claim that innocent children were not murdered during the Holocaust?
He said that babies are going to the crematorium. He assumes that they and other children are being killed.
52.) What is the Kaddish and why doesn’t Elie join his father in reciting it?
It is a respectful prayer to the dead. Elie's father still has his beliefs and faith. Elie thinks that if they pray it, he supposes that they are going to die. Instead, he chooses not to recite it in hope of survival.
53.) How do the prisoners who are already in the barracks treat the newcomers?
The prisoners give them orders. They harm and hit the newcomers. The prisoners are mean to them.
54.) What are Elie and the others ordered to do?
Elie and the others are order to take off their clothes and to hold on to their shoes and belts. Then, they are ordered to go to the barber shop to get all the hair shaved off them.
55.) How does Elie change by the end of the first night? (physically, emotionally, and spirirtually)
Elie sees themselves as tormented souls. They gave up hope. They gave up God and their faith and are questioning themselves about why would God allow this. He considers himself as just a body without a soul.
56.) How does Elie keep his his shoes from the “Kapos” at first?
The mud disguises the fact that Elie's shoes are new. Elie's new shoes look older with the mud on them.
57.) According to the SS officer, what is the only way to avoid the furnaces?
According to the SS officer, the only way to avoid the furnaces is to work. If someone refuses to work, that person who refuses to work will be put to death.
58.) Why does the gypsy strike Elie’s father and how does Elie react?
The gypsy strikes Elie's father because of the fact that Elie's father asks the gypsy to go to the bathroom. Elie just stands there and doesn't do anything to help his father. Reasons are that he might want to survive, maybe he is shocked, or maybe he has no soul.
59.) To what new camp are the prisoners taken?
The prisoners are taken from Birkenau to Auschwitz.
60.) Who is in charge of the block and what is his advice?
A young Polish guy is in charge of the block. The advice he gives is to help each other.
61.) How does Elie become “A-7713”?
The Germans don't want to remember everyone's name. Numbers are tattooed on every person for roll call. Elie becomes a number by the number being tattooed on him.
62.) Describe “roll call”.
In roll call, an orchestra comes out and plays some music. This is unique and ironic. This convinces the prisoners to stand up and line up more quickly for roll call.
63.) Who is Stein and why does Elie lie to him?
Stein is a relative of Elie's family. Elie lies to Stein to make him feel better. He doesn't want to destroy Stein's emotions any further.
64.) Why does Stein stop coming to see Elie?
Stein stops coming to see Elie because, possibly, he realizes Elie was lying to him about his family. When Stein tries to find his family, his family doesn't appear. Stein gives up and loses hope.
65.) Akiba Drumer believes that God is testing the Jews and that this punishment they are enduring is actually a sign of love. What does Elie think of this theory?
Elie doesn't believe in this theory. He thinks it is fake. Elie begins to question God on why he would test them on such an awful way.
66.) How could Elie have bribed the assistant to arrange for him to go with his father to a “good unit”?
Elie could've give the boy his shoes.
67.) Why doesn’t he try the bribe?
Elie doesn't try the bribe because his shoes are the only things he has left of his belongings. Part of the reason why is whether the boy can keep his promise of the bribe.
68.) Where is music played in the camp?
Music is played in the entrance of the camp. They call the entrance the first block.
69.) Why can’t the musicians play Beethoven?
The musicians can't play Beethoven because they are prohibited from playing German music. Beethoven is a German composer.
70.) Why is Elie sent to the dentist?
Elie is sent to the dentist to get his gold tooth extracted.
71.) Why is he so desperate to keep his tooth and why doesn’t he succeed in keeping it?
Elie is so desperate to keep his tooth because he might be able to sell it, or buy something with it. He doesn't succeed in keeping it because it is extracted from his mouth.
72.) Who beats Elie in front of the French girl and why?
Idek beats Elie in front of the French girl. The reason is just that he wants to beat up Elie.
73.) Why is she afraid to speak to him?
She was paralyzed with fear. She didn't want to get beat up also. She also didn't want Elie to get beat up even more.
74.) What advice does she give to Elie and what does this show about her?
The French girl tells Elie to hold his anger. She tells Elie to wait it out. The French girl tells Elie that they day will come when he can release his anger.
75.) Why does Idek beat Elie’s father?
Idek beats Elie's father because he thought that Elie's father wasn't working hard enough.
76.) Why is Elie angry at his father for getting beaten?
Elie is angry at his father for getting beaten because Elie's father is not trying to do his work. Elie's father also doesn't fight back. Elie thinks that his father has brought the beating on himself.
77.) Why does Elie give his father “marching lessons”?
Elie gives his father "marching lessons" because the father can't march. Franek keeps beating up Elie's father for not marching properly. Elie gives his father marching lessons to prevent the beating.
