After finishing Night by Elie Wiesel, my eyes were open to the crazy and obscene events that were read in this story. It surprises me even as a teenager that a book so small like Night carries all of this information and sorrow that I wasn't expecting. I was expecting a list of facts and simply just things that would happen to Jews during the holocaust but this gave me more than what I bargained for which was this scary emotionally damaging adventure in this mans life that was far too much to any human to endure in their life. It made me thing twice which is what any good book should do. It made me think about human nature and how sick and selfish it is.
Its scary to read that Wiesel was fascinated with death in this section because it made the pain of this event go away and gave them a better life beyond this "hell". Seeing all this pain around him, I imagine Wiesel wanted this pain to end through death but he didn't want this death so close to the end of his journey which is so understandable in anyone's eyes. The easiest thing someone can do is give up, Wiesel wanted this to end the pain in his life by giving up. He knew that giving up so close to the end would leave him with no satisfaction in the matter because he could practically taste victory. By the end his father is giving up and he is tired and it's almost as if Wiesel has to drag him along to finish this fight with him though he dos not.
By reading this book, my eyes have forever opened on what the holocaust has truly done to lives of those who suffered. It truly scared me how humans could do this to one another. I am greatful for this book but I however resent it.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Response #2
Even more events are reviled in this section of the story not so much as gruesome, but unfair. They have migrated to Buna, a new concentration camp not at gruesome as Auschwitz. Here their mouths were examined to check for gold teeth. These were ways that Germans could get extra money and at the same time hurt these people more. This chapter, Wiesel is loosing faith in God. Although God has abandoned Jews in their time of need, I feel like faith is what can carry him through this time in the concentration camp. Although I assume many have already lost faith, Wiesel should be the exception. He wrote a story about death and hard times for him and his people and the author; the one who survives is telling his audience that he looses faith in God. As the reader, this scares me. But what frightens me even more is when Wiesel states, "I have more faith in Hitler than in anyone else...” (81). I get nervous when I read this because as he looses faith in God, I loose faith for him. I had to double take and see if I saw this passage right. The reader can sense the nervousness in Wiesel when his father is getting examined by doctors. Wiesel knows his father is getting old and he knows that if this horrible time does not end soon, the doctors are going to take his father away and the rest is too uncomfortable to be said.
response #1
I cannot believe I am only 46 pages deep in this story. The events that have ben reviled make it seem like I've been reading this book for 100 pages. I'm saddened and sicker by the events that wiesel is telling his reader. I can't even begin to feel the sorrow and hurt people is this time must have gone through. My heart twists and tangles at the thought of even living in this time period as a witness from the sidelines or better yet, the victim. I can't even imagine having to witness the events that were happening and being witnessed. My heart turned to stone when Elie Wiesel stated, “A truck drew close and unloaded its hold: small children. Babies! Yes, I did see this, with my own eyes…children thrown into the flames” (32). I can't even imagine what that must have been like to see let alone read about. Other events such as shaving their heads really stuck out to me also because they were taking away what really makes them who they are. I find this very relevant to how we has human treat animals. Just like we would strip a sheep of it's wool, the Germans stripped the Jews of their hair.
I feel as if because these events were written from a point of view from a holocaust survivor who was out From concentration camp to concentration camp, witnessing these events they left more of an impact to the reader. Something that was truly hard to understand as someone never living through the time was how bad it really was. As a student I understood that many died and many truly saddening events happened but never the ones reviled by Wiesel. He takes the step no one has ever taken and going back in history that he has forgotten no create a story again to show everyone what really happened behind the scenes. I cannot imagine how someone could read this story and get a positive vibe from this book or even feel good about themselves. This book is getting good but I'm nervous as to what the outcome is going to be.
I feel as if because these events were written from a point of view from a holocaust survivor who was out From concentration camp to concentration camp, witnessing these events they left more of an impact to the reader. Something that was truly hard to understand as someone never living through the time was how bad it really was. As a student I understood that many died and many truly saddening events happened but never the ones reviled by Wiesel. He takes the step no one has ever taken and going back in history that he has forgotten no create a story again to show everyone what really happened behind the scenes. I cannot imagine how someone could read this story and get a positive vibe from this book or even feel good about themselves. This book is getting good but I'm nervous as to what the outcome is going to be.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Link From First Comment
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/history.html
This is my link again from my first comment on Shannon's first response.
This is my link again from my first comment on Shannon's first response.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Individual Response 3 ("The Loss of a Friend")
The final section of Night really lifted me out of my "adapted stupor." I felt that the unfolding events spoke to me quite powerfully, and I could very much relate to Elie's emotions. His account of his father's death was extremely jarring. Elie recalls the event when he realizes his father has been sent to the crematorium: "I did not weep, and it pained me that I could not weep...[I]f I could have searched the recesses of my feeble conscience, I might have found something like: Free at last!..." (112). Just this past year on May 6, my family and I lost someone very close to us: my grandfather. He was the strongest and kindest person I ever knew. Ten years prior to his death, he was diagnosed with severe emphysema and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) due to his smoking habits and had chronic nerve pain from working with chemicals for most of his life. At one point, when he was in the hospital, the doctors told our family that he had not long to live, at the most a year. Five years later, he had recovered dramatically, despite being in and out of emergency treatment. I never knew exactly how many times he was in the hospital, for my parents confessed to me later that they sometimes kept secret when he was in treatment so I wouldn't worry about him. Although he was in constant pain, he would conceal it whenever my brother and I were around because he did not want his illness to control his relationship with his grandsons. That was just the kind of person he was. Even as I am writing this, I can feel the tears welling in my eyes from the memory. I carry so much guilt with me from the past; I knew how much pain he was in, I could see through his facade. Whenever we visited him, or he us, I barely conversed with him because that sad, frail being in front of me was not my grandfather. He was still the same man, but I could not bear to see him that way. I will never know how much it hurt him that his own grandson would barely talk to him. "Doesn't he still love me?"
