JACK

//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?

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? Elie prays because he wants to be closer to God. He cries because he had some urge inside to cry. 2. Why don’t people believe Moche’s stores? The Germans so far were acting great to the Jews so the Jews think that's impossible. 3. Site examples of how the Jews gradually lose their freedom. On page 10 the author said how the Synagogues were no longer open so nobody can pray in the synagogues. On page 19 the Jews were forced to run without a choice. __Chapter 2, pages 23-28__ 4. What does Madam Shachter’s nightmares about a fire foreshadow? Madam Shachter's nightmares foreshadow that the Jews will die very soon. 5. Where does the train finally stop? The train finally stops in Birkenau. __Chapter 3, pages 29-46__ 6. When questioned by the SS officer, why does Elie lie about his occupation and age? Elie lies so he won't be hurt by the SS officer. 7. Why does Elie disbelieve what his own eyes show him?

8. Why is Elie now reluctant to pray? Elie is reluctant to pray because he feels that there is no point if God is allowing all of this to happen. __Chapter 4, pages 47-65__ 9. Why is Elie summoned to the dentist? The dentist is taking out the gold in the Jews teeth. 10. How does Elie react to his father’s beating? When Elie's father was beaten he felt anger towards his father. Elie thought that Why couldn't my father avoid Idek's wrath 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 moving events in the story because the Germans hung a small boy and that boy wouldn't die right away so all the Jews just stared at him as all of the boy's life was sucked out of him. __Chapter 5, pages 66-84__ 12. What is selection? In Aushwitz "Selection" is where those fit to work get seperated from those unfit to work. Those unfit to work were gassed....

__Chapter 6, pages 85-97__ 13. Why couldn’t Elie allow himself to die? If Elie died he knew that very soon after his father would because Elie is the only thing keeping his dad alive. 14. Why does Juliek play the violin? He plays it so the dead can die peacefully. 15. Compare how the other boys treat their fathers with Eliezer’s treatment of his own father. The others boys treat their father's horribly. One boy killed his own father over a piece of bread. Another tried to run away from his dad because his dad was a burden. __Chapter 7-9 pages 98-115__ 16. Why can’t Eliezer weep at his father’s death? Elie can't cry. Deep within him he just doesn't feel the need to. 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? After his release Elie looks like one of the living dead. He was beaten, abused, and starved so he probably doesn't look to good.

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 is a good title name because the nights at Aushwitz were horrid and never forgettable for Elie. 2. What fires does he speak of that consumed his faith forever? Why do these fires consume his faith? The fire he speaks of is the fire that burned the Jewish people in the crematoria. They consume his faith because at that point in time Elie thought he was going to die next. 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 because Elie is so passionate towards his religion and never thought it was a bad religion. 4. Why does he lose his desire to live? Elie loses the desire to live because he knows it will be the end of him. So many Jews had already been killed it was only a matter of time until he was next to die. 5. Elie spoke these words as an adolescent. Do you think that as an adult his feelings have changed? Why? As an adolescent you may be a little bit weaker to being hurt in your life. As an adult you have matured and gotten stronger with your emotions. 6. Why do you suppose Elie wrote this novel? Elie wrote this novel to show the how horrible everything was and how it should never be forgotten.

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 and his father found out that they still have family alive and looking for them. Their relative Stein finds them in the camp Stein gets sent off to. Stein finds out that he also still has his two little boys alive and well.

What I think: I think that its great that things can work out for Stein to find out his children are alive. He got transported to Elie and his Elie's father's camp. Then he managed to get info on his family.

I would’ve done: I would've gladly informed Stein he still has family alive and well.

2. Page 49-50

Relationship shown: A kapo decided to take several Jews (including Eliezer) to go work at a warehouse. They only had to count bolts and bulbs and other pieces of equipment. Elie asked to sit by his Father. What I think: I think the Jews should just obey to having work changes instead of getting beaten. The job seems to not to painful or difficult so they might as well just do it. I think it was sweet that Elie asked to get switched closer to his father.

I would’ve done: I would've just gone to do what they told me to do. If it meant switching work stations I would be fine with that. I would've not wanted to risk getting beaten. I also would've asked to be closer to a family member.

3. Page 55-56

Relationship shown: This is a sad relationship. Elie has a gold crown and Franek wants it. Elie got advice from his Father and he said we can not give in. Franek knew Elie's weakness which was his father so when his father couldn't march in place he would be beaten even more. Soon Elie gave in.

What I think: I think it was smart of Elie to give up. At that time his father began to age so Elie knew his father needed to be healthier.

I would’ve done: I would've done the same. First to obey my father and then make my own decisions. I don't I would be able to stand watching my father get beaten senselessly.

4. Page 90-91

Relationship shown: This is one of the saddest relationships. Rabbi Eliathu's son abandoned him so his father wouldn't be a burden.

What I think: I think this is the worst possible thing to do. No one should ever run away from a family member and give up on him.

I would’ve done: If I were his son I would stick by my father's side. Someone who has been in my life and has always taken care of me for so long shouldn't just be given up on. My father has always believed in me.

5. Page 101

Relationship shown: This is a very terrible relationship. An older Dad wrestled many others just to get a some bread for him and his son. His son comes out of no where and kills him. A son killed his father for only a couple pieces of bread.

What I think: I think this is terrifying. It is sad how insane and greedy people got in the concentration camps to go as far as killing a family member.

I would’ve done: I would've never killed anybody over bread. I don't think I could go that crazy. Its disturbing how some people could get entertained over dieing men kill one another.

6. Page 112

Relationship shown: Elie's father passed away over night. Elie could not even cry over his Dad's death. But Elie was now free at last from the concentration camps.

What I think: I think its sad Elie's Dad couldn't get free of the concentration camps when he was so close. Even though so much has happened I find it odd that Elie could not cry over his father's death.

I would’ve done: I would've cried. Even if I have been traumatized for life and seen things no should see I lost my father. My father is very important to me and not being able to see him again is depressing. Also if my final moment with him was watching my Father beaten that just gives me one more reason to cry.

__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) This is ironic because work isn't liberty! The work camps keep the Jews captured so they work forever and die. 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 they do die from it. The fact that Jews are Jewish means they should 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)This is ironic because people are already dieing in the camps. There should be signs all over with WARNING, DANGER OF 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 doesn't keep his promises. Hitler at one point just got rid of a peace treaty and attacked Russia.

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 anything could happen. The Jews could die or be liberated.

2. “Work makes you free.” (page 40) Work is not what makes you free. The work is what keeps you trapped and to not be 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) This means that those bombs are what gave the Jews hope. If the Germans are getting bombed that means they or their factories are dieing so if no more Germans and factories, Jews are free.

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 no one has cried during a hanging. This means that the dead for so long haven't cried.