JAY

//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 think it could happen. Something like what Hitler did could happen again. Somebody could gather up all these people and blame it on a religion or race. It's probably unlikely because the world learned its lesson but it could definitely happen. 2. What would be your first reaction to this horrifying experience? I'm not sure what I would do. At first I think I'd sit down and just think about the future, what would happen to me. I would probably go crazy from all the stress. 3. What means might you use to deal with what is happening (example: would you lie, cheat, steal)? I would lie, cheat, steal, anything for survival. Except one thing, betray my family. If it goes down to killing a member of my family, I would not do it. 4. Do you think it would be better to give up and die or try to survive? I'd try to survive. I mean when you think about it, isn't it your life worth fighting for? The satisfactory of life, the bad things that happen, it's life. 5. Inhumanity means being inhumanly cruel and brutal. Do you think the world could ever allow this kind of inhumanity to happen again? It could happen. But, I think it's highly unlikely. I think nobody would really want to repeat what Hitler did. 6. What kind of punishment do you feel would be suitable for this kind of inhumanity? I think either killing or putting them in jail for life. But, killing all these people because they helped Hitler isn't very good. You might as well be Hitler if you go and kill thousands of people. Just because they did something wrong, doesn't make it there fault. They grew up believing Hitler. If you grew up believing we lived on Mars your entire life, your mind doesn't change so quickly. 7. Do you think this kind of inhumanity could exist in our day and age? It could, but I don't think it would. If someone else was like Hitler, it could be possible because he was such a great leader. But, what he did was wrong.

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 cries when he prays because he feels he should. He prays because he knows he's suppose to. 2. Why don’t people believe Moche’s stores? People think he's gone mad and that wouldn't happen. 3. Site examples of how the Jews gradually lose their freedom. The Jews were put into ghettos and beaten just because they were Jewish. Jews were also shot and killed because of them being Jewish __Chapter 2, pages 23-28__ 4. What does Madam Shachter’s nightmares about a fire foreshadow? Madam Shacter keeps "seeing" fires when there is no fire, but eventually they see a fire through a some sort of chimney. 5. Where does the train finally stop? The train stops in Burkenau. __Chapter 3, pages 29-46__ 6. When questioned by the SS officer, why does Elie lie about his occupation and age? Germans will think he's more fit if he is eighteen rather than fifteen. Also, if he said he was fifteen he'd be killed, but he didn't know that yet. 7. Why does Elie disbelieve what his own eyes show him? It seems unreal to him that all these people, babies are being killed. 8. Why is Elie now reluctant to pray? Hee no longer believes in God. He figures since he's in this place and God isn't helping, there is no God to pray for. __Chapter 4, pages 47-65__ 9. Why is Elie summoned to the dentist? Elie is summoned to the dentist because anybody that had a crown in there mouth had to be taken out. 10. How does Elie react to his father’s beating? Elie reacts to his father's beating by getting angry, and disappointed. It is a father son moment to see your father getting beaten. Something inside you just gets a little sad. If I was Elie's father, I'm not sure how I'd react. 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 eyed angel" is said to be one of the most profoundly moving events in the novel because they kill a child in front of everybody. __Chapter 5, pages 66-84__ 12. What is selection? Selection is where they test all of the Jews. They have to run for a while and if they are weak or slow the Jews are written down. Anybody this is written down is to be killed.

__Chapter 6, pages 85-97__ 13. Why couldn’t Elie allow himself to die? Elie couldn't allow himself to die because he went through all this this work to be free and live. Then, all of a sudden, he was contemplating about just letting himself die. 14. Why does Juliek play the violin? Juliek plays the violin because that is the last thing he wanted to do. He knew he was going to die, and his violin was practically his life. 15. Compare how the other boys treat their fathers with Eliezer’s treatment of his own father. The other boys treat there fathers very poorly compared with Eliezer. The other boys try to kill their father for their own self. They think that their fathers are just slowing them down. Elie wants to keep his father alive because he is the last thing Elie has left. __Chapter 7-9 pages 98-115__ 16. Why can’t Elizer weep at his father’s death? Elie knew that he was going to die. It was pretty obvious that the father couldn't live, the doctor even told him. 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 hasn't seen himself for a very, very long time. When Elie looks in the mirror he sees this thing. This thin, almost dead looking body back at him.

