NORA

//aNIGHT// 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?

2. What would be your first reaction to this horrifying experience?

3. What means might you use to deal with what is happening (example: would you lie, cheat, steal)?

4. Do you think it would be better to give up and die or 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?

6. What kind of punishment do you feel would be suitable for this kind of inhumanity?

7. Do you think this kind of inhumanity could exist in our day and age?

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 he feels that God will listen to him and answer his wants and needs. Elie feels closer to God when he prays. He prays because something inside him feels the need to cry.

2. Why don’t people believe Moche’s stores? No one believes Moche because they don't think the Germans will come where they are. They also don't want to believe something so terrible could ever happen.

3. Site examples of how the Jews gradually lose their freedom. Jews gradually lose their freedom by going to the ghettos, all foreign Jews being killed, and losing rights. __Chapter 2, pages 23-28__ 4. What does Madam Shachter’s nightmares about a fire foreshadow? Madam Shachter's nightmares foreshadow because there was actually a fire! There was a fire in the crematory, burning of Jews. No one believed her so they hardly believed her when there was. 5. Where does the train finally stop? The train finally stops in the Buchenwald concentration camp. __Chapter 3, pages 29-46__ 6. When questioned by the SS officer, why does Elie lie about his occupation and age? Elie lied about his occupation and age because the people who had been living at the camps for so long told him to. ALso, he wanted to save himself, be with his father, to be put to work instead of die, and he was trying to save himself. 7. Why does Elie disbelieve what his own eyes show him? Elie disbelieves what his own eyes show him because the Jews are walking toward the fire, slowly. He thinks that he is going to die and he just can't believe it!

8. Why is Elie now reluctant to pray? Elie is reluctant to pray because he thinks God has given up on the Jews. Elie also thinks that God can't change anything, even if he does pray. __Chapter 4, pages 47-65__ 9. Why is Elie summoned to the dentist? Elie was summoned to the dentist to get his gold crown out of his teeth.

10. How does Elie react to his father’s beating? Elie reacted by standing petrified, he had not even blinked, unlike he used to, Elie watched and kept silent.

11. Why is the hanging of the “sad eyed angel” said to be one of the most profoundly moving events in the novel? The hanging of the "sad eyes angel" is said to be one of the most profoundly moving events in the novel because The Kapo declared the curse on Germany. The Kapo wanted to blindfold the child, but the child refused. __Chapter 5, pages 66-84__ 12. What is selection? A selection is picking the numbers (people) in each block. The selection is to determine who is going to die, and who is going to work.

__Chapter 6, pages 85-97__ 13. Why couldn’t Elie allow himself to die? Elie couldn't allow himself to die because he thought he would live and the war was almost over. 14. Why does Juliek play the violin? Juliek plays the violin because he knows he will die so the violin comforts him. 15. Compare how the other boys treat their fathers with Eliezer’s treatment of his own father. The other boys treat their father like the father is a stranger, they don't treat him like a father. Elie takes care of his father, loves him, and acts like a good son. __Chapter 7-9 pages 98-115__ 16. Why can’t Elizer weep at his father’s death? Elie can't wee[ at his father's death because he is out of tears. 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't ever forget the look in the eyes of the corpse that gazes back at him because the look was "a corpse was contemplating me".

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? 'Night' symbolizes the worst part of Elie's day, he can't even sleep it brings such awful thoughts. This is the title of his memoir because he wanted to tell the readers......... 'Night' symbolizes the worst part of the day. Night is the title of his memoir because that is when he was separated from his mother and Tzipora. Elie's heart was broken.

2. What fires does he speak of that consumed his faith forever? Why do these fires consume his faith? The fires that Elie speaks of that consumed his faith forever were the crematory. The big chimneys with fire and smoke coming out.

3. Do you find it difficult to believe that a boy so devout in his faith could lose his faith? Why? I think it is very difficult to believe that a boy so devout in his faith could lose his faith. I think this because no one in this lifetime would ever be so cruel. Although someone might be, and just not take serious action. If you really think about it, the Nazis just found random people and stole their life away! This is so cruel, and it makes me very sad.

4. Why does he lose his desire to live? Elie loses his desire to live because the Jews were worked till they pass out, or even die! I think I would feel the same if I were in the same conditions.

5. Elie spoke these words as an adolescent. Do you think that as an adult his feelings have changed? Why? I don't think as an adult his feeling changed. I think this because the conditions were more than harsh and they haven't been changed for the better.

6. Why do you suppose Elie wrote this novel? I think Elie wrote this novel because he wanted to share with the world the truth. Some people deny that the Holocaust ever happened. This book is proof that it was real. He also wanted generations to read it and try to prevent this if this would ever start to happen 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: Stein asks for his sons. What I think: I think that Stein wanted to see them so badly because he hadn't in so long and he was worried that they were killed. I would’ve done: If I were Stein, I would have asked for my children too. 2. Page 49-50

Relationship shown: Elie wanted to be anywhere with his father. What I think: I think that the foreman, Franek, was very good to Elie, considering their conditions and how they are usually treated. I would’ve done: I would have begged also if I were Elie. 3. Page 55-56

Relationship shown: Franek is trying to take Elie's crown. Elie's father said "no, my son. We cannot do this." Even though Franek said he would hurt his father. What I think: I think that it was loving of Elie to want to give his crown to save his father. Elie's father was smart to say that Elie shouldn't keep the crown. His father knew that Franek doesn't have the nerve to hurt him for his son's actions. I would’ve done: I wuld have kept the crown because I knew Franek wouldn't hurt my father. I would have been scared though. 4. Page 90-91

Relationship shown: Elie was having second thoughts about trying to save his father. Although it was just a brief moment Elie thought this, he was very guilty. What I think: I think that Elie was a little selfish but then again if I were in that situation it would be a very hard decision. I would’ve done: I would have done the same thing. 5. Page 101

Relationship shown: An old man was crying "Meir, my little Meir! Don't you recognize me........You're killing your father.....I have bread........for you too......for you too..." What I think: I think that the old man was saving his son from dyeing by giving him food, it was sad that the son did not recognize his own father. I would’ve done: I would have taken the bread and thanked him. 6. Page 112

Relationship shown: Elie did not really care that his father had died. He didn't cry or think this is sad until later, when the sadness hit him. What I think: I think that this is heartbreaking because if my father were to die than I would be very upset and it seems that Elie didn't care at all. Elie acted like it was just some random person in a different country had died. I would’ve done: I would have cried a lot and think that I couldn't live on.

__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 quote “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 makes you free!’ “ is ironic because work doesn't really make you free. 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) This is ironic because you do die of "The Yellow Star". Being a Jew will kill you at this point in time. 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) THis is ironic because the Jews are already surrounded by death. 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) THis is ironic because Hitler's promise was to kill people.

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 world? The world is not concerned with us. Today anything is allowed. Anything is possible, even these crematories" is inhumanity because no one is helping the Jews even though some part of the world knows this is happening. 2. “Work makes you free.” (page 40) "Work makes you free" is inhumanity because the Germans were giving false hope. The Jews know the Nazis are not telling the truth. 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) This is inhumanity because death happened everyday. The Jews are used to it. They new the allies are getting closer. 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) This is inhumanity because hangings are long, slow deaths, and because of the ropes they couldn't cry.