Themes, Symbols, and Motiffs
Themes in the book:
-Religion: Throughout the book, Elie struggles with his faith. He repeatedly questions whether or not there is a god, and if there is, then he questioned why he would let the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust happen. Regardless of the hardships he endures, he remains faithful to his religion. In the movie about the actual author, Elie Weisel, he talks about how even though his faith was shaken to its very core, he does not resent his religion. He says that even if he doesn’t believe in god, he has the right to be angry at him.
-Silence: Silence shows up many times. One of the most important and moving parts of the book, which is when the little boy is hanged in front of a crowd of Jewish prisoners, is an excellent example. As the boy convulses and struggles for air, the crowd is silent. One man asks where god is and he is met with silence. As the book progresses, Elie begins to think about why, even as thousands of prisoners are sent to their deaths daily, god is silent. This also ties into the religion theme because it is this silence that causes Elie to question why god would let it happen.
-Suffering: Suffering may be one of the most important themes in the entire book. Almost everything that happens to the characters in the book revolves around suffering. From day one at Auschwitz, the prisoners and the main characters are beaten, starved, and scolded. They are constantly reminded by the Nazi guards that they are basically no longer in control of their own fates and that they could be killed at any moment. All of these things make life in Auschwitz awful. Suffering causes Elie to question whether it is worth it to stay alive anymore, and if he should stop struggling and just let go.
-Father-Son Bond: This is a very obvious example of theme. In the book, Elie and his father basically become the same person. Elie forms a bond with his father that most people could never have, because of shared hardships and suffering. Elie mentions many times that he only fights to stay alive because he has no right to leave his father alone in the world. Elie and his father become so close that they are literally each other’s reason to stay alive throughout the hardships.
Motifs in the Book:
-Tradition: Tradition is an important part of Judaism and Elie is a devout Jew. He attempts to cling to the tiniest semblance of tradition throughout the book because it serves as a tiny bridge between Auschwitz and the outside world, and Elie’s home. There are a few carious moments in which Elie really struggles to hold on to his traditions. On Yom Kippur, a day which traditionally is observed by fasting, Elie struggles with the decision to eat or fast. Even though he does end up eating, he feels remorse. He also feels bad when he neglects to say kaddish for Akiba Drumer when he passes away.
Symbols in the Book:
-Night: Night symbolizes the worst of the suffering throughout the book. For instance, what is perhaps the worst suffering, which is when the Jews arrive at Auschwitz, takes place at night. The night symbolizes the horror of the death camp and the atrocities of the crematories and gas chambers. When the prisoners are forced to travel to Buna, it is night, which symbolizes that the road ahead is not yet finished, and there is more suffering to come.
-Fire: Fire plays a major role in the story. The fires of the crematories symbolizes the basically infinite power that the Nazis have over the prisoners. Fire also symbolizes the devil, which in religion is generally considered to be the embodiment of evil. The fires of the crematories are like hell, and their flames are like the wrath of the devil engulfing the jews.
-Juliek’s Violin: Juliek’s violin is a symbol of hope and a symbol of the outside world. The song that Juliek plays provides an almost tangible gateway to home for the prisoners, and Elie is heartbroken when he discovers Juliek had passed away during the night.
Tone in the Book:
-The overall tone of the book is this kind of sad, dreary, demoralized feeling. The way that Elie tells the story makes me think that he truly suffered and that he really didn’t want to even be alive. The way that he talks about seeing bodies and seeing his prison mates being beaten senseless makes it seem like he has become detached from the real world and that he has become numb to the horrors.
Mood in the Book:
-The mood of the story is heavy-hearted and gloomy. As Elie tells of the horrible things that he endured, the reader thinks about how much suffering the prisoners went through and how they would react in a similar situation. It also forces the reader to think about how absolutely terrifying it would be to be in the situation that Elie is in. It is a very saddening thing to think about being separated from most of your family and forced to be subjected to ritual beatings and starvation, as well as being generally talked down to like an animal. Elie Weisel tells his story in such a way that I feel the reader can really grasp and connect with on a very personal level.
Themes in the book:
-Religion: Throughout the book, Elie struggles with his faith. He repeatedly questions whether or not there is a god, and if there is, then he questioned why he would let the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust happen. Regardless of the hardships he endures, he remains faithful to his religion. In the movie about the actual author, Elie Weisel, he talks about how even though his faith was shaken to its very core, he does not resent his religion. He says that even if he doesn’t believe in god, he has the right to be angry at him.
