Night

Elie Wiesel

DAY 1

Background

• Born in Sighet, 1928• Close-knit Jewish

community.• Middle class family,

grocers.• Religious study• Germans invaded in

1944.• He was 15.

Elie Wiesel aged 15 shortly before deportation

Location: Sighet

Life in Sighet

Rise of Hitler and the Nazis

• Germany was blamed for WWI.• Reparations.• Hit hard by the Great Depression• Germans desperate for someone to provide

stability.• Hitler and the Nazi party promised economic

prosperity and military dominance.

Vocabulary

• Kabbala – Jewish mystical texts• Torah – The 1st five books of the Books of Moses

(referred as the Old Testament).• Hasidic – strict form of Judaism.• Talmud – authoritative body of Jewish teachings.• Synagogue – Jewish temple• Zionism – belief in a Jewish country • Anti-Semitism – Hatred against Jews

DAY 2Concentration Camps

Jews in Europe

• 9 million in 1939• 3 million in 1945• 1.6 million today

The Holocaust

• The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. During the era of the Holocaust, German authorities also targeted other groups because of their perceived “racial inferiority”: Roma (Gypsies), the disabled, and some of the Slavic peoples (Poles, Russians, and others). Other groups were persecuted on political, ideological, and behavioral grounds, among them Communists, Socialists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and homosexuals.

Concentration camps

• Over 6 million Jews were murdered.• A network of over 40,000 facilities in Germany

and occupied territories were used.• The Roma, handicapped, homosexuals and

political dissidents were also targeted.• Prisoners were “separated” by those who

were able to work, and those immediately gassed.

Holocaust Museum clip

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_nm.php?ModuleId=10005143&MediaId=7827

Notes Chapter 2 – gather evidence

• Religious observance• Fire as a symbol• Madame Schacter• Silence of victims• Lack of resistance

DAY 3Auschwitz

Group Discussion – chapter 2

• Identify each of the steps in the German plan to get the townspeople from Sighet to Aushwitz.

• Point out how the cunning of the German plan and the people’s human need for optimism in the face of danger led the Jews of Sighet to the transports to Auschwitz.

Josef Mengele: Angel of Death• A German doctor and SS

officer.• “Separated” people on

arrival.• Experimented on inmates,

obsessed with twins.• Sadistic, cruel,

psychopathic, manipulative.

• Fled to South America.• Died in 1979

See notes

Clips: America’s Century

• 1) 11:32–13• 2) 1-4:50; 9:15-end• 3) beginning to 7:03; 9:51-end• 4) beginning to 6:00; 8:03 to end

Notes for Ch. 3

• Language: use of short sentences to quicken the pace and add tension.

• What are the things he “never shall forget?”• How is the image of darkness and night used? Be

specific, provide quotations.• How does he react to his father being beaten?• How does he feel about God by the end of the

chapter?• For you, what is the most horrific event in this chapter?

CHAPTER 4

Dramatic irony

• Definition: something that is understood by the audience, but not the characters.

• Example: Rose, in The Titanic, says: “It’s just so beautiful, I could die.”

Verbal Irony

• Definition: The intentional use of a word in a way that is different from its meaning.

• Example: As pleasant as surgery.

Quotes, explanations, for:

• The dentist/the gold tooth.• The young French girl.• Idek• The kapos• Elie’s feelings toward his father.• Air raid (significance to prisoners?)• The hanging of the young boy

Journal entry

• In what ways is Elie resisting?• Try to explain what this means: God is hanging

from those gallows.• What is your reaction to the book so far?

CHAPTER 5

Terms you should know

• Yom Kippur – day of atonement, fasting• Kaddish – prayer of respect for the dead.• Kapo – a prisoner who worked with the Nazis

to supervise other prisoners.

Reading questions• During Yom Kippur, what do the prisoners

debate?• Why doesn’t Elie fast?• What did Elie’s father give to him, and what did

Elie call it?• Why was Akiba Drummer chosen for selection?• What happened to the people who remained in

the hospital?

CHAPTER 6pp. 85-97

Notes – and these questions

• What happens if someone stops running?• Why won’t Eliezer’s father let him sleep?• What agreement do Elie and his father reach?• What truth about his son does Eliezer NOT tell

Rabbi Eliahou?• How is Eliezer’s father saved during selection?

Reflection question

• Compare and contrast the different ways in which sons treat their fathers in this chapter. Use pg#’s and cite direct evidence from the book.

Literary devices

• Pg. 82: “Death wrapped itself around me…it stuck to me” is an example of what literary device?

CHAPTER 798-103

Reading Questions

• Why are the prisoners happy to throw bodies out of the train?

• What do the German workmen do at the train stops for amusement?