When he became sick again, we oddly enough visited him less and less. We all knew, and so did my grandfather, that he could not continue for much longer. My mother had told me that the part she hated about each visit was standing inside the elevator and watching the doors close on him as he sat in his wheelchair opposite us, smiling and waving goodbye. Possibly his last. His life was a timebomb; the numbers counted down endlessly in the back of our minds, but we never knew how close "the day" was. We all waited with bated breath, waited for the flood of emotions to sweep away our steadily crumbling composure. About two weeks before his death, he told my mother that he had not much longer to live. As my grandmother and my father napped in the living room, he sat with my mother at the breakfast table and watched my brother and I playing in the back yard. He told her that he was proud of us, that we had matured into incredible young men. His work was finished, he was satisfied with the family he had helped to build. It was time to move on, but he implored her not to cry when he was gone. I was completely unaware that this conversation ever existed. The morning of Friday May 6, 2011, he died peacefully in his sleep. I had no idea that when I woke up to hear my mother turning the ignition and driving away that I would lose a part of my soul later in the day. That afternoon, my father picked me up from baseball practice and had a word with my coach before driving my brother and I to my grandparents' apartment to meet my mother and grandmother. At the time, my grandfather had been living there on hospice. This time, something was different. My brother asked, "Where's Grampa?" The tension in the smoke-scented room was nearly tangible. At this point, my mother burst into tears and proceeded to explain that Grampa was no longer with us. My brother began weeping immediately at this news. I stayed silent; no salty tears of saddness dripped down my cheeks. Doubtless I was devastated, but shock was the more prevalent emotion. An entire day had passed by, and the world had continued normally on its busily ignorant schedule. Meanwhile, my heart was shattered. I successfully made it through the weekend without crying. On Monday, before the first bell had even rung, I broke down on my teacher's shoulder in the middle of the hallway. I didn't care. I had lost the man who practically raised me as a child when my parents had to work; the man who bounced me on his knee and sang nonsense songs as I laughed; the man who loved me with every ounce of energy he had.
Two days ago, I sat in the car with my mother on our way to pick my brother up from his friend's house. Previously, I had told her that I finished Night and that it was one of the most emotionally moving books I've ever read. I reiterated to her the scene mentioned above, where Elie feels a sense of relief with his father dead. My eyes were focused straight ahead. When I finally looked over at my mother, she was silently crying. She then confessed that this was exactly how she felt all those years with my grandfather. For nearly a decade, she took care of him, despite the stressfulness of her efforts, and although she loved her father, she was almost relieved that she didn't have to suffer the burden any longer. She felt guilty, just as I had, for her thoughts and actions. I reassured her that these feelings were normal, that it is an immense task to care for a loved one while simultaneously maintaining a family and work life. In the end, I've learned that, sometimes, we are uncertain about how we feel, especially when it comes to love. We are flawed beings and act on impulse in our actions, and our emotions. Unfortunately, this also makes humans very tumultuous and unpredictable creatures as we oftentimes do not know how to cope with inner conflict. Yet we must understand, in tragic and scarring events such as death, that the past is unchangeable. One can dwell forever on the past and never step into the future. Just as my grandfather said, we must move on. The world will not wait for you. Keep your memories at hand; do not forget the ones who have died, for it is only when we forget them they truly die. But do not by any means stop moving forward.
When he became sick again, we oddly enough visited him less and less. We all knew, and so did my grandfather, that he could not continue for much longer. My mother had told me that the part she hated about each visit was standing inside the elevator and watching the doors close on him as he sat in his wheelchair opposite us, smiling and waving goodbye. Possibly his last. His life was a timebomb; the numbers counted down endlessly in the back of our minds, but we never knew how close "the day" was. We all waited with bated breath, waited for the flood of emotions to sweep away our steadily crumbling composure. About two weeks before his death, he told my mother that he had not much longer to live. As my grandmother and my father napped in the living room, he sat with my mother at the breakfast table and watched my brother and I playing in the back yard. He told her that he was proud of us, that we had matured into incredible young men. His work was finished, he was satisfied with the family he had helped to build. It was time to move on, but he implored her not to cry when he was gone. I was completely unaware that this conversation ever existed. The morning of Friday May 6, 2011, he died peacefully in his sleep. I had no idea that when I woke up to hear my mother turning the ignition and driving away that I would lose a part of my soul later in the day. That afternoon, my father picked me up from baseball practice and had a word with my coach before driving my brother and I to my grandparents' apartment to meet my mother and grandmother. At the time, my grandfather had been living there on hospice. This time, something was different. My brother asked, "Where's Grampa?" The tension in the smoke-scented room was nearly tangible. At this point, my mother burst into tears and proceeded to explain that Grampa was no longer with us. My brother began weeping immediately at this news. I stayed silent; no salty tears of saddness dripped down my cheeks. Doubtless I was devastated, but shock was the more prevalent emotion. An entire day had passed by, and the world had continued normally on its busily ignorant schedule. Meanwhile, my heart was shattered. I successfully made it through the weekend without crying. On Monday, before the first bell had even rung, I broke down on my teacher's shoulder in the middle of the hallway. I didn't care. I had lost the man who practically raised me as a child when my parents had to work; the man who bounced me on his knee and sang nonsense songs as I laughed; the man who loved me with every ounce of energy he had.
Two days ago, I sat in the car with my mother on our way to pick my brother up from his friend's house. Previously, I had told her that I finished Night and that it was one of the most emotionally moving books I've ever read. I reiterated to her the scene mentioned above, where Elie feels a sense of relief with his father dead. My eyes were focused straight ahead. When I finally looked over at my mother, she was silently crying. She then confessed that this was exactly how she felt all those years with my grandfather. For nearly a decade, she took care of him, despite the stressfulness of her efforts, and although she loved her father, she was almost relieved that she didn't have to suffer the burden any longer. She felt guilty, just as I had, for her thoughts and actions. I reassured her that these feelings were normal, that it is an immense task to care for a loved one while simultaneously maintaining a family and work life. In the end, I've learned that, sometimes, we are uncertain about how we feel, especially when it comes to love. We are flawed beings and act on impulse in our actions, and our emotions. Unfortunately, this also makes humans very tumultuous and unpredictable creatures as we oftentimes do not know how to cope with inner conflict. Yet we must understand, in tragic and scarring events such as death, that the past is unchangeable. One can dwell forever on the past and never step into the future. Just as my grandfather said, we must move on. The world will not wait for you. Keep your memories at hand; do not forget the ones who have died, for it is only when we forget them they truly die. But do not by any means stop moving forward.