-Silence: Silence shows up many times. One of the most important and moving parts of the book, which is when the little boy is hanged in front of a crowd of Jewish prisoners, is an excellent example. As the boy convulses and struggles for air, the crowd is silent. One man asks where god is and he is met with silence. As the book progresses, Elie begins to think about why, even as thousands of prisoners are sent to their deaths daily, god is silent. This also ties into the religion theme because it is this silence that causes Elie to question why god would let it happen.
-Suffering: Suffering may be one of the most important themes in the entire book. Almost everything that happens to the characters in the book revolves around suffering. From day one at Auschwitz, the prisoners and the main characters are beaten, starved, and scolded. They are constantly reminded by the Nazi guards that they are basically no longer in control of their own fates and that they could be killed at any moment. All of these things make life in Auschwitz awful. Suffering causes Elie to question whether it is worth it to stay alive anymore, and if he should stop struggling and just let go.
-Father-Son Bond: This is a very obvious example of theme. In the book, Elie and his father basically become the same person. Elie forms a bond with his father that most people could never have, because of shared hardships and suffering. Elie mentions many times that he only fights to stay alive because he has no right to leave his father alone in the world. Elie and his father become so close that they are literally each other’s reason to stay alive throughout the hardships.
Motifs in the Book:
-Tradition: Tradition is an important part of Judaism and Elie is a devout Jew. He attempts to cling to the tiniest semblance of tradition throughout the book because it serves as a tiny bridge between Auschwitz and the outside world, and Elie’s home. There are a few carious moments in which Elie really struggles to hold on to his traditions. On Yom Kippur, a day which traditionally is observed by fasting, Elie struggles with the decision to eat or fast. Even though he does end up eating, he feels remorse. He also feels bad when he neglects to say kaddish for Akiba Drumer when he passes away.
Symbols in the Book:
-Night: Night symbolizes the worst of the suffering throughout the book. For instance, what is perhaps the worst suffering, which is when the Jews arrive at Auschwitz, takes place at night. The night symbolizes the horror of the death camp and the atrocities of the crematories and gas chambers. When the prisoners are forced to travel to Buna, it is night, which symbolizes that the road ahead is not yet finished, and there is more suffering to come.
-Fire: Fire plays a major role in the story. The fires of the crematories symbolizes the basically infinite power that the Nazis have over the prisoners. Fire also symbolizes the devil, which in religion is generally considered to be the embodiment of evil. The fires of the crematories are like hell, and their flames are like the wrath of the devil engulfing the jews.
-Juliek’s Violin: Juliek’s violin is a symbol of hope and a symbol of the outside world. The song that Juliek plays provides an almost tangible gateway to home for the prisoners, and Elie is heartbroken when he discovers Juliek had passed away during the night.
Tone in the Book:
-The overall tone of the book is this kind of sad, dreary, demoralized feeling. The way that Elie tells the story makes me think that he truly suffered and that he really didn’t want to even be alive. The way that he talks about seeing bodies and seeing his prison mates being beaten senseless makes it seem like he has become detached from the real world and that he has become numb to the horrors.
Mood in the Book:
-The mood of the story is heavy-hearted and gloomy. As Elie tells of the horrible things that he endured, the reader thinks about how much suffering the prisoners went through and how they would react in a similar situation. It also forces the reader to think about how absolutely terrifying it would be to be in the situation that Elie is in. It is a very saddening thing to think about being separated from most of your family and forced to be subjected to ritual beatings and starvation, as well as being generally talked down to like an animal. Elie Weisel tells his story in such a way that I feel the reader can really grasp and connect with on a very personal level.
Characterization
Elie: Elie is the main character of Night. Throughout the story, we see Elie change into a mere shell of his former self. Once he arrives at Auschwitz, he immediately becomes closer to his father than he ever was before. As the story progresses, Elie bears witness to some of history’s most horrific and disturbing atrocities, and it changes him profoundly. The events that Elie witnesses cause him to call his faith in God and the very foundation of his religion.
Elie’s Father: Elie’s father plays an incredibly important role in Elie’s life story. After arriving at Auschwitz, Elie’s father becomes an anchor for Elie, and vice versa. Elie’s father looks to Elie as a reason to stay alive, and Elie looks at his father the same. Elie’s father becomes a sort of silent mentor, teaching Elie how to be strong and to survive. Elie’s father suffers many beatings from the guards, but he clings to life because he knows that if he doesn’t, then Elie won’t have anything to live for.