• Who kills an old man for bread? What happens to the killer?

• The train started with 100 people. How many are left?

CHAPTER 8104-112

Reading Questions

• Describe (with pg. #s) what Eliezer does to keep his father alive.

• Describe (with pg. #s) his mixed emotions (guilt, pain) as he deals with his father’s death.

CHAPTER 9113-120

Essay Questions

1. At the end of Night, Wiesel writes that he looked like a corpse. What parts of Eliezer died during captivity? What was born in its place?

2. When Night begins, Eliezer is so moved by faith that he weeps when he prays—but he is only 12 years old. How does Eliezer's relationship with his faith and with God change as the book progresses? When the book ends, he is 16 years old. How would you describe him?

3. As the story progresses, we witness scenes in which the Jews have been reduced

to acting—and even treating their fellow prisoners—like rabid animals. During an

air raid over Buna (see p. 59), a starved man risks being shot by crawling out to a

cauldron of soup that stands in the middle of the camp, only to thrust his face into

the boiling liquid once he has arrived there safely. Where else do we see examples

of human beings committing such insane acts? What leads people to such horrific

behavior? Is it fair to say that such beastliness in the death camps is inevitable?

Do Eliezer and his father fall prey to such behavior?

The essay: Paragraph 1

• The hook• The thesis• The forecast

The hook

• An opening statement that captures the attention of the reader and makes him/her want to read more.

Strategies for the hook• Surprising fact: Despite the sacrifice of thousands of

soldiers, protestors and activists to ensure that we have the right to vote, only half of eligible voters in this country bother to actually vote.

• Wit: Democracy is the worst form of government ever created – with the exception of every form of government that came before it.

• Quote: “Democracy must be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife” (Dewey, 1908).

• Dilemma: Abraham Lincoln, in order to protect a democracy, sometimes had to suspend it.

The thesis

• Establishes a focus for the essay, a position to be proven.

Strategies for the thesis

• It is debatable.• Ex of debatable: The U.S. should spend half of its

budget on military defense.• Ex of non-debatable: The military is important.

• It is narrow. • Ex of narrow: Overspending on the military is harmful

because it takes away from spending we need at home.• Ex of too broad: Overspending is harmful.

Strategies for the forecast

• Outline for the reader (and yourself) how the essay will be structured.

• Do not be overly detailed.• You can revise it at the end to reflect changes

in the essay.

theses

• When you are stripped of your basic human rights, freedom and innocence, then beast-like behavior is inevitable.

• Succumbing to animalistic behavior is not inevitable; Eliezer and his father are examples of this.

theses

• Those who survive show different levels of barbaric instincts.

• In the concentration camps any prisoner who was on the verge of death, and had the will to live were reduced to the actions of animals.

Theses

• Those who wanted to live had to act barbarically in some way to do so.

• The prisoners act barbarically and cruelly in order to survive. Eliezer and his father are the exception because they rely on their love for each other to survive.

My hook

• Makes the reader want to read more because it is either: surprising, witty, contains a relevant and interesting quote, or poses a dilemma.

Transitions

• A verbal bridge that connects one part of the introduction to another.

• Explains the hook.• Introduces the novel.

My thesis is

• Debatable (it requires proof)• Narrow (it is clearly defined)

My forecast

• Clearly indicates what is to follow.• Summarizes the ideas.• Places them in the order in which they appear in

the essay.• You can not write this sentence without

identifying the three themes you will develop.

Forecast: Developing the themes

• Assemble the main pieces of evidence that support your thesis. You should have at least 5.

• Categorize the evidence, into 3 categories. • Possible categories: By character; by action; by

time, by severity.• Each category will be a paragraph, and must be

distinct (non-repetitive).• Develop a sentence that summarizes three

categories.

If you are stuck on the forecast…

• In this essay I will demonstrate that…

Categorizing example

• Red• Chair• Table• Green• Cookie• Yellow• Crackers

Check list

• Do you have: a hook, a transition, a thesis and a forecast?

• Does your hook get the reader’s attention?• Do you explain the hook, and introduce the novel?• Do you have a clear thesis?• Do both your thesis and your hook match?• Does your forecast introduce the 3 main ideas that

will support your thesis?

Body paragraph

• Purpose: To show and explain the supporting details that proves the thesis.

• Contains 4 elements: topic sentence, transition, evidence and analysis.

Topic sentences

• -Clearly state the main idea of the paragraph.• -Connect (return) to idea of thesis.• -Make a mini-argument in support of the

thesis.

Common mistakes

• -State facts and not an argument: Sure, this happened, but so what?-No connection to thesis statement.

Transition

• Used to connect one part to another. • Necessary, because without it the paragraph is

jumpy and hard to read.