Response #3
To
begin with, I think that the memoir Night
by Elie Wiesel is very eye opening to what the Jewish people had to go through
during the Holocaust. I cannot even believe that they were treated this bad. On
page 86 I thought it was horrible that Elie said that death “fascinated” him.
At fifteen or sixteen years old people should not have to think about death,
they should be excited about the long life ahead of them. Next, Elie said,
“Nobody wanted to give up now, just before the end, so close to our destination,”
(92) which I think people can relate to with any circumstance even if it isn’t
to this extent. I say this because everyone wants to overcome the challenges
they face in life. If you give up before you finish you don’t get any
satisfaction.
One
part that I can relate to a movie I have seen is when Juliek is playing the
violin when all the Jewish people are confined in the barracks. This
automatically reminded me of the movie Titanic,
when the string quartet is playing songs as the ship is sinking. Both
situations are heartbreaking because they know they are close to death. Another
part I hated reading was when Elie said, “Then two ‘gravediggers’ grabbed him
by the head and feet and threw him from the wagon, like a sack of flour” (99).
It is not fair that after being put through the torture of being starved,
abused, etc., they are thrown like dolls out of a train instead of getting a
proper burial. This is also shown when it says, “Beneath our feet there lay
men, crushed, trampled, underfoot, dying. Nobody paid attention to them” (89).
This is crazy because if someone was on the ground hurt in a normal situation,
people would stop to help, but because they have been through so much cruelty
they don’t even care anymore if they experience death.
Another
thing I found kind of ironic was that when they were marching Elie’s father
wouldn’t let him sit to rest, however when they reached Buchenwald, his father
wanted to rest, but Elie wouldn’t let him. Towards the end of the book, Elie
and his father somewhat switch roles of father and son. Elie must take care of
his father to help him survive as long as he possibly can, when he is only a
teenager. After Elie’s father became bedridden Elie said, “I listened to him
shouting at them that they were lazy good-for-nothings who only wanted to stay
in bed” (109), talking about the doctor seeing the sick patients. This
statement is nasty because if he had been through what the Jewish people had
been through he’d be in rough shape too. He is in no position to criticize them
for falling ill. Lastly, at the end when they were liquidating the camp, it was
not right that they were not given food for six days. How were they even able
to survive that with being extremely weak to begin with? Although I did not
enjoy reading this book because it was too gruesome, I believe Elie Wiesel did
a great job of explaining the Holocaust and spreading the word so something
like it would never occur again.
Reader Response 3
After finishing Night by Elie Weisel, I feel that the treatment of the Jews, and the violence and brutality was just so reoccuring and common that it started to effect me as a reader. When I first was presented with the death and viscious killings, such as the cremations, I was definitely taken back and uncomfortable while reading about the Jewish murders. However, as I continued to get deeper and deeper into the story, the deaths were just so numerous and freqeunt I almost became immune to any feelings toward them. Weisel describes a certain "numbness" toward feelings and deaths in the beginning of the story, which the Jews had felt after experiencing so much and I personally felt this too as a reader. The last death certainly didn't effect me as much as the first because I was use to the same dreary scenerio. This feeling reminds me of the text, Into Thin Air by John Krakauer, when Krakauer describes how he is shaken by the first dead body he sees on his expedition up Everest, but by the second dead body, death doesn't really effect him. It's as if Weisel, Krakauer, and readers shut out the deaths because they don't want to experience those emotions or they just are use to them.
Also, the text touches upon the relationships between family and friends in devastating and testing situations. On one hand, Elie says how his father is the only thing that keeps him going and they help each other through. I definitely think that if I were in a situation such as the concentration camps, I would want company with me. However, Weisel does tell how in his situation the Jews were better off alone at times, everyman for himself. Rabbi Eliahu is a friend of Weisel's father who comes looking for his son, Weisel says, "He had already gone through the door when I remembered that I had noticed his son running beside me...But then I remembered something else: his son had seen him losing ground...And he had continued to run in front, letting the distance between them become greater," (91). This is one of the scenarios that really challenges the relationship between family and in this case the Rabbi's son leaves him to fend for himself. It really challenges my view of family because I feel that you should always look out for your loved ones and I think I would stay with my family no matter what. The son and the Rabbi have gone through so much together already and the son basically leaves him to die. Wouldn't the son want that company going further? I feel that the son is so fortunate to be able to stay with his father this far through the journey, yet he just gives up on staying together. The same idea of leaving your loved ones behind comes up again with Elie and his father. The Blockalteste says to Elie, "Listen to me, kid. Don't forget that you are in a concentration camp. In this place, it is every man for himself, and you cannot think of others...In this place there is no such thing as father, brother, friend," (110). This passage really captures my attention because it poses such an internal conflict for Elie. He feels guilty for even considering leaving his father while he is ill, however by giving his father rations of his food and his energy, he is weakening himself. I feel differently toward Elie then I do toward Rabbi Eliahu's son because Elie's father is beyond helping at this point and Rabbi Eliahu could have been helped. I can't imagine having to give up on my own family member, but I do see the Blockalteste's point, Weisel was only hurting himself by trying to save his father who was beyond saving. It does show how sometimes in certain situations you need to have your own best interest in mind, however I do believe you should do whatever you can to help your loved ones until it is too late. Overall this novel has touched upon the impact humans can have and death and it has also challenged some of my views of the world.
