SAVANNAH

//NIGHT// PREREADING ACTIVITY

Imagine yourself in the following situation: You and your family have been driven from your home. Now separated from them, you are suddenly alone. Shoved into a train like cattle, you are surrounded by screaming women, weeping children, silent old men, and ruthless soldiers. There is no food, no water, horror, and madness everywhere. Having arrived at your destination, you smell the stench of burning flesh: babies, children like yourself. Men and boys are hanged daily. There is only soup and perhaps a few morsels of stale bread to eat. You work until exhausted and are beaten for not marching in step. The gold in your teeth is extracted without anesthesia. Frozen and broken bodies surround you. Weekly you must run like a madman to escape being selected to die in the gas chambers or to burn in the crematory. You can’t even wonder if it will end, and you know that God has deserted you. You try to survive each day and lie through each night!

1. Do you believe something like this could ever happen to you? Why or why not? I don't believe that something like that could happen to me. In the world we live in today Jews are excpeted. There are Nazi groups, but people look down at them. 2. What would be your first reaction to this horrifying experience? My first reaction would be, " How could someone do this?". From what I learned in school i know what happened. But the Jews in that time thought it was impossible. They had no idea what was going to happen. So yes, my first reaction would be "How?". 3. What means might you use to deal with what is happening (example: would you lie, cheat, steal)? I think I would do whatever it takes to do to survive. Lieing, cheating, stealing may be what I have to do live. 4. Do you think it would be better to give up and die or try to survive? If I knew there was nothing left to live for, then I would give up and die. But if there was hope I waould try to survive. 5. Inhumanity means being inhumanly cruel and brutal. Do you think the world could ever allow this kind of inhumanity to happen again? I think that the world would never allow that kind of inhumanity to happen again. But there are other types of inhumanity that the world has let happen. Such as animal cruelty and cruelty towards children. 6. What kind of punishment do you feel would be suitable for this kind of inhumanity? I think death is suitable, but holding onto the person for awhile amy also be appropriate. Maybe asking them questions about why they did what the did. But they should stay in prison and then they could be executed. 7. Do you think this kind of inhumanity could exist in our day and age? I think that kind of inhumanity could not exist in our world today because as a people we have done better job at stopping inhumanity before it gets too bad, but it doesn't mean that there still isn't any inhumaity in our world. I think people are taking better steps to help prevent inhumaity.

Reading Guide

The following questions are thought questions that relate to various themes and ideas in the reading. Use these questions to guide your reading and better understanding of the novel. Be prepared to share your responses in class discussion or in a writing assignment. Please answer all questions in COMPLETE SENTENCES.

__Chapter 1, pages 1-22__ 1. Why does Eliezer pray and why does he cry when he prays? Eliezer prays because so he can be closer to god. Eliezer cries when he prays because a part of him feels the need to cry.

2. Why don’t people believe Moche’s stores? People don't beleive Moche's story because they think annihilating an entire people is outrageous and Moche was homeless.

3. Site examples of how the Jews gradually lose their freedom. The Jews gradually lose their freedon by being moved into ghettos, put into cattle cars, and then finally sent to camps. __Chapter 2, pages 23-28__ 4. What does Madam Shachter’s nightmares about a fire foreshadow? Madam Shacter's nightmare about a fire foreshadow the huge chimney in Birkenau where the Jews were burned. 5. Where does the train finally stop? The train stops in Birkenau. __Chapter 3, pages 29-46__ 6. When questioned by the SS officer, why does Elie lie about his occupation and age? Eliezer lies about his occupation and ageso can stay with his father. 7. Why does Elie disbelieve what his own eyes show him? Eliezer doesn't believe his eyes because he doesn't understand how God could let something like this happen. 8. Why is Elie now reluctant to pray? ELiezer was reluctant to pray becasue(finding answer) __Chapter 4, pages 47-65__ 9. Why is Elie summoned to the dentist? Elie is summoned to the dentist to have his gold crown removed. 10. How does Elie react to his father’s beating? Elie reacts to his father's beating by not doing anything. Elie just watches. 11. Why is the hanging of the “sad eyed angel” said to be one of the most profoundly moving events in the novel? The "sad eyed angel" is one of the most profounding moving events in the novel because the "sad eyed angel" didn't die until a half hour the chiar was taken from his feet. Elie was forced to watch him die along with the rest of the Jews in Buna. The "sad eyed angel" was a young boy. __Chapter 5, pages 66-84__ 12. What is selection? Selection is where Jews are chosen to be killed if they are not strong enough to work. From what I read in the book, Elie and others had to run some distance to prove they were strong enough. Elie's new friends said the SS's didn't write down Elie's number because he was running too fast.

