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Examples Of Redemption In The Book Night

Good Essays

The Creation, Fall, and Redemption in Night

In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, Elie survives the Holocaust after an enormous amount of near-death experiences, unbearable deaths that surround him, and emotionally numbing experiences. Being only 12, he watched as his sisters and mother were separated from him and his father. Unfortunately his sisters and mother’s death was very soon after he saw them being lead away. Throughout the novel, Elie constantly has to watch his father slowly weaken and wither away and he loses his father. So for him to become numb to the death and suffering around him was his only option. Elie struggles with understanding how humanity could be so cruel. Through all of this Elie questions God and His love for his people. …show more content…

The Nazi soldiers and the german society were led to believe that the Jews were a burden to the perfect race and needed to be exterminated. Orders were put into place and the beginning of this massive genocide began at the end of a gun barrel pointed at an innocent human. As soon as the victims would be brought into the camps, they would be stripped of their clothes, shaved in all places, and be yelled at like dogs in order to dehumanize the jews. The Kapo and SS leaders were so corrupt and cruel to all their victims. In Night, the SS condemned the young Pipel to death because they found weapons on him. Forced to watch this horrific event Wiesel noticed that “the SS seemed more preoccupied, more worried than usual. To hang a child in front of thousands of onlookers was not a small matter” (64). Then apparently “ the Lagerkapo refused to act as executioner. Three SS took his place” (64). This man who was about to hang a child couldn't do it, which means at least he had guilt in his heart. This shows his human nature and that there was still a part of him that knew what he was doing was wrong but as soon as he said he couldn't act as executioner 3 men stepped in to take the reigns. How wrong is that? When Elie and his father were in the train there was a woman, Mrs. Schachter who wouldn't stop screaming “fire! I see a fire! I see a fire!” (24). This woman wouldn't stop even after being bound and gagged. …show more content…

Before the camps and the Jews were “relocated”. Elie Wiesel had the desire to grow in his faith and wanted to find someone to guide him in his studies of the Kabbalah. Then in one night, his hope for Gods intervention in his life dissolved. “Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes” (34). This was the first night when Elie Wiesel was at the camp. As Elie and his father grew weaker and weaker Elie felt God become farther and farther away. When people in the camp recited the Kaddish, Elie “felt like an observer, a stranger” (68). So step by step Elie loses his faith a little more each day. After each murder, each row of innocent people that were moved into their concrete tombs, Elie couldn't comprehend how there could be a loving, just God. Eventually this leads to Elie not even mentioning God any more but he focuses on his survival and explains how life was pointless after his fathers death and shows no need for God. He did not have the desire for revenge but just wanted food, to live, to survive. Elie didn't say that he wouldn't listen to God anymore but he believed that God turned his back on him. God was silent. Some believed that God would prevail and take them out of this terrible situation. Others stood up and proclaimed God in the midst of this torment and anguish although they didn't

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