Also, the text touches upon the relationships between family and friends in devastating and testing situations. On one hand, Elie says how his father is the only thing that keeps him going and they help each other through. I definitely think that if I were in a situation such as the concentration camps, I would want company with me. However, Weisel does tell how in his situation the Jews were better off alone at times, everyman for himself. Rabbi Eliahu is a friend of Weisel's father who comes looking for his son, Weisel says, "He had already gone through the door when I remembered that I had noticed his son running beside me...But then I remembered something else: his son had seen him losing ground...And he had continued to run in front, letting the distance between them become greater," (91). This is one of the scenarios that really challenges the relationship between family and in this case the Rabbi's son leaves him to fend for himself. It really challenges my view of family because I feel that you should always look out for your loved ones and I think I would stay with my family no matter what. The son and the Rabbi have gone through so much together already and the son basically leaves him to die. Wouldn't the son want that company going further? I feel that the son is so fortunate to be able to stay with his father this far through the journey, yet he just gives up on staying together. The same idea of leaving your loved ones behind comes up again with Elie and his father. The Blockalteste says to Elie, "Listen to me, kid. Don't forget that you are in a concentration camp. In this place, it is every man for himself, and you cannot think of others...In this place there is no such thing as father, brother, friend," (110). This passage really captures my attention because it poses such an internal conflict for Elie. He feels guilty for even considering leaving his father while he is ill, however by giving his father rations of his food and his energy, he is weakening himself. I feel differently toward Elie then I do toward Rabbi Eliahu's son because Elie's father is beyond helping at this point and Rabbi Eliahu could have been helped. I can't imagine having to give up on my own family member, but I do see the Blockalteste's point, Weisel was only hurting himself by trying to save his father who was beyond saving. It does show how sometimes in certain situations you need to have your own best interest in mind, however I do believe you should do whatever you can to help your loved ones until it is too late. Overall this novel has touched upon the impact humans can have and death and it has also challenged some of my views of the world.
Friday, March 9, 2012
response #3 :)
Already I'm confused reading how they start off running like dogs. Why do they always run, what does it do for them? There's literally no point in them wasting their energy to run. I found it extremely saddening when people would rest for a couple minutes and get shot by the SS officers, why don't they try straight running for that long after being in the worst condition of their life! Those officers are literally disgusting to have the audacity to shot the innocent, tired runners, they're hungry, thirsty, and extremely tired, they aren't just stopping for fun. Also, when people sat down for a couple minutes to close their eyes, death took them over and killed them instantly. I found this very peaceful, they were taken in a way that was almost relaxing and no one could harm them, they were just left on the side where they fell asleep. Even though they suffered all those years, at least they didn't have to suffer a terrible death with it like many others who were shot or hung in front of everyone.
At one point corruption took place when Elie claimed "I dug my nails into unknown faces. I was biting my way through." (p. 93) Every one was trying to survive but it was becoming extremely difficult when you have multiple bodies either dead or alive suffocating you and others. This shows a state of cannibalism to me. They didn't care who they had to kill in the process, as long as they came out alive, that's all that mattered. Elie also prayed to go that he wouldn't leave his father to die being so weak, like the Rabbi's son left him on purpose.
I was extremely astonished when his father died. That was very depressing how they treated the sick people as if they were already. Just because they're hurt, doesn't mean they don't need food and they yell and beat the vulnerable victims.
At one point corruption took place when Elie claimed "I dug my nails into unknown faces. I was biting my way through." (p. 93) Every one was trying to survive but it was becoming extremely difficult when you have multiple bodies either dead or alive suffocating you and others. This shows a state of cannibalism to me. They didn't care who they had to kill in the process, as long as they came out alive, that's all that mattered. Elie also prayed to go that he wouldn't leave his father to die being so weak, like the Rabbi's son left him on purpose.
I was extremely astonished when his father died. That was very depressing how they treated the sick people as if they were already. Just because they're hurt, doesn't mean they don't need food and they yell and beat the vulnerable victims.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Individual Response 2
I was surprised to catch myself feeling very insensitive to the events taking place. I felt as though the book was essentially repeating itself. For example, when Elie was punished for discovering the SS officer and the young girl fornicating in a deserted room, he recalls that he "no longer felt anything except the lashes of the whip. [The officer] took his time between lashes. Only the first really hurt" (57). Just as Elie does not feel anything after the initial strike, I am almost no longer experiencing the surprise and emotion towards what is happening. Maybe I, too, am adapting to the same environment the Jews were forced into. I had stated in a previous response how exposing oneself to grotesque and horrible images allows the mind to build barriers against the corresponding emotions. This may be happening now. Possibly the reason why I have adapted so quickly is because I am comfortably louging on the couch reading a book. There is no physical adaptation to overcome; the mind comes first; mind over matter. I do, however, feel guilty for letting myself revert to a comfortable state of mind, allowing my conscience, not so much as to adapt, but rather ignore the true meaning and pain of the words in front of me and consider only the textual definitions. On the other hand, this may help me see the Holocaust at this point throught the eyes of Wiesel, for he, too, is immune to its tortuous effects on the brain.
At this stage in Elie's imprisonment, he and all the other Jews are beginning to recognize the purpose of friendship in survival. On the one hand, companionship allows one to have some reason to persevere. When Elie and his father are put in the electrical building to separate parts, he is introduced to two brothers, Yossi and Tibi, whose parents had been killed in a previous concentration camp. Elie remembers the brothers telling him that they "lived for each other, body and soul" (50), which, with the memory of their parents' extermination, may have helped them to survive and push the other to carry on. In fact, I remember reading in my research how the brothers attributed their survival to the strong bond they had developed. I do feel that having a companion during tough times does ease the strain on both partners. For one, you are not alone in your efforts. Sometimes humans, when faced with extreme adversity, lose sight of hope because their minds and their hearts are telling them to simply succumb and release their burden. Yet, this is not always the best choice, and we may often need that extra push to keep on moving forward. It helps even more if the companion is simultaneously empathetic to your endeavors. In the case of Yossi and Tibi, they are similarly subjected to the terrors of the Holocaust. Therefore, they understand the predicament, as well as each other, and essentially share the hardship. Because of this, I do feel that the phrase "misery loves company" may actually be quite beneficial in certain circumstances.
At this stage in Elie's imprisonment, he and all the other Jews are beginning to recognize the purpose of friendship in survival. On the one hand, companionship allows one to have some reason to persevere. When Elie and his father are put in the electrical building to separate parts, he is introduced to two brothers, Yossi and Tibi, whose parents had been killed in a previous concentration camp. Elie remembers the brothers telling him that they "lived for each other, body and soul" (50), which, with the memory of their parents' extermination, may have helped them to survive and push the other to carry on. In fact, I remember reading in my research how the brothers attributed their survival to the strong bond they had developed. I do feel that having a companion during tough times does ease the strain on both partners. For one, you are not alone in your efforts. Sometimes humans, when faced with extreme adversity, lose sight of hope because their minds and their hearts are telling them to simply succumb and release their burden. Yet, this is not always the best choice, and we may often need that extra push to keep on moving forward. It helps even more if the companion is simultaneously empathetic to your endeavors. In the case of Yossi and Tibi, they are similarly subjected to the terrors of the Holocaust. Therefore, they understand the predicament, as well as each other, and essentially share the hardship. Because of this, I do feel that the phrase "misery loves company" may actually be quite beneficial in certain circumstances.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
response #2 !