__Chapter 6, pages 85-97__ 13. Why couldn’t Elie allow himself to die? Elie couldn't allow himself to die because what would his father do without him? Elie's father would have been alone, and died alone. 14. Why does Juliek play the violin? Juliek plays the violin to show his sole. When Elie was sleeping he heard Juliek playing the violin. He sais it was as though Juliek's bow has become his sole. That his whole being was gliding over his strings. 15. Compare how the other boys treat their fathers with Eliezer’s treatment of his own father. Elie treats his father very well compared to how other boys treat their fathers. One example is when Rabbi Eliahu is looking for his son and he asks Elie if he had seen him. Elie said no but then he remembered running next to his son and remembering that his son knew that his father had stopped running and that he didn't stop to find him because maybe he didn't want his father as weight on his shoulders. __Chapter 7-9 pages 98-115__ 16. Why can’t Elizer weep at his father’s death? Elie couldn't weep at his own father's death because he was out of tears. Plus is Elie had searched for words to say he would of found something like: Free at last!....

17. When he is finally free, Elie wishes to see himself in the mirror. Why can’t he ever forget the look in the eyes of the corpse that gazes back at him? Elie can never forget the look he saw in his eyes because there was a corpse looking back at Elie.

Literary Analysis Characterization/Author’s Purpose After page: 34

Elie is a Jewish child who is extremely strong in his faith. He often spent nights in the synagogue weeping and praying. He was preparing himself to be initiating into “eternity.” Then came night.

Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames, which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments, which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1. What does “night’ symbolize to Elie? Why do you think he selected it as the title of his memoir? To Eliezer, the first night was the worst. Where he lost faith in god, where he gave up hope in life. The night was what Eliezer wanted to end very quickly. 2. What fires does he speak of that consumed his faith forever? Why do these fires consume his faith? Eliezer speaks of the chimnies where the Jews were burned. The fires consume Eliezer's faith in God because he couldn't believe God would allow something like that to happen. 3. Do you find it difficult to believe that a boy so devout in his faith could lose his faith? Why? I do not find it difficult to believe that a boy so devout could lose his faith so quickly. My reasoning for this is the saying " It can take a lifetime to build trust, but only a moment to smash it all ". In that moment all of Eliezer's faith in god was smashed. he lose his desire to live? Eliezer lost his desire to live because he thought that there was nothing left to living for. 5. Elie spoke these words as an adolescent. Do you think that as an adult his feelings have changed? Why? I think Eliezer's feelings have not changed, only his perspective, his way to express his feelings. 6. Why do you suppose Elie wrote this novel? I think Eliezer wrote this memoir to share his experience with the world, so that we do not have to go through the Holocaust again. Literary Analysis: Characterization

Elie explicitly recounts events that describe his relationship with his father during imprisonment in the camps. He also describes events in the relationships of other fathers and sons in the camps.

In your book there are many examples of father-son relationships. Give examples, including the page number of a father son relationship and tell what you think about that relationship, tell why you might or might not have acted in a similar way. This does not have to be done on Elie and his father. There are many other examples of father-son relationships as well. An example has been done for you.

Example: Page 39:

Relationship shown: Elie’s father is struck, but Elie does not move to help him. His father whispers that the blow does not hurt. Although Elie does not move, he feels remorse and hatred toward the gypsy. He is angry and unforgiving.

What I think: Elie is a child and probably fears that if he helps his father, he too will be beaten. His father does not blame him and does not want to see him beaten or do something he might regret; thus, he tells Elie that the blow des not hurt.

I would’ve done: This seems to be a relationship where the father is protective of the son who is young and frightened. I would have acted in the same way if I were the father, thinking that I need to protect my child.

1. Page 43-44

Relationship shown: Elie's cousin, Stein, was in the camp, he asked Elie and his father if they had information about his two boys. Stein thought that Elie and his family may have recieved a letter from his wife who had stayed in Antwerp. What I think: I think this was a very sweet thing to do of Stein. Seeking out family and trying to hear about his boys. I would’ve done: I wouldn't of done what Elie did, Elie lied about recieiving letters from Stein's wife, which gave Stein false hope.

