As Eliezer and his father leave Buna, the Jews are forced to run or be shot. They ran over 20 kilometers, risking the cold and the chance of being trampled or killed. Finally the group comes upon an old abandoned town where Elie supports his father, unlike other young Jewish men.
The Jews are crammed in a barracks where there is little room and everyone is fighting to survive. Among the confusion, Elie finds himself being crushed and suffocated along with many others. After struggling for air, Elie hears the violin of a friend he met before, named Juliek. When Elie awakes, he finds Juliek gone and his violin crushed.
In this chapter I found the intense running the Jews were forced into especially harsh, considering they were weak with hunger. I also realized some of the dehumanized conditions the Jews had to live in, especially in the barracks.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Night Ch. 5
The Chapter starts with the Jews celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Once again, Eliezer struggles with having faith in God for allowing such terrible things to happen. He blatantly shows this by disobeying the fast on Yom Kippur. But through all the suffering, he bonds with his father.
A Selection occurs, where weak Jews are chosen to go to the crematorium. Elie and some of his friends survive, but his father is chosen to stay behind. To show that miracles still happened, Elie's father survived a second selection.
In the winter, Elie's foot gets infected and he has to go to the infirmaries. His foot is saved in an operation, but he has to rest for two weeks. Because there were rumors that the Russian army was coming close, the camp was to be evacuated. Elie had a choice to go with his father, or stay and risk being killed. He decided to brave the cold and go away with his father. Two days later the Russian army liberated Buna.
A Selection occurs, where weak Jews are chosen to go to the crematorium. Elie and some of his friends survive, but his father is chosen to stay behind. To show that miracles still happened, Elie's father survived a second selection.
In the winter, Elie's foot gets infected and he has to go to the infirmaries. His foot is saved in an operation, but he has to rest for two weeks. Because there were rumors that the Russian army was coming close, the camp was to be evacuated. Elie had a choice to go with his father, or stay and risk being killed. He decided to brave the cold and go away with his father. Two days later the Russian army liberated Buna.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Night Ch. 4
After arriving in Buna, Elie and his father meet some other friendly Jews, his closest friend being Juliek. Elie also deals with his gold crown on his tooth throughout this chapter. He manages to postpone it being removed, but painfully loses it to Franek, his prison guard.
At Buna, Elie's unusually cruel Kapo is Idek. One time Idek beat him, but afterward Elie met a French girl who became his friend. Another time Idek unleashes his rage on Elie's father, and Elie is helpless to help him. Finally Idek had Elie whipped mercilessly for because Elie saw him with a young girl.
Then Buna was attacked in an air raid, and there were two large cauldrons of soup but everyone was too scared to approach. One man braved it and was shot. Elie witnesses even more frightful deaths when some inmates are hanged. Even a young boy was hanged, and Elie believes that God has died as well. This chapter really showed the death and pain at the camps.
At Buna, Elie's unusually cruel Kapo is Idek. One time Idek beat him, but afterward Elie met a French girl who became his friend. Another time Idek unleashes his rage on Elie's father, and Elie is helpless to help him. Finally Idek had Elie whipped mercilessly for because Elie saw him with a young girl.
Then Buna was attacked in an air raid, and there were two large cauldrons of soup but everyone was too scared to approach. One man braved it and was shot. Elie witnesses even more frightful deaths when some inmates are hanged. Even a young boy was hanged, and Elie believes that God has died as well. This chapter really showed the death and pain at the camps.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Night Ch. 3
Elie is separated from his mother and sister at Birkenau, but stays with his father by lying about his age to Dr. Mengele. However, he is still anxious about going to the crematorium. At the last second he is sent away from the flames to a barracks.
After seeing the crematorium, he is scarred for life and loses hope in his faith. The guards at the barracks are very cruel, not letting Elie's father to the bathroom, and telling the Jews to work hard or die. Elie also sees a relative from far away named Stein, and lies about Stein's family to him. But soon Stein finds out the real news and dissapears.
This chapter dealt a lot with faith, which Elie says he gave up after seeing the burning of the people. He also says that he shall never forget that night "even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself..." The author fills his book with horrific facts and true emotions he was forced to experience, and this chapter was a prime example of them.
After seeing the crematorium, he is scarred for life and loses hope in his faith. The guards at the barracks are very cruel, not letting Elie's father to the bathroom, and telling the Jews to work hard or die. Elie also sees a relative from far away named Stein, and lies about Stein's family to him. But soon Stein finds out the real news and dissapears.
This chapter dealt a lot with faith, which Elie says he gave up after seeing the burning of the people. He also says that he shall never forget that night "even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself..." The author fills his book with horrific facts and true emotions he was forced to experience, and this chapter was a prime example of them.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Night Ch. 2
April 25
The chapter begins on a crowded bus racing through Hungary. Many of the Jews including Elie began to realize the trap they had fallen into, and their fear grew into hysteria. There was even a woman, Mrs. Schachter, who went completely mad and constantly claimed to see a fire. Soon she was bound by her fellow Jews but continued her insane proclamations.
Despite the atmosphere of hysteria, many remained silent for fear of the harsh Germans. Mrs. Schachter's condition worsened, so that not even her old friends or son could calm her. Soon the Jews reached Auschwitz-Birkenau, the most infamous of all concentration camps. There they saw the smoke rising from a great fire, like Mrs. Schachter had claimed.
This chapter really showed me the mental harm the Jews endured, not just the physical harm. After reading the events about Mrs. Schachter and her son, I saw how families were torn apart by the Holocaust. Elie's realistic descriptions really made me not just feel everyone's fear of dying, but also of the unknown that lied ahead.
The chapter begins on a crowded bus racing through Hungary. Many of the Jews including Elie began to realize the trap they had fallen into, and their fear grew into hysteria. There was even a woman, Mrs. Schachter, who went completely mad and constantly claimed to see a fire. Soon she was bound by her fellow Jews but continued her insane proclamations.
Despite the atmosphere of hysteria, many remained silent for fear of the harsh Germans. Mrs. Schachter's condition worsened, so that not even her old friends or son could calm her. Soon the Jews reached Auschwitz-Birkenau, the most infamous of all concentration camps. There they saw the smoke rising from a great fire, like Mrs. Schachter had claimed.
This chapter really showed me the mental harm the Jews endured, not just the physical harm. After reading the events about Mrs. Schachter and her son, I saw how families were torn apart by the Holocaust. Elie's realistic descriptions really made me not just feel everyone's fear of dying, but also of the unknown that lied ahead.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Night Ch.1
April 18
In the first chapter of Night I learned a bit about Elie's life. He grew up very religious and learned from Moishe the Beadle in the town of Sighet. Soon his ways changed when WWII threatened his entire life.
Soon the Hungarian police forced restrictions on the people. All Jews in the city were sentenced to living in ghettos until their time to get sent somewhere else. Elie's father even showed weakness among all the strife and Elie started to lose hope.
The first chapter was full of hard facts and suspense. I think it is a good start for the book and kept me reading. It really showed me the truth and difficulty of Jewish life during WWII.
In the first chapter of Night I learned a bit about Elie's life. He grew up very religious and learned from Moishe the Beadle in the town of Sighet. Soon his ways changed when WWII threatened his entire life.
Soon the Hungarian police forced restrictions on the people. All Jews in the city were sentenced to living in ghettos until their time to get sent somewhere else. Elie's father even showed weakness among all the strife and Elie started to lose hope.
The first chapter was full of hard facts and suspense. I think it is a good start for the book and kept me reading. It really showed me the truth and difficulty of Jewish life during WWII.
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