The conditions in the camps are still gut wrenching, including how they treat the people as well. At one point in the story they're told to clean the room for the Russians so they don't think "pigs" are living there. When in reality, if they're treated like animals, let other people know how they're treated. There should be no secret in how these poor Jews were treated, if Germans had no shame in treating them this way there should be no shame in telling people about it. I literally felt sick to my stomach when i read about Elie getting whipped. How on earth could someone do that to another human being? Imagine minding your own business and seeing what he saw? Elie was scared enough emotionally from that, and certainly didn't deserve to be scared physically. Little by little, every ones emotions are being changed, they can no longer feel any sorrow or cry over their miseries. Elie's father almost didn't make it past the inspection thing and was going to have to go into the crematory. Elie had no emotion whatsoever and couldn't even grieve properly for almost losing his father. Why have these camps changed them so much already?
Anther problem that really got me upset was their clothing situations. They slept in literally nothing. They had these tiny blankets, I'm assuming, and their clothes clearly aren't high quality. The winter time was the worst, even though they received a thicker shirt, the weather was still unbearable. Elie said that while working it felt like his hand was sticking to the steel slates he was moving. If your workers are that cold, and that uncomfortable don't you think you'd try to make them comfortable;e so they can work better? It just doesn't make sense to expect such high quality work from them but not treat them normally.
Also, listening to the hangings of people literally made me want to throw up. Why did everyone have to watch the hangings of other men, as if it wasn't hard enough watching them get beat, they had to watch them hang in a noose? Reading about that poor little boy who was hung literally broke my heart. Unlike the rest of the men, he didn't die within the first couple minutes. Becausee he was so young and underweight, it took him longer to die. This left him just chilling there waiting to die. Imagine waiting for your death to come and having people watch you like theres nothing wrong with it? This book is honestly so disturbing in many ways. How were people just treated this way? Why were they? Theres so many questions i would ask the German officers and especially Hitler. I just become so angry thinking about him and his disgusting ways. I don't care how messed up in the head people said he was. Theres no excuse for what he did, its disgusting and inhumane.
Anther problem that really got me upset was their clothing situations. They slept in literally nothing. They had these tiny blankets, I'm assuming, and their clothes clearly aren't high quality. The winter time was the worst, even though they received a thicker shirt, the weather was still unbearable. Elie said that while working it felt like his hand was sticking to the steel slates he was moving. If your workers are that cold, and that uncomfortable don't you think you'd try to make them comfortable;e so they can work better? It just doesn't make sense to expect such high quality work from them but not treat them normally.
Also, listening to the hangings of people literally made me want to throw up. Why did everyone have to watch the hangings of other men, as if it wasn't hard enough watching them get beat, they had to watch them hang in a noose? Reading about that poor little boy who was hung literally broke my heart. Unlike the rest of the men, he didn't die within the first couple minutes. Becausee he was so young and underweight, it took him longer to die. This left him just chilling there waiting to die. Imagine waiting for your death to come and having people watch you like theres nothing wrong with it? This book is honestly so disturbing in many ways. How were people just treated this way? Why were they? Theres so many questions i would ask the German officers and especially Hitler. I just become so angry thinking about him and his disgusting ways. I don't care how messed up in the head people said he was. Theres no excuse for what he did, its disgusting and inhumane.
reader response 2
After
reading further into Night, I have
some new comments on the way the Jewish people were treated at the new camp,
Buna. For example, I didn’t think it was acceptable that Idek randomly attacked
Elie. You could easily compare this situation with bullying stories you hear
about nowadays. Although it might not be to the same level of abuse, it is
still not acceptable to hurt someone else for no reason. It is truly sad that
people feel the need to take advantage of other people just because they simply
“feel like it.” Elie says, “One day when Idek was venting his fury, I happened
to cross his path. He threw himself on me like a wild beast...throwing me to
the ground...Abruptly, he calmed down and sent me back to work as if nothing
had happened” (53). Next, I believe that it is unfair that the dentists were
checking the mouths of the Jewish people for gold crowns. It is not right that
they had to give up items needed to keep their teeth good so the Germans could
sell it for a little extra money. Although the way they are treated at Buna is
slightly better than the cruel conditions at Auschwitz, like having the job of
burning people alive, I still believe that they were treated as less than
human.
Another point Elie brought up that I
didn’t quite agree with was his choice to give up on God. He says, “Why do you
go on troubling these poor people’s wounded minds, their ailing bodies?” (66).
I see why he is upset about God not helping the Jewish people out of their
misery, but I don’t think he should turn against him all together. It must’ve
felt like God abandoned all of them when they needed him most, which would be
very difficult to keep hope alive. However, at least if he had kept praying it
would’ve supplied him with a little optimism that eventually they would be
returned to safety. By turning away from religion completely, it will
eventually lead to someone becoming more negative and thinking you will never
pull out of it. One point I could not imagine happened was Elie’s infirmary
roommate saying, “I have more faith in Hitler than in anyone else” (81). How
can you not have hatred from this monster when he is putting you through this
torture?!?! He is the reason they were put through this! I was completely
shocked when I read that section. Lastly, the author’s point of view had an
impact on me when the doctors did the selections because I could feel the
nervousness that Elie and his father felt. His father was becoming frailer by
the day and he was the only one he had left. He would be devastated to lose him
now, and I know if I was put in his situation, my stomach would be in knots.
Overall, I am still very interested to see how Elie managed to make it out of
this situation alive.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Reader Response 2
Fellow Readers,
After reading up to page 84 in Night, by Elie Weisel, I find myself confused about a few aspects within the story and even though I found this section slightly less horrid then the last, I am still quite disturbed by the ill-treatment Elie and the other Jews have recieved. In my opinion, I find the camp of Buna, which Weisel resides in and describes in this section, a bit more merciful and better then the previous camps and the Jews first experience with the cremations. Although there were still some beatings and some murders, there seemed to be less here then there were in past camps, and for the most part, you were allowed to stay with your family or friends and Weisel remained with his father for a while. However, there were a few sentences Weisel writes that really caught my attention, he says, "On the fourth day, as we stood in front of our tent, the Kapos appeared. Each one began to choose the men he like: 'You...you...you' They pointed their fingers, the way one might choose cattle, or merchandise," (49). The words the author uses here in reference to how the Jews were treated and how they felt such as "cattle" and "merchandise", really show how demeaning the SS treated the Jews. By Weisel using these words, the readers can truly understand the inhumane conditions the Jewish people faced. I find this morally wrong, for we are all human, no one should be considered above anyone else regardless of race or anything. What makes the Germans, Hitler, and the Nazis so much better then the Jews? They have more power so it's acceptable for them to walk all over people?