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? I think it symbolizes "dark" memories with the Holocaust. It was sad and depressing. I think thats why he called it that. 2. What fires does he speak of that consumed his faith forever? Why do these fires consume his faith? He believed in God. But, why was there any reason to pray for God if he wouldn't help. 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 possible; this boy felt there was no God because of how he was being treated. 4. Why does he lose his desire to live? Eliezer loses his desire to live because in the end, he knows that he won't be alive. 5. Elie spoke these words as an adolescent. Do you think that as an adult his feelings have changed? Why? I don't think they have, I would feel the same way if I was Eliezer. To lose everyone in your family, to be the only one to survive. I'd be very depressed and I'd want to share my feelings so why not in a book. 6. Why do you suppose Elie wrote this novel? I think he wrote it to express his feelings. Also, to share all the bad memories he had.

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's sons were lost from him. He was also missing his wife Reizel. Elie lied and said they they heard from them even though he didn't. What I think: I think Elie realized they were probably dead and didn't want to tell Stein. I think he wanted him to be happy that they were alive instead of dead. I would’ve done: I would of told the truth. Just because he will feel better doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. He deserves the truth. 2. Page 49-50

Relationship shown: Elie wants to be near his father. He doesn't want to be away from him. What I think: I think they have a great relationship together. They aren't like other fathers and sons who only care about themselves. I would’ve done: I would of done the same as Elie. I'd care about my father no matter what, even if I was in Elie's shoes. 3. Page 55-56

Relationship shown: Elie's father puts him first. He wants Elie to keep the golden tooth knowing that Elie's father will be beaten. He knows that it's worth a lot, and he wants his son to survive, even if he doesn't. What I think: I think it's great how much of a great person Elie's father was. But, it's sad because fathers and sons always have a "special" bond that they don't have with anyone else. I would’ve done: I don't think I could keep the golden tooth. I would rather have my father not beaten and give up my tooth. 4. Page 90-91

Relationship shown: Rabbi Eliahu's son abandoned him while running. His son figured that Eliahu would just slow him down so he just kind of ditched him. They did not have a great relationship obviously. What I think: I think it's sad that being in these camps changed how these sons and fathers relationship changed. I would’ve done: I would not of abandoned my father no matter what. I wouldn't be able to live with the fact that I did. 5. Page 101

Relationship shown: This father fought for this bread and wanted to share it with his son. But, his son killed him and tried to eat the bread himself. What I think: I think it's very depressing that this son killed his father for another half of bread. Think about how crazy that sounds. When you go out to a resteraunt they give you bread at the table for free. Would you ever kill your father for just one piece of that bread? I would’ve done: I would of shared it with my father. It is not worth killing my dad for another half of bread. 6. Page 112

Relationship shown: Elie's father isn't in his bed in the morning. He was taken to the crematorium. He might of been alive though. What I think: I think it's just very, very sad how Elie wakes up the next day and he's gone. Also, the last thing he said was Eliezer, and he didn't respond back to him. I would’ve done: I would of at least said something to him. Not just stand there and not respond to him.

__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) Work is liberty, is ironic because work is not liberty. It is either work or you die, and in the end you die. So you are not free if you work. 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 statement from the father is ironic because you do die from the yellow star. It shows the soldiers you are a Jew. Jews were killed because of being Jews, so it does make you die. 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 caption that read, Warning, Danger of Death is ironic because the danger of death is all around you. Also, what did the Germans care if the Jews got killed? 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 statement is ironic because Hitler did keep his promises, but they weren't good ones. He blamed everything on the Jews, and killed them because he got everybody to believe that the reason they lost WWII was because of 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) This means that there is pretty much nothing the Jews can do to stop them from being killed. They are in these camps with soldiers that have guns and beat them when they feel like iy. 2. “Work makes you free.” (page 40) Work does not make you free. Work keeps you alive though. If the Jews didn't work, they'd be killed. If they did work, they'd stay alive and then eventually be killed. So it was a lose lose situation for the Jews. 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) All the Jews weren't scared anymore. They knew it was going to happen so there was no reason for them to be freaked out about it. Also, they were happy because just maybe, they would be alive in the end. 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 means that the Jews knew they'd be killed and they already cried about it. I think they knew crying would just make them die even faster because they'd be shot. Also, they all started to get selfish. All the Jews would think about was how to stay alive.