78.) Why does Elie laugh at Idek and what is the result?
Elie laughs at Idek because Idek is hooking up with a girl. Idek is taking control of the girl. Elie laughs because Idek sent the whole Kommando away and everyone just for him to hook up with a girl. Elie thinks that is ridiculous and funny.
79.) What do the air raid sirens signify?
The air raid sirens signify that there is going to be a bombing by planes. The airplanes are bombing the camp. Planes are bombing the Buna factory and other buildings in the camp.
80.) Why is this a particularly dangerous time for prisoners?
This is particularly dangerous for prisoners because the prisoners are left in their blocks. They could be killed by the bombs being dropped by the airplanes. The SS officers are safe because they go underground, protected from the bombs of the planes.
81.) How is “terror stronger than hunger”?
Terror is stronger than hunger because the fear of dying, the fear of the lashings, and the fear of death is greater than the soup. Getting the soup is not worth it. The prisoners don't want to die.
82.) How does the death of that one man affect Elie and how does he react when the air raid is over?
The death of that one man doesn't affect Elie. Elie already knows what is going to happen if you break the rules of the camp. The consequence for breaking the rules is death
83.) Who are some of the people who die on the gallows?
The first person who dies on the gallows is a young boy from Warsaw. The pipel is also hung because he stole weapons, or arms.
84.) What phrase so many repeat before their deaths?
The phrase "Long live liberty" is repeated before their deaths.
85.) Why are people hanged rather than being shot or killed some other way?
People are hanged rather than being shot or killed some other way because being hung is painful and torturesome. It is haunting. You see the breath being taking out of the victim of hanging. You see the life being taken out from the victim of hanging. The Germans want to send their message through hanging.
86.) Whose death affects Elie the most and why?
The death of the pipel affects Elie the most because the pipel was a little child. Even the Kapo didn't want to execute the pipel. It also questions Elie's faith. He asks himself why God is allowing this to happen.
87.) Why does Elie find the soup “excellent” after one execution, but tasting of “corpses” after another?
Elie finds the soup "excellent" after the first execution because the execution was usual and it wasn't him. The soup tastes like "corpses" after the second execution because Elie realizes that the German army has no boundaries on who to kill. He realizes that the one being hung on the gallows could be him.
88.) What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year
89.) Why do you suppose even “Kapos, functionaries of death” come to the Rosh Hashanah service?
Kapos come to the Rosh Hashanah service because part of it is supervision and part of it is protection. Also, the Kapos are they to just participate. They are there to reflect on the year. This is the whole camp's celebration.
90.) What is going through Elie’s mind?
Elie is losing faith. Elie feels alone and that God is not with him. He feels defeated and feels like a body without a soul. Elie is questioning himself about his faith: why would God allow this to happen in the world?
91.) Is Elie in the minority when he “rebelled” inwardly and why does he call the place where the Kews meet to pray a “mirage”?
The Jews think they see hope, but they are kidding themselves.
92.) What does Elie mean when he says of his father, “We had never understood each other so clearly”?
Part of it is that they love each other and they don't need to say. Elie was in the blocks and father was in the depot. They are thankful to have each other, but they are also afraid.
93.) What is Yom Kippur?
A day of atonement. It is a time where Jewish people fast.
94.) Why doesn’t Elie fast?
It is a symbol of rebellion. A protest against God. Another reason is that he is already starving. He is in no position of fasting because he is already skinny.
95.) What is the “fine New Year’s gift” the SS gives the prisoners?
Selection is what the SS gives the prisoners as a "fine New Year's gift".
96.) What advice does Elie get from the head of the block about avoiding selection?
The head of the block tells Elie to warm up, run as fast as he can, and to never look back, only look forward.
97.) What does Wiesel mean when he says, as the prisoners stand naked, “This must show how one stands at the last judgment”?
The last judgment is the difference between going to heaven and hell. If you pass, you stay alive. If you fail, you will be put to death.
98.) What is Dr. Mengele’s attitude during the “selection”?
He kind of acts like it is a game. He kind of smiles.
99.) What are Elie’s thoughts as he goes through the “race”?
His head is spinning. He is just saying that he is too skinny and too weak. He says this to himself throughout his whole run.
100.) What sorts of “presents” and “inheritance” gifts does Wiesel’s father give Elie and why?
He gets a half ration of bread and a piece of rubber. The bread would be for Elie to eat. The next two things he gives Elie is a knife and a spoon.
101.) Why does Elie return them to his father?
Elie gives back the knife and spoon to his father because he doesn't need an inheritance. He is not going to take things from his father if he is strong. If he doesn't give them back, it would be thought that the father would be dead or weak.
102.) What does this show about how life changes when mere survival is a struggle?
You need actual survival tools to stay alive. The stuff Elie received were supplies in order to survive.
103.) What happens to many of the prisoners when they lose faith?
