Personal Responses
No matter your religious views, where you come from, or what ethnicity you are, Night is truly an empowering book that will alter your perspective on humanity. This book addresses the task of describing the indescribable and does it quite well, taking the reader on a emotional slope. Elie Wiesel describes his experiences through the atrocities of the Holocaust, and one simply can not relate to what he writes. After reading Night, I felt very depressed and reflected greatly on how this universe and humanity works. Night left me feeling a need to be proactive and spread peace unto others. I feel responsible for all my actions and will strive to be a quality human being. I simply cannot comprehend the horrors the Jewish citizens faced, and do not see how something so immoral actually took place here on Earth. I do not understand how the ideology that one group of humans is greater than another, or that an entire race should be eliminated simply for being confined to certain religious group, gained popularity among large quantities of people. I must not try to relate, however, because I know that I will never be able to understand such. I can only work to promote equality and acceptance for all humans, so that such a genocide is ever conducted again. I highly recommend that every human being reads Night, because it could be one source for peace in this world. On this page, I will type personal responses for each chapter in Night. In each, I will reflect on how I felt after the chapter and describe its impact on myself.
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of Night by Elie Wiesel is very impactful. The extreme adaptation it depicts left me with an uncomfortable essence due to the unimaginable, unrelatable experiences Elie faces. His sudden withdrawal from his current life environment is so drastic, as he must resort to a rundown and trashed ghetto. Not only that, but he must also disregard his possessions and board a train ultimately leading to the horrors of Auschwitz. I simply cannot fathom being immorally forced to abandon my primary and modern atmosphere, to be taken to unspeakable tortures. All my personal possessions, the stuff I own that defines who I am, would be stripped away for me to never see again. It's simply so horrid that I can't visualize what it must have been like! Even with the Jews personal items being taken, their life-sustaining needs were hardly provided! A community that was working very efficiently and in peace was destroyed and torn apart, and the only person who foresaw this was Moishe. I can't imagine what it must have been like for him, to have everyone turn their back on you and claim you have lost your sanity. He somewhat foreshadows what was to come, because at the end of this chapter we see the Jewish society being deported and the true terrors begin. Overall, the community as a whole was deprived of their innocence, and the shocking realization that Moishe was truthful broke many of the people's hope. I find myself, after this chapter, reevaluating what humanity perceives as our priorities. As society advances, we take much of our digital technologies for granted in huge ignorance. It seems as though we are losing our humanity in this ignorance, because we do not acknowledge that what matters most is stability and peace for all. Sadly, although we have the sources do such, I don't think we will see a day where we bring stability and peace to all regions of Earth.
Chapter 2 & 3
Chapter 2 was very engaged with family ties. We gain insight to many horrific events Elie witnessed at such a young age, including the train rides that cause complete insanity in Mrs. Schäcter. I find it very disturbing that the passengers actually resorted to beating her, no matter how insane and loud she would get. We can't judge the actions of the passengers, however, because we cannot contemplate their psychological state. Still, I cannot imagine witnessing someone shreek in complete distress and how such would sound. I also believe that if I were separated from my family, as Mrs. Schäcter was, I would most likely lose my sanity. I would need my family as a source of guidance and love, because without such I do not think I could provide for myself. Survival would be impossible for me if I did not have anyone at my side, and I would surely lose all my hope. Mrs. Schäcter provides an example of how such large and sudden change detriments the mental state of humans experiencing such, and the key to sanity is the ability to adapt and avoid ostracization. At this point, I am demonstrating anxiety for Wiesel family because, upon arriving at Birkenau, their connections are hanging by a thread.
The immorality of the horrors committed in Chapter 3 are simply incomprehensible. I can seriously not contemplate how people, real humans with emotions and humanity, could enforce such atrocity. How could someone actually promote the genocide and oppression that took place during the Holocaust? How can someone believe that certain groups of people are inferior, when in reality we are all human? What could possibly make humans do such terrors? Within the Nazi fascists, we perceive humans, but no humanity. This passage truly make the reader question whether morals are learned through experience and upbringing, or if they are objectives of human nature at birth. I like to believe that morals are not so clearly cut, and that they are both gained through experience and naturally intertwined in human nature. But how could the Nazis become so falsified in their image of love and purity? They surely had mothers and fathers, and they were still humans! What craziness drove one to find another human inferior based on objectively born traits, as if we can control who we are born to be? Are humans naturally hateful and do we urge to judge? I still argue that humans are naturally good, and through temptation, indoctrination, and society we develop hate, ignorance, and indifference. But how, with such an admiration for peace and philosophy, has humanity allowed evil to evolve? I realize that these questions in themselves have no definite answer, but Chapter 3 of Night is so thought-provoking that we must analyze the cruelty and absolute injustice humanity was able to create.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 is primarily focused on progression and change. Elie has become psychologically destroyed and has begun to deteriorate emotionally. He has become immune to pain and mentally distraught from the environment. As things occur around him, he is blind to reaction and depicts such by laughing at rape. We can analyze this and conclude he no longer absorbs and relates to human interaction in an expected manner. We have some hope for Elie's mental state towards the end of the passage when he feels remorse for the young boy that is hung, however, we can only assume he is more so lingering on and off with humane response and understanding. This is a clear indication of the detrimental effects the Holocaust is having not only on Elie's mental and physical state, but his social as well. From a loss in religious perspective to a lack of humane thought, Elie is slowly becoming a fragment of his true self and more or an unresponsive victim of cruelty.