Supporting evidence

• You should have at least 2 pieces of evidence to support your topic sentence.

• ALWAYS cite your evidence.• The more specific you are, the harder it will be

to argue against your evidence.

Analysis (warrant)

• Analysis is what you think about the evidence.• It tells the reader what the evidence means.• It is a key part of the paper because it shows

that you are actually thinking.

Strong Analysis

• Provides insight and interpretation into meaning of evidence.

• Shows how offered evidence proves thesis and topic sentence.

• Does not assume the interpretation is self-evident.

Body paragraph• Give source evidence for your points.

These could be quotes, statistics, sayings, etc. 

Example: One way to end the global hunger crisis is through micro-loan programs. One example of this is in Bangalore, India, where the hunger rate has dropped in direct correlation to the increase in micro-loan activity (Smith 2009).

• Make your last sentence count with a statement that “wraps up” one idea and transitions to the next idea and the new topic sentence.

Example: One way to end the global hunger crisis is through micro-loan programs. One example of this is in Bangalore, India, where the hunger rate has dropped in direct correlation to the increase in micro-loan activity (Smith 2009)… Therefore, it is apparent that programs like Micro-Trend are helping those in hunger to overcome their circumstances and become self-sufficient, which increases the overall welfare of the community at large.Though some may see this trend as an isolated case, Bangalore is not the only city where such results have been documented.

EXAMPLESGalileo

The Germans push the Jews to their limits. When the prisoners chose to lie down and rest in the snow, they were putting themselves at the risk of their own death. Eliezers father tells him, “Don’t let yourself be overcome by sleep, Eliezer. It’s dangerous to fall asleep in snow. One falls asleep forever. Come, my son, come…Get up” (Wiesel 88). This quote says that when the prisoners lay down in the very cold snow, they will close their eyes, never wake up, and die. Eliezers feelings in the snow: “…the snow was thick. I let myself slide to the ground. Only now did I feel the full extent of my weakness. The snow seemed to me like a very soft, very warm carpet. I fell asleep. I don’t know how long….When I woke up, a frigid hand was tapping my cheeks. I tried to open my eyes: it was my father….His eyes were glazed over, his lips parched, decayed” (Wiesel 88). This quote says that even when you think you are in a warm, comfortable place, there can be consequences to that moment.

One of the main themes in the book I found was that they all had no desire to live. Going through so much loss and pain I imagine they would lose hope in themselves and living. A lot of there family members died right in front of their eyes which scarred them. Its understandable that they just gave up because they really had no energy and nothing to live for. Everyone around them became selfish and bitter. It is one thing to lose hope in your self but another to lose hope in god, and I think they all did both.

The fight for survival of an inmate in a concentration camp is a daily routine especially when confronted by the temptation to kill. Elie Wiesel has successfully fought off this temptation in several occasions. "I considered jumping him, strangling him. But I had neither the courage nor the strength. I was riveted by my father's agony"(p.109). Elie's father was sick and not being able to convince the doctors to help him, he became infuriated and had the desire to kill "strangle" him. But, knowing that fighting wouldn't solve anything his temptation weakened and he returned to taking care of his father. "A piece fell into our wagon. I decided not to move. Anyway, I knew that I would not be strong enough to fight off dozens of men!"(p.101). Elie keeping in mind that fighting for the bread would have only gotten him killed, remained still and watched the others fight to death for a small ration.

People were stripped of their innocence by having to witness horrible acts of cruelty. To illustrate what horrendous events people were forced to see and live, “A truck drew close and unloaded it’s hold: small children. Babies! Yes i witnessed this with my own eyes… children thrown into the flames (32).” Elizer witnessed a boy kill his own father for a small amount of bread, possibly just crumbs, that the father was planning on giving to his son anyways (101).” When people saw these horrific things taking place it clouded their natural ability to differ right from wrong, they would just begin to rely on the instance to survive no matter what cost.

EXAMPLESNewton

In the book Night, by Elie Wiesel, Elie addresses unforgettable memories several times throughout the book. Such as when he first arrives at the camp, he sees babies being dumped into a pit of fire. He later says; “Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw transformed into smoke under a silent sky,” (Night, 34). Also, the very last sentence in the novel; “The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me,” is referencing an unforgettable scene and sight for the author. I think that, by addressing these unforgettable memories, Elie is trying to show the reader that there are some memories that are so scaring, that they are unforgettable

Of the types of people that can be identified in the holocaust, a common one is those who betrayed others. An example of betrayal during this novel is when Rabbi Eliahu’s son abandoned him, “Oh God, master of the universe give me strength to never do what Rabbi Eliahu’s son has done” (Wiesel 91). Rabbi Eliahu’s son left his father behind and this is an example of the betrayal that was common in the holocaust. On the way to the camps madness consumed many and the victims did not want it to spread so they silenced the insane, “She received several blows to the head, blows that could have been lethal” (Wiesel 102). This is an example of betrayal in that it portrays friends who attack Mrs. Schächter rather than help her through the tough times that they are all experiencing. Many peoples’ minds could not handle the change of environment or treatment, knowing they would most likely not survive the ordeal, they took what they needed from others to save themselves.

