Night – By Elie Wiesel
Chirag Patel
HIST 1302
11/16/2012
Elie Wiesel’s Night divulges the true horrors of the Holocaust, seen from the eyes of a
youth. It takes the already known atrocities of WWII, and let’s the reader experience it firsthand.
From the day Wiesel leaves his home in Sighet Hungary, to the moment the American army
liberated Buchenwald, he encounters tragedies and overcomes hardships that ultimately make
him question the existence of his so called benevolent God. Through his entire ordeal, although
he shows contempt for God at times, he never completely abandons hope, and despite his
struggle, he survives, with his faith intact.
The novel starts off with the 14 year old Eliezer in his hometown of Sighet Hungary,
studying the Kabbalah under his teacher Moishe. It is apparent in the beginning that Eliezer is
very serious about his religion, desiring to further his studies despite his father’s wish for him not
to. When asked “Why do you pray.” Eliezer could not answer, as it was second nature to him.
His beliefs were solid, as he compared praying to living and breathing. Things start to change
when german vehicles appear and the Jews of the town start being transported to ghettos, and