The prisoners lose hope. The lose incentive to fight. Typically, they are giving to selection.
104.) Why does Wiesel tell the story of Akiba Drumer – and how everyone forgets to say the Kaddish for him?
He would bring up Akiba Drumer because he is a perfect example of how they lost their faith, brotherhood, and Jewish religion.
105.) How does Wiesel end up in the hospital?
Elie's foot is swelling. He probably has an infection or something in his foot.
106.) What decision is Wiesel faced with while he is in the hospital?
If he should leave and go away from the infirmary or if he should stay.
107.) What is Elie’s choice and why does he choose this option?
Elie's choice is to stay. He chose this option because he doesn't trust his neighbor. He learns that you can't trust anyone. Also, he likes being there. There is no bell and no roll call.
108.) Why is the camp being evacuated?
The Red Army was coming towards them. The war was quickly approaching, toward the concentration camp.
109.) Why do the prisoners want the Russians to arrive first?
They want the Russians to arrive first because of protection and rescue and liberation. If they don't arrive first, they are dead anyway.
110.) What is meant by the question the prisoners ask: “were they (SS) going to let the Jews hear the twelfth stroke sound?”
Everybody was supposed to be killed by midnight. The prisoners ask the SS officers because they wanted to see if they were going to kill them or not.
111.) How does the “face of the camp” change on the morning of the evacuation?
They change clothing and get more clothing. They get food and whatever they take. It kind of turns into a free for all for survival.
112.) Why does the head of the block order the prisoners to clean the floor, and how do you think the prisoners feel about this task?
The head of the block orders the prisoners to clean the floor to make the Russian soldiers think, when they arrive, that they were men. Even though they were prisoners taking care of themselves, they were treated as men. This is ironic for the prisoners because they were treated as animals.
113.) Reread the description of the evacuation at the end of the chapter. Why does the author choose to use a series of short sentences in this passage? What is the effect?
It is happening fast. It gives you a sense of urgency when you read it. You kind of relate what the characters are going through.
114.) What does Wiesel mean by the observations of the SS men “Their fingers on the triggers, they did not deprive themselves of this pleasure”?
Whoever stopped running or slows down, they get shot. The fingers on the triggers suggest that the SS officers are still in charge. If any prisoner messes with them, that prisoner will be shot.
115.) What is sadism and where do you see evidence of it in the novel?
Sadism is to be sadistic. Sadistic people find pleasure in pain. They get off on it. They make people feel injured or harmed. One example, when Elie's father is dying and crying for Elie, the SS officer just gives him a blow to the head. Also, Idek just randomly beats up people. In addition, the doctor ignored the well-being of his father near the end of the story. People abused their power. They had no empathy nor pity.
116.) What happens to Zalman?
Zalman has stomach pains. He pulls his pants down to relieve it, but it doesn't do anything. Then, he tramples down and gets run over by the other prisoners behind him. He probably died.
117.) In what way are Wiesel and the other Jews who keep rushing onward “masters of nature” -then in the morning “without strength, without illusions”?
Nothing phases them anymore. They have gone through so much abuse that they have figured out to master it. They are strong. They are used to the pain. Then, they changed their mood when the morning star appeared in the sky. They were exhausted. They were running all day.
118.) How do Wiesel and his father help each other stay alive?
Wiesel and his father help each other stay alive by looking out for each other and keeping each other awake.
119.) Why does Wiesel tell the story of Rabbi Eliahou?
It mirrors him and his father. He is brought up with a decision: does he stay with his father or ditch him?
120.) Why is he glad that the rabbi “should continue to look for his beloved son”?
He is glad that the rabbi "should continue to look for his beloved son" because it shows that if they were lost, they would be still look for each other. It gives them the peace of mind that they will be looking for each other when they are lost from each other. Even though they don't say that they love one another, they still care about each other and love each other.
121.) Why do you think that “sons abandoned their fathers’ remains without a tear”?
They are used to people dying, since this is a time when everyone is dying. They have to just move on with their lives.
122.) How does Wiesel avoid suffocation?
He separates the bodies somehow and makes himself a hole to breath through.
123.) Why does Wiesel think he is hallucinating?
He hears the violin. He naturally assumes that he is hearing things and his going crazy.
124.) Why is Juliek playing his violin in this terrible situation?
Juliek is playing his violin in this terrible situation because he doesn't it for his fellow comrades and he does it for his final song for himself and for the dead people. He thinks he is going to die. He might as well die happy.
125.) What happens to Juliek?
Juliek dies. It doesn't say how. We can assume that they were not allowed to play German music. For that, he could have been shot or killed by the SS officers. We don't know how he dies.
126.) How does Wiesel’s father avoid being “selected” at Gleiwitz and why does Wiesel run after him to the left?