The first reason why the prisoners are reduced to barbaric behavior is that they had beaten by each other, and the Germans. An example of these beatings is, “once again, the young men bound and gagged her. When they actually struck her, people shouted their approval” (26). This shows how cruel the prisoners can be to each other when they are in a state of panic. Another example of the horrors they faced is, “And I walked on with my father, with the men. I didn’t know that this was the moment in time and the place where I was leaving my mother and Tzipora forever” (29). This is a great example of the emotional beatings they faced, having their families torn apart. They were not only subjected to these horrible beatings but were also feed much too little.

Prisoners are treated unimaginably cruel in concentration camps. The nazis were very cruel and inhumane. “ A truck drew close by and unloaded its hold: small children.Babies!... children thrown into the flames”(page 32). They had no remorse, they killed all those that could not work. They enjoyed the suffering of the prisoners. “Soon, peices of bread were falling into the wagon from all sides. … A piece fell into our wagon. I knew that I would not be strong enough to fight off dozens of violent men!”(page 101). The naizs found it entertaining to watch the starving prisoners fight over pieces of bread crust. Since the nazis did not care about the prioners, they decide to treat them like animals.

6 paragraphs

• Intro: Hook, Transition, Thesis, Forecast• Body x3: Topic sentence, evidence, analysis,

evidence, analysis, transition.• Counterclaim: Topic sentence, counter

example, analysis, counterexample.• Conclusion: Topic sentence, summary,

analysis.

Counterarguments

• Definition: A counterargument is an argument opposed to your thesis, or part of your thesis.

• Purpose: To show the reader that you have considered opposing views.

How to construct a counterargument

• List reasonable reasons why someone might disagree with your thesis.

• Express yourself objectively.• Point out the flaws.

Strategies for pointing out the flaws

• Question the assumptions.• Question the facts.• Question the values• Question the relevancy

Starter frames

• Yet,• However,• This interpretation is flawed• But what they fail to acknowledge is

Many people nowadays believe that technology has improved our quality of life. They feel that with technology we live happier lives because it makes our work easier: cars take us places, computers store our information, machines wash clothes and dishes, and so on. However, the knowledge required to use modern technology, especially computers, does not make life easier. Most people are now busier than they have ever been before. Employees are expected to respond to emails immediately, and to work from home. The stress that accompanies social networking includes anxiety, envy, and depression (Johnson 14).

Example

Exercise

• Select a claim.• Generate 2 reasons against your claim.• Respond to these arguments.

Counterclaim paragraph

• Start with reasons against claim. (pt. 1)• Show how reasons against claim (pt. 1) are

wrong. (pt. 2)

Claims

• Students learn less by using computers in the classrooms.

• Couples should not live together before they get married.

Night

• What is your thesis?• What is a reasonable counterclaim? What are

the reasons? (pt. 1)• What is your response? What is your evidence

to refute (argue against) the counterclaim? (Pt. 2)

Concluding paragraph

• Restate your thesis/claim, • Briefly review your evidence,• Give reader a sense of why this is important.

• Now is not the time to introduce a new concept.

To conclude, Coco Chanel was, in her own way, a liberator of women. She released them from the bounds of the corset, which greatly limited a woman’s physical movement and served as a restraint upon women in general society. While women in America were fighting for the vote, they were doing so in outfits fit for revolutionaries. A dropped waist and soft fabrics helped women focus less on their own physical discomfort and more on what they were trying to achieve. They were granted the opportunity to enjoy the same luxury as men: the luxury of comfort. Chanel’s refusal to conform initiated a movement that would see generation after generation of women using fashion as a way to express themselves, rather than attempting to fit themselves into an unrealistic ideal.

Example of conclusion paragraph

[Restate Thesis & Revisit Value of Essay] It is clear that the only acceptable way of ensuring the safety of airline passengers is to begin a program to issue Safe Traveler Cards or national ID cards to United States citizens. [Review Main Points] These cards would screen out those who are unlikely to be terrorists and would also eliminate the delays that currently characterize air travel. Most important, they would help prevent terrorists from high jacking American Planes. At the same time, by making racial profiling unnecessary, these cards would help protect personal and civil liberties of Americans. [Importance] Only by instituting a national ID card system can the U.S. make certain that the terrorists who attacked the United States did not hijack the liberties that are so precious to us.