Chapter 5
Chapter 5 consistently stimulates the reader's emotions in great swings. There are moments of depression and heartache, such as when Elie's father does not pass the selection. This moment was emotionally disastrous because we believe they must say goodbye forever, and I do not think that Elie would be able to cope with such a loss at that point. However, we know later that his father passes a second selection and the two will remain together. That moment was very uplifting and can ensure Elie has a restored hope for his family. The chapter ends though with the most tragic irony ever in that Elie and his father leave the infirmary believing that should they stay they will die. The saddest part of this is that had they stayed, a few short days later they would have been liberated and avoided enduring more of the Holocaust's atrocity. My heart is tugged at this knowledge because I am starting to believe Elie's father may not make it through the Death March.
Chapter 6 & 7
Chapters 6 and 7 were extremely horrific. These chapters commence the death marches, in which major atrocities occurred. We see that fate has been extensively cruel to Elie and Mr. Wiesel as they could have been liberated had they remained in the infirmary, although their ultimate decision was to join the other victims in the race of death. These marches were very lethal due to the bitter, cold winter that was unfortunately in season. Mass amounts of people died, and I can't imagine how anyone could have actually stayed alive in the condition they faced. I was literally sighing with relief when Elie and his father both made it to the end. I found it unbelievable that both of them could endure the races and make it through! Both have gone through major psychological changes, and Elie actually contemplates death regularly. If his father had not made it through the marches, I would predict that Elie's desire for death would overcome him. The last test of their livelihood was a final selection. Amazingly, Elie passes and Mr. Wiesel manages to sneak his way to the group of people whom were deemed to live. I can't comprehend how the Nazis are still so immoral, and how they keep progressing in their cruelty. I struggled to read these passages full of death, and I can't wait to finish this book!
Chapters 8 & 9
Chapters 8 and 9 were the most depressing and remorseful for me. Elie and his father have gone through so much, all of the terrible things within the Holocaust, and yet their will to survive did not pay off. Elie's father has passed, leaving Elie with little hope to survive. I feel so much remorse for Elie because at this point he has no family and must live for himself. I do not think Elie will manage to regain his faith in God and humanity after being through these horrors. The book ends with Elie's liberations, which I think was perfect. People forget while reading Night that it is a true story and that these horrors actually occurred, so when many say the ending left them questioning they don't realize that such information they seek is out there. I think that Elie will not be able to readjust to normal life quickly, and will have major psychological issues for years until he does manage to adjust. This book was so empowering and life altering that I truly believe in has shaped my perspectives. I will go forward in my life and promote humanity.
The Pianist Response
Chapter 1 of Night by Elie Wiesel is very impactful. The extreme adaptation it depicts left me with an uncomfortable essence due to the unimaginable, unrelatable experiences Elie faces. His sudden withdrawal from his current life environment is so drastic, as he must resort to a rundown and trashed ghetto. Not only that, but he must also disregard his possessions and board a train ultimately leading to the horrors of Auschwitz. I simply cannot fathom being immorally forced to abandon my primary and modern atmosphere, to be taken to unspeakable tortures. All my personal possessions, the stuff I own that defines who I am, would be stripped away for me to never see again. It's simply so horrid that I can't visualize what it must have been like! Even with the Jews personal items being taken, their life-sustaining needs were hardly provided! A community that was working very efficiently and in peace was destroyed and torn apart, and the only person who foresaw this was Moishe. I can't imagine what it must have been like for him, to have everyone turn their back on you and claim you have lost your sanity. He somewhat foreshadows what was to come, because at the end of this chapter we see the Jewish society being deported and the true terrors begin. Overall, the community as a whole was deprived of their innocence, and the shocking realization that Moishe was truthful broke many of the people's hope. I find myself, after this chapter, reevaluating what humanity perceives as our priorities. As society advances, we take much of our digital technologies for granted in huge ignorance. It seems as though we are losing our humanity in this ignorance, because we do not acknowledge that what matters most is stability and peace for all. Sadly, although we have the sources do such, I don't think we will see a day where we bring stability and peace to all regions of Earth.
Chapter 2 & 3
Chapter 2 was very engaged with family ties. We gain insight to many horrific events Elie witnessed at such a young age, including the train rides that cause complete insanity in Mrs. Schäcter. I find it very disturbing that the passengers actually resorted to beating her, no matter how insane and loud she would get. We can't judge the actions of the passengers, however, because we cannot contemplate their psychological state. Still, I cannot imagine witnessing someone shreek in complete distress and how such would sound. I also believe that if I were separated from my family, as Mrs. Schäcter was, I would most likely lose my sanity. I would need my family as a source of guidance and love, because without such I do not think I could provide for myself. Survival would be impossible for me if I did not have anyone at my side, and I would surely lose all my hope. Mrs. Schäcter provides an example of how such large and sudden change detriments the mental state of humans experiencing such, and the key to sanity is the ability to adapt and avoid ostracization. At this point, I am demonstrating anxiety for Wiesel family because, upon arriving at Birkenau, their connections are hanging by a thread.