Also, I found that this section really challenged many faiths and the belief of God. I believed the text really addressed religion in general, which is personal to me for I follow the Catholic religion that believes in God. There were many times Weisel challeneged his own religion and challenged God for allowing the Jewish people to be in this position. At one point he says, "Blessed be God's name? Why, but why would I bless Him? Every fiber in me rebelled. Because He caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves?" (67). Elie really caught my attention here, for he had once been so faithful and inside he remained faithful, but he experienced so much that he really gave up hope. I understand him being angry at the world here after everything he has gone through. Weisel really challenges his own beliefs here and others, especially if you are religious. One could wonder, why would God, who the Jews have constantly devoted thier lives too and served, allow them to suffer like this? I believe it also addresses how you need to have faith, especially if you are going through awful times such as this because having belief in something gives you hope and Elie himself explains that after he started to rebel against God and his beliefs, he felt alone and more or less helpless. The one passage that I found very confusing and surprising was when a Jew says to Elie, "I have more faith in Hitler than anyone else. He alone has kept his promises, to the Jewish people," (81). I had to stop and reread this line a few times because I honestly couldn't believe a Jew would say this in regard to Hitler. Hitler was the man responsible for the massive Jewish killings and he was the mastermind behind Jewish extermination. How could he possible have these feelings toward Hitler? I found this by far the most difficult to understand out of the whole reading so far. Could it be that the Jews were tormented so greatly into believing that they were worthless or less than others that they actually started to believe it? I am interested to see how Wiesel, now without real faith is able to escape from this terrible lifestyle.
After reading up to page 84 in Night, by Elie Weisel, I find myself confused about a few aspects within the story and even though I found this section slightly less horrid then the last, I am still quite disturbed by the ill-treatment Elie and the other Jews have recieved. In my opinion, I find the camp of Buna, which Weisel resides in and describes in this section, a bit more merciful and better then the previous camps and the Jews first experience with the cremations. Although there were still some beatings and some murders, there seemed to be less here then there were in past camps, and for the most part, you were allowed to stay with your family or friends and Weisel remained with his father for a while. However, there were a few sentences Weisel writes that really caught my attention, he says, "On the fourth day, as we stood in front of our tent, the Kapos appeared. Each one began to choose the men he like: 'You...you...you' They pointed their fingers, the way one might choose cattle, or merchandise," (49). The words the author uses here in reference to how the Jews were treated and how they felt such as "cattle" and "merchandise", really show how demeaning the SS treated the Jews. By Weisel using these words, the readers can truly understand the inhumane conditions the Jewish people faced. I find this morally wrong, for we are all human, no one should be considered above anyone else regardless of race or anything. What makes the Germans, Hitler, and the Nazis so much better then the Jews? They have more power so it's acceptable for them to walk all over people?
Also, I found that this section really challenged many faiths and the belief of God. I believed the text really addressed religion in general, which is personal to me for I follow the Catholic religion that believes in God. There were many times Weisel challeneged his own religion and challenged God for allowing the Jewish people to be in this position. At one point he says, "Blessed be God's name? Why, but why would I bless Him? Every fiber in me rebelled. Because He caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves?" (67). Elie really caught my attention here, for he had once been so faithful and inside he remained faithful, but he experienced so much that he really gave up hope. I understand him being angry at the world here after everything he has gone through. Weisel really challenges his own beliefs here and others, especially if you are religious. One could wonder, why would God, who the Jews have constantly devoted thier lives too and served, allow them to suffer like this? I believe it also addresses how you need to have faith, especially if you are going through awful times such as this because having belief in something gives you hope and Elie himself explains that after he started to rebel against God and his beliefs, he felt alone and more or less helpless. The one passage that I found very confusing and surprising was when a Jew says to Elie, "I have more faith in Hitler than anyone else. He alone has kept his promises, to the Jewish people," (81). I had to stop and reread this line a few times because I honestly couldn't believe a Jew would say this in regard to Hitler. Hitler was the man responsible for the massive Jewish killings and he was the mastermind behind Jewish extermination. How could he possible have these feelings toward Hitler? I found this by far the most difficult to understand out of the whole reading so far. Could it be that the Jews were tormented so greatly into believing that they were worthless or less than others that they actually started to believe it? I am interested to see how Wiesel, now without real faith is able to escape from this terrible lifestyle.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Reader Response 1
I cannot believe that I am only 46 pages into this book and already I am sickened by the events that have transpired thus far. The preface, I felt, provided valuable insight on Wiesel's views of the world then and now, as well as the conflict within himself on whether or not to even write the book. Many of his beliefs I agree with. Wiesel says, "[t]here are those who tell me that I survived in order to write this text...I am not convinced...However, having survived, I needed to give meaning to my survival" (vii-viii). Situations like this have always baffled me in literature and real life. Do we really have a purpose in life? Or is this just some cliche drilled into our existence in hopes that younger generations will live up to their potential? While I may be still on the fence regarding this preplexing matter, I am leaning towards the side of purpose rather than chance. I feel as though the circumstances that surround us cannot possibly be put into motion unless some "greater being" is observing it all. Some of these so-called "chances" we do not even take into account in our daily lives. Even meeting a friend in a supermarket has an effect on both lives. One of my new favorite television shows Touch reveals an ancient Chinese saying that I truly believe. It states that the gods of the universe have attached a red string to all of us, and wherever we go, the string follows us. As we meet people in our lives, our strings may becomed crossed, tangled, or intertwined, but the it will never break. We affect eveyone we encounter in our lives, whether we know it or not, and as humans, we never know if we will become a part of someone's future.