Elie goes after his father, through the crowd, and moves him to the right. He runs after his father because he doesn't want to get separated from him. He would've died if he stayed at the left. Elie wanted his father to stay alive.
127.) How does Wiesel convey a sense of hopelessness in this final section of the book?
They are waiting to die. They spend one night after another in torture waiting to die. He conveys this by describing their conditions.
128.) Why do the two men try to throw Wiesel’s father from the carriage?
The two men try to throw Elie's father from the carriage because he looked dead. He was barely breathing.
129.) Why do the living “rejoice” when the order comes to throw out the corpses?
It makes more room for them, to move around.
130.) What is the author trying to say about the prisoners at this point?
They are waiting to die. They spend one night after another in torture waiting to die.
131.) How do the prisoners in the wagon act like animals?
They act like animals. They strangle each other to death. If a crumb is thrown to the floor, they go after it like animals.
132.) Why do the German workmen take a “lively interest in this spectacle” when they have merely stopped and stared at marching prisoners before?
The German workmen started it because it is their way of making fun of the prisoners. They don't empathize or feel pain at all.
133.) Why doesn’t Wiesel join in this scramble for food?
Elie doesn't move for the piece of bread because he knows he is not strong enough to get into a battle for a piece of bread.
134.) How are Meir and his son similar to other fathers and sons Wiesel describes?
It is the father providing the love and the loyalty when the child becomes greedy. In the wagon, the son gets him and his father killed because of bread. It was the son's or child's fault for them dying.
135.) What is the author saying about how the concentration camp affects the bonds between loved ones?
The father and the son get closer because they need each other to survive. Another outcome is to have the father and the son survive on their own because they can't take care of each other.
136.) How does Meir Katz save Elie Wiesel’s life?
Meir Katz stopped pushes the guy on top of Elie Wiesel off. He responds to the father's cry. Meir Katz prevents the suffocation of Elie Wiesel.
137.) What advice does Wiesel’s father give Katz in an attempt to save him?
Wiesel's father said to Katz to not give up and to not give in. Elie's father says to Meir Katz to don't lose faith in himself.
138.) How does Meir Katz save Elie Wiesel’s life?
Meir Katz stopped pushes the guy on top of Elie Wiesel off. He responds to the father's cry. Meir Katz prevents the suffocation of Elie Wiesel.
139.) Why is it that Wiesel “could have wept with rage” when his father begs for rest upon arrival at Buchenwald?
Elie is so upset that his father wants to rest because his father is giving in to death. His father is slowly giving in to not surviving. It seems that he doesn't want to live anymore. He wants to rest. That is why Elie is upset. Elie doesn't want his father to die.
140.) Why does Elie feel that he is arguing “with death itself”?
His father is delusional. His father has totally given in to the fact that he is going to die. Elie's father doesn't want to go on anymore. It seemed that death has already possessed Elie's father.
141.) Why does Wiesel leave his father when the sirens wail, and how does he feel about this later?
Elie leaves his father when the sirens wail because he is trying to save himself. He then feels guilty and ashamed about leaving his father.. He feels like he was Rabbi Eliahu's son.
142.) Is his father angry at Elie for deserting him?
Elie's father isn't angry at Elie for deserting him. The father is already accepting death, and he wants Elie, his son, to survive.
143.) What emotions does Wiesel experience that last week as he watches his father die?
Elie was afraid that his father was actually going to die. Elie feels guilty that he is not helping him. Elie can't take care of himself anymore. His bunk neighbors are complaining about his father. Elie is sad that his father is dying. Elie is angry that he couldn't have done more to help him and protect him.
144.) Why does Wiesel decide to be an “invalid”?
Elie wants to stay with his father. He knows his time is coming to an end. Elie just wants to be with his father and to take care of him.
145.) Why doesn’t he see his father die and why doesn’t he cry?
His father has been taken to the crematorium. Elie can't cry or shed tears because he was out of tears, according to the text.
146.) What are Wiesel’s thoughts during the months after his father’s death?
Elie was only concerned about the well-being of himself. He didn't cry at the time of his father's death. I supposed that he only care about himself.
147.) What would have happened if the children had gone to the assembly place, as ordered?
The children could have been killed. The prisoners told the children to go back in their block and hide.
148.) Why do the SS men flee the camp?
The resistance has arrived and the first American tank shows up.
149.) What is Wiesel finally freed?
Elie Wiesel is finally freed when the American tank shows up at the gates of Buchenwald.
150.) Why is Wiesel sent to a hospital after his liberation?
Elie is sent to a hospital after his liberation because he had some form of poisoning.
151.) The book ends with a haunting sense of hollowness. Why do you think the author ends with this tone?
The author ends with that tone because he will never forgot what he looked like, what he went through, and his experiences of the Holocaust. He will never forget his experiences of the Holocaust. It has become a part of him.