The immorality of the horrors committed in Chapter 3 are simply incomprehensible. I can seriously not contemplate how people, real humans with emotions and humanity, could enforce such atrocity. How could someone actually promote the genocide and oppression that took place during the Holocaust? How can someone believe that certain groups of people are inferior, when in reality we are all human? What could possibly make humans do such terrors? Within the Nazi fascists, we perceive humans, but no humanity. This passage truly make the reader question whether morals are learned through experience and upbringing, or if they are objectives of human nature at birth. I like to believe that morals are not so clearly cut, and that they are both gained through experience and naturally intertwined in human nature. But how could the Nazis become so falsified in their image of love and purity? They surely had mothers and fathers, and they were still humans! What craziness drove one to find another human inferior based on objectively born traits, as if we can control who we are born to be? Are humans naturally hateful and do we urge to judge? I still argue that humans are naturally good, and through temptation, indoctrination, and society we develop hate, ignorance, and indifference. But how, with such an admiration for peace and philosophy, has humanity allowed evil to evolve? I realize that these questions in themselves have no definite answer, but Chapter 3 of Night is so thought-provoking that we must analyze the cruelty and absolute injustice humanity was able to create.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 is primarily focused on progression and change. Elie has become psychologically destroyed and has begun to deteriorate emotionally. He has become immune to pain and mentally distraught from the environment. As things occur around him, he is blind to reaction and depicts such by laughing at rape. We can analyze this and conclude he no longer absorbs and relates to human interaction in an expected manner. We have some hope for Elie's mental state towards the end of the passage when he feels remorse for the young boy that is hung, however, we can only assume he is more so lingering on and off with humane response and understanding. This is a clear indication of the detrimental effects the Holocaust is having not only on Elie's mental and physical state, but his social as well. From a loss in religious perspective to a lack of humane thought, Elie is slowly becoming a fragment of his true self and more or an unresponsive victim of cruelty.
Chapter 5
Chapter 5 consistently stimulates the reader's emotions in great swings. There are moments of depression and heartache, such as when Elie's father does not pass the selection. This moment was emotionally disastrous because we believe they must say goodbye forever, and I do not think that Elie would be able to cope with such a loss at that point. However, we know later that his father passes a second selection and the two will remain together. That moment was very uplifting and can ensure Elie has a restored hope for his family. The chapter ends though with the most tragic irony ever in that Elie and his father leave the infirmary believing that should they stay they will die. The saddest part of this is that had they stayed, a few short days later they would have been liberated and avoided enduring more of the Holocaust's atrocity. My heart is tugged at this knowledge because I am starting to believe Elie's father may not make it through the Death March.
Chapter 6 & 7
Chapters 6 and 7 were extremely horrific. These chapters commence the death marches, in which major atrocities occurred. We see that fate has been extensively cruel to Elie and Mr. Wiesel as they could have been liberated had they remained in the infirmary, although their ultimate decision was to join the other victims in the race of death. These marches were very lethal due to the bitter, cold winter that was unfortunately in season. Mass amounts of people died, and I can't imagine how anyone could have actually stayed alive in the condition they faced. I was literally sighing with relief when Elie and his father both made it to the end. I found it unbelievable that both of them could endure the races and make it through! Both have gone through major psychological changes, and Elie actually contemplates death regularly. If his father had not made it through the marches, I would predict that Elie's desire for death would overcome him. The last test of their livelihood was a final selection. Amazingly, Elie passes and Mr. Wiesel manages to sneak his way to the group of people whom were deemed to live. I can't comprehend how the Nazis are still so immoral, and how they keep progressing in their cruelty. I struggled to read these passages full of death, and I can't wait to finish this book!
Chapters 8 & 9
Chapters 8 and 9 were the most depressing and remorseful for me. Elie and his father have gone through so much, all of the terrible things within the Holocaust, and yet their will to survive did not pay off. Elie's father has passed, leaving Elie with little hope to survive. I feel so much remorse for Elie because at this point he has no family and must live for himself. I do not think Elie will manage to regain his faith in God and humanity after being through these horrors. The book ends with Elie's liberations, which I think was perfect. People forget while reading Night that it is a true story and that these horrors actually occurred, so when many say the ending left them questioning they don't realize that such information they seek is out there. I think that Elie will not be able to readjust to normal life quickly, and will have major psychological issues for years until he does manage to adjust. This book was so empowering and life altering that I truly believe in has shaped my perspectives. I will go forward in my life and promote humanity.
The Pianist Response
The Pianist was a very intriguing movie that correlated well with our Night studies. I found the movie to have good visual representation of the Holocaust, and it provided an understanding of how Szpilman's experienced the brutal conditions of Warsaw. I had little prior knowledge of the Warsaw Uprising, and I found this historical event quite inspirational. I especially liked Szpilman's story and how he survived, because it proved that in the worst of times there is always a source of good. I learned equal amounts from Night and