While reading the actual text, I found it quite ironic how the Germans who invaded Sighet were initially kind to its Jewish inhabitants. I thought this was absolutely sick (on a psychological level). To me, befriending the people one is going to murder first would further destroy them. That is, all the trust the Jewish people of Sighet had for the Germans at the time (remembering they did not believe the stories of other towns and the horrors of the concenctration camps) is suddenly shattered, leaving them confused and broken as they march to their death at Auschwitz. Imagine what it would feel like if a German soldier brought your wife "a box of chocolates" (10) and then beat you with a club three days later and forced you out of your home. An interesting fact: statistics show that you are more likely to be murdered by someone in your own family than just a random stranger. The emotional and psychological after effects on the family are astounding. Although the Germans are not family, the fact that they befriended the Jews created a method of further breaking their spirits. Yet, by far the most sickening part of this section was when Elie, his father, and the remaining Jews from Sighet were marching past the massive outdoor firepit by their barracks. Elie recalls that "[a] truck drew close and unloaded its hold: small children. Babies!...children thrown into the flames" (32). At this point, I actually put the book down and walked around for a bit because I simply could not fathom the evil and abuse that the Germans were inflicting on these poor people. This showed myself how naive and ignorant I was to the actual events of the Holocaust. I knew they burned people alive and suffocated them and committed other dreadful crimes, but I never knew that they were dumping truckloads of children and infants into a fire...alive! It would be an awful thing if they were already dead and were being disposed of (not that this would make burning children understandable), but there are no words to describe such an event as burning children alive. I was thoroughly sickened and yet awakened to the true evil this country had sent upon the world. I am a bit apprehensive about reading onward into the horrors that await me in this book...
While reading the actual text, I found it quite ironic how the Germans who invaded Sighet were initially kind to its Jewish inhabitants. I thought this was absolutely sick (on a psychological level). To me, befriending the people one is going to murder first would further destroy them. That is, all the trust the Jewish people of Sighet had for the Germans at the time (remembering they did not believe the stories of other towns and the horrors of the concenctration camps) is suddenly shattered, leaving them confused and broken as they march to their death at Auschwitz. Imagine what it would feel like if a German soldier brought your wife "a box of chocolates" (10) and then beat you with a club three days later and forced you out of your home. An interesting fact: statistics show that you are more likely to be murdered by someone in your own family than just a random stranger. The emotional and psychological after effects on the family are astounding. Although the Germans are not family, the fact that they befriended the Jews created a method of further breaking their spirits. Yet, by far the most sickening part of this section was when Elie, his father, and the remaining Jews from Sighet were marching past the massive outdoor firepit by their barracks. Elie recalls that "[a] truck drew close and unloaded its hold: small children. Babies!...children thrown into the flames" (32). At this point, I actually put the book down and walked around for a bit because I simply could not fathom the evil and abuse that the Germans were inflicting on these poor people. This showed myself how naive and ignorant I was to the actual events of the Holocaust. I knew they burned people alive and suffocated them and committed other dreadful crimes, but I never knew that they were dumping truckloads of children and infants into a fire...alive! It would be an awful thing if they were already dead and were being disposed of (not that this would make burning children understandable), but there are no words to describe such an event as burning children alive. I was thoroughly sickened and yet awakened to the true evil this country had sent upon the world. I am a bit apprehensive about reading onward into the horrors that await me in this book...
While reading this
passage, the first thing I began to think of was how could humans treat other
humans so cruelly? I can’t even fathom what it would be like to live in this
time period whether you were German or Jewish. What the German people were
doing to the Jewish was inhumane and cannot be justified. One section I could
not believe actually happened was when Elie said, “A truck drew close and
unloaded its hold: small children. Babies! Yes, I did see this, with my own
eyes…children thrown into the flames” (32). If I were the person that had the
job of harming these innocent children I would
not be able to live with myself. I know that if they didn’t do their job they would be shot, but I think that
killing people would be more difficult to live through than being shot for a
religion I believe in. I would have been crying constantly if I were put through this torture. These events definitely clash with my views of what I consider
right and wrong because I don’t think anyone under any circumstances should be
treated as less than someone of the same species. Everyone should have a free
choice of religion because that shouldn’t change how someone looks at you as a
person. It is not fair that throughout history, the Jewish religion has been tormented so much; they have never done or said anything against any other ethnic groups.
I think that having
this book written from a Holocaust survivor’s point of view makes it a lot more
heartbreaking and emotional. How can someone not feel upset or sad when they
hear first hand how these people were treated? This book grabs the attention of
the reader more than a history book about the Holocaust ever would. When Elie
said, “Twenty more steps. If I was going to kill myself, this was the time…I
bit my lip so that my father would not hear my teeth chattering. Ten more
steps. Eight. Seven. We were walking slowly, as one follows a hearse, our own
funeral procession…” (33) I could not even imagine having to go through something
tragic like this when he was the same age as me. I wouldn’t be able to even
keep walking because I would be so nervous and shocked. Also, I would be completely
devastated if I was ever separated from
my family and couldn’t keep in touch with them to know if they were okay. I am
extremely close to my family and would be worried sick if I couldn’t see them
anymore at all. I find it very hard to read Night
because I hate hearing about what they had to go through while they were
imprisoned at the camps. I know that if I was ever put in that situation I wouldn’t
have been able to keep my spirits up. I am still interested to keep reading to
see how Elie was able to make it out of the camp alive.