2. Page 49-50

Relationship shown: Elie requested to work with his father.

What I think: I think this was very nice of Elie and also a little selfish. Elie was not able to work without his father, which I understand, but it didn't mean he had to complain about it. Elie was already in a nice Kapo, he shouldn't of pushed his luck. I would’ve done: I would of wanted to see my father, not send in a request to work with him. 3. Page 55-56

Relationship shown: Elie would not give up his gold corwn so Franek, one of his leaders, decided to use Elie's father as leverage. Franek knew Elie's father couldn't march in line so he took advantage of it and slapped Elie's father left and right. Thus, forcing Elie to give up his gold crown.

What I think: I think this was truly cruel and completely selfish of Franek. He was being a really mean person. I also think it was very brave of Elie's father to go through the pain. I would’ve done: I would've done the same think Elie did, Elie tried to teach his father how to march in unison with the group so that Franek would not slap Elia's father. 4. Page 90-91

Relationship shown: Rabbi Eliahu is looking for his son. What I think: I think it is very nice for a father to worry about his son. Although the son may have intentionally seperated from his father, the thought still counts. I would’ve done: I would've looked for my son as well. Having someone I love with me in a time like that may have been very nice.

5. Page 101

Relationship shown: A son had tackled his own father for bread, and then he was tackled by other men and he and his father were both killed. What I think: I think that this is very sad. The thougt that a son would tackle his own father just for a ration if bread is very sad. I would’ve done: I would've the exact oppostie. My father is my father, killing him over a ration of bread is ridiculous.

6. Page 112

Relationship shown: Elie's father dies, and Elie does not weep. What I think: I think that Elie had every right not to weep over his father's death. Elie even said himself that he had no more tears. Elie's father left a t a good time. Elie had to survive. I would’ve done: I would've been sad that my dad died, but if I had to survive and there was no hope left for my fathe I would've done the same thing.

__Night__ Irony

Read each passage below. Explain what is //ironic// about the meaning of the passage.

1. “but we had been marching for only a few moments when we saw the barbed wire of another camp. An iron door with this inscription on it: ‘Work is liberty!’ “ (page 40) The irony of "Work is liverty!" is that work is not liberty. If I'm correct liberty is freedom, working in a concentration camp is not freedom.

2. “Some of the prominent members of the community came…to ask him what he thought of the situation. My father did not consider it so grim…’The yellow star? Oh well, what of it? You don’t die of it…’ ” (page 11) The irony in this is that the yellow star is what sends the jews to the concentation camps, and in the end, killing them.

3. “On we went between the electric wires. At each step, a white placard with a death’s head on it stared us in the face. A caption: ‘Warning, Danger of Death.’ ” (page 40) The iron of "Warning, Danger of Death" is that Elie is in a concentration camp. Everywhere he goes there is a warning of death. Having a warning about death is just plain stupid.

4. I’ve got more faith in Hitler than anyone else. He’s the only one who’s kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people.” (page 51) The irony in this is that Hitler's promises were horrible but he stuck too them. God however, was not there for the jews.

Inhumanity

//Night// is filled with thoughts and comments that reflect inhumanity of World War II. Explain what each of the following excerpts from the novel mean.

1. “The world? The world is not concerned with us. Today anything is allowed. Anything is possible, even these crematories.” (page 33) The inhumanity in this is Elie's father is saying that you never know whats going to happen. He and Elie could be killed one day, transported, or just keep working. The inhumaity in that is that Elie didn't know if tomorrow was going to be his last day. 2. “Work makes you free.” (page 40) The inhumanity in this is that work does not set you free. Elie s working as a slave in the concemctration camps. I don't recall hearing, " Once you're done working then you're free." 3. “we were not afraid. And yet, if a bomb had fallen on the blocks, it alone would have claimed hundreds of victims on the spot. But we were not longer afraid of death; at any rate, not of that death. Every bomb that exploded filled us with joy and gave us new confidence in life.” (page 60) The inhumaity in that is that Elie and the rest of the Jews didn't car if they died. The inhumanity in that is they were worked so hard that they already knew death was their fate. 4. “I witnessed other hangings. I never saw a single one of the victims weep. For a long time those dried up bodies had forgotten the bitter taste of tears.” (page 63) The inhumaity in this is that the people being hanged didn't cry becasue they were already leaving Auschwitz and didn't have to die under the gas chambers.