Entry number 1 :)
I honestly cant believe how graphic and disgusting this book is. While reading it i find myself becoming more and more nauseous with each description of their living conditions. One thing that really disturbed was when Moishe the Beadle was trying to explain to Jewish people how bad things were going to get, no one listened to him. Why on earth would they ignore him like that? When someone has experienced the horrific journey to the concentration camps and managed to escape, give them some credit. They should have been worshiping the ground he walked on instead of ignoring him like ignorant individuals. Also, another thing that really grossed me out was how they made the men strip down into nothing and hold onto their shoes and belts while being examined. They had to shave their heads and every once of hair from their body, which i believe as a violation of freedom of speech. Each person should be able to have their hair, shower, be with their family and friends, and other everyday activities. While they were having all this done, they were being beaten which was disgusting. Who in their right mind would beat someone for doing something as innocent as standing around! All this just doesn't make sense to me, they were literally treated like pieces of crap, like they should be ashamed to be alive. The way innocent babies were thrown in the air and shot with machine guns in order to test the guns was appalling. The most shocking event to me was when Elie's dad was slapped in the face after asking where the bathrooms were. Instead of caring for his father who was lying helplessly on the ground, he stood their with no emotions. This wasn't the old Elie. The old Elie would have helped his father would have cared for him in his time of need. How was he already brain washed by the German soldiers? He shouldn't have let it get to his head and should have stayed strong, and protected his father. The whole scenery is disgusting and would make anyone cringe. With fire roaring in the crematory they felt threatened and uncomfortable, not knowing when they were going to die. Imagine having to put yourself in the fire burning pit! I know that i would never have the guts to do so and would also, never be able to watch a family member go in there with me. Also, the bus ride to the camps were horrific. The poor humans on that bus, traveling with out water for days and hallucinating! Its like they were trying to kill them before they even got to the camp. Not like they did anything wrong so far, they've literally done everything told, and this is how they're being treated? This whole book is just so depressing right now but yet very intriguing at the same time.
Reader Response 1
Dear Fellow Readers,
After reading the Preface up to page 46 in the book, I find the Jews initial reaction to the invasion of the Germans surprising and kind of confusing. In the beginning Elie writes how the German soldiers seem quite polite and many Jews in the area are still in high spirits. Even as the Germans started to become stricter by forbidding them from leaving thier homes and forcing them into distinct ghettos surrounded by barbed wire, the Jews remain content, not that worried. Elie comments on the fenced in ghettos by saying, "People thought this was a good thing. We would no longer have to look at all those hostile faces, endure those hate-filled stares. No more fear. No more anguish," (12). I find thier reaction here surprising, it's hard to believe how they are grateful for this seclusion. They're caged in by barbed wire like creatures or animals, not humans and yet they're content with it. It makes me wonder how bad were they treated by people outside of the ghettos? Were all people supportive of getting rid of the Jews? Weisel also remarks on how little they knew about places such as Auschwitz and when Moishe the Beadle had escaped and came back to warn them about the Germans, they didn't believe him. It's hard to believe how naive they truly were to everything that was going on. Did they really not know the Germans plan to get rid f them or were they in denial where they just couldn't believe it was actually real?
Also, after reading the section on Auschwitz, Elie says they actually slept a lot in this concentration camp and they really had nothing to do. Before reading I was under the inpression that this would be one of the worst of thier endeavors, yet it seemed kind of light compared to what they experienced before with the burning of Jews alive. Weisel descibes a moment with his father, his father says, "Mother is still a young woman...She must be in a labor camp. And Tzipora, she is a big girl now. She too must be in a camp..." (46). I find it hard to imagine being in that position, trying so hard to not accept the fact that your mother and your sister could be dead. It must be torture not knowing at all whether they made it or not. Weisel describes the scene as they're leaving yet another concentration camp, he writes, "As we were passing through some of the villages, many Germans watched us, showing no surprise. No doubt they had seen quite a few of these processions before," (46). At this point I was sort of angry readin the text, these guards were teasing these German girls and the girls were giggling, acting as if nothing was wrong. How as a German watching these processions could you just watch these Jews walk by day by day, knowing perfectly well thier fate. Did they too have such a hatred for the Jews that they really didn't care what happened to them? Were they just too scared to object? Or did they not have any idea what went down in these concentration camps? Regardless of reasons, I completely disagree with the Nazis and anyone who was supportive of this type of treatment to the Jews. It is inhumane how they were treated and under no circumstances is it right to treat people this way and burn them as if they don't matter, especially since the Jews have done NOTHING to them. Overall I found the first section very eye opening and I feel that it shows how truly cruel humans can be.
After reading the Preface up to page 46 in the book, I find the Jews initial reaction to the invasion of the Germans surprising and kind of confusing. In the beginning Elie writes how the German soldiers seem quite polite and many Jews in the area are still in high spirits. Even as the Germans started to become stricter by forbidding them from leaving thier homes and forcing them into distinct ghettos surrounded by barbed wire, the Jews remain content, not that worried. Elie comments on the fenced in ghettos by saying, "People thought this was a good thing. We would no longer have to look at all those hostile faces, endure those hate-filled stares. No more fear. No more anguish," (12). I find thier reaction here surprising, it's hard to believe how they are grateful for this seclusion. They're caged in by barbed wire like creatures or animals, not humans and yet they're content with it. It makes me wonder how bad were they treated by people outside of the ghettos? Were all people supportive of getting rid of the Jews? Weisel also remarks on how little they knew about places such as Auschwitz and when Moishe the Beadle had escaped and came back to warn them about the Germans, they didn't believe him. It's hard to believe how naive they truly were to everything that was going on. Did they really not know the Germans plan to get rid f them or were they in denial where they just couldn't believe it was actually real?
Also, after reading the section on Auschwitz, Elie says they actually slept a lot in this concentration camp and they really had nothing to do. Before reading I was under the inpression that this would be one of the worst of thier endeavors, yet it seemed kind of light compared to what they experienced before with the burning of Jews alive. Weisel descibes a moment with his father, his father says, "Mother is still a young woman...She must be in a labor camp. And Tzipora, she is a big girl now. She too must be in a camp..." (46). I find it hard to imagine being in that position, trying so hard to not accept the fact that your mother and your sister could be dead. It must be torture not knowing at all whether they made it or not. Weisel describes the scene as they're leaving yet another concentration camp, he writes, "As we were passing through some of the villages, many Germans watched us, showing no surprise. No doubt they had seen quite a few of these processions before," (46). At this point I was sort of angry readin the text, these guards were teasing these German girls and the girls were giggling, acting as if nothing was wrong. How as a German watching these processions could you just watch these Jews walk by day by day, knowing perfectly well thier fate. Did they too have such a hatred for the Jews that they really didn't care what happened to them? Were they just too scared to object? Or did they not have any idea what went down in these concentration camps? Regardless of reasons, I completely disagree with the Nazis and anyone who was supportive of this type of treatment to the Jews. It is inhumane how they were treated and under no circumstances is it right to treat people this way and burn them as if they don't matter, especially since the Jews have done NOTHING to them. Overall I found the first section very eye opening and I feel that it shows how truly cruel humans can be.
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