Moshe the Beadle: Moshe the Beadle appears for only a small time, but in that time he teaches Elie many things. He mentors Elie in the ways of the Cabala and imparts many quips and pieces of wisdom with Elie. Moshe is one of the very first Jews living in Sighet that are deported. He escapes from the Gestapo and travels back to Sighet in order to warn the rest of the Jews about the horrors he witnessed at the hands of the Nazis. Throughout the story, Elie frequently thinks back to the teachings of Moshe the Beadle in order to help him get through the hardships he faces. Although he only appears for a few pages, he is by far one of the most important characters.
Elie: Elie is the main character of Night. Throughout the story, we see Elie change into a mere shell of his former self. Once he arrives at Auschwitz, he immediately becomes closer to his father than he ever was before. As the story progresses, Elie bears witness to some of history’s most horrific and disturbing atrocities, and it changes him profoundly. The events that Elie witnesses cause him to call his faith in God and the very foundation of his religion.
Elie’s Father: Elie’s father plays an incredibly important role in Elie’s life story. After arriving at Auschwitz, Elie’s father becomes an anchor for Elie, and vice versa. Elie’s father looks to Elie as a reason to stay alive, and Elie looks at his father the same. Elie’s father becomes a sort of silent mentor, teaching Elie how to be strong and to survive. Elie’s father suffers many beatings from the guards, but he clings to life because he knows that if he doesn’t, then Elie won’t have anything to live for.
Moshe the Beadle: Moshe the Beadle appears for only a small time, but in that time he teaches Elie many things. He mentors Elie in the ways of the Cabala and imparts many quips and pieces of wisdom with Elie. Moshe is one of the very first Jews living in Sighet that are deported. He escapes from the Gestapo and travels back to Sighet in order to warn the rest of the Jews about the horrors he witnessed at the hands of the Nazis. Throughout the story, Elie frequently thinks back to the teachings of Moshe the Beadle in order to help him get through the hardships he faces. Although he only appears for a few pages, he is by far one of the most important characters.
SECTION 1
Picture it: Letter A
I envision the jews who were captured and forced to dig mass graves
Infer: I predict that Elie and his family will be taken by Nais and transported to Auschwitz
Clarify: The Nazis begin taking the Jewish people from Sighet during the Jewish holiday Passover
Try: Why are the Nazis only taking one or two of the Jewish people at a time?
Use: I understand Elie’s devotion to Judaism because I am quite religious myself.
Summary: Elie is a Jewish boy living in Sighet, Hungary. He devotes his time to studying the Talmud and the Cabbala, even though the latter goes against his father’s wishes. His teacher, Moshe the Beadle, is deported by the Hungarians. Moshe returns and explains the horrors that he witnessed at the hands of the Gestapo. The Nazis begin to deport the Jews of Sighet in small increments, Elie’s family being one of the last to leave. They are forced into cattle cars and transported out of Sighet.
SECTION 2
Picture it: Letter B
I picture the Jews of Sighet in the cattle cars used to deport them.
Infer: I predict the Jews will begin to panic and realize the gravity of their situation
Clarify: I did not understand why Madame Schachter kept rambling on about fire. After finishing the section, I realize that she may have had a premonition about the crematories
Try: Why are the Jews so quick to beat Madame Schachter, rather than help comfort her?
Summary: The Jews of SIghet are packed into cattle cars and begin their long journey. People on the train begin to lose their sense of civility and youndg men and women begin to flirt with each other while the others pretend not to notice. The conditions on the train are awful and it is very crowded. After stopping, a German official demands that all the Jews give up their possessions or be shot. Madame Schachter begins to go mad and starts raving about flames being outside of the train. She is beaten by some of the boys on the train ntil she is quiet. The train arrives at Auschwitz and the Jews realize for the first time the true gravity of their situation.
SECTION 3
Picture it: Letter C
I picture the nazi guards pointing their tommy guns at the jews passing through the “death gate” at Birkenau
Infer: I can surmise that Elie will not be sent to the crematory during the selection, however I also don’t think that the rest of his family will either
Clarify: I did not really understand the part where Elie doesn’t try to make a run for the fence when he has the chance. If it were me in that situation, I would have run as fast as possible to try and make it out. I suppose that in this situation, he wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen to them, so he didn’t want to risk getting shot right away.
Try: Why does Elie question himself when he doesn’t stand up for his father?
Use: I can relate to how Elie felt when his father was being beaten, because I have been in situations when someone is being bullied and I felt powerless to help them so I just stood and watched.
Summary: Elie and his father are sent to a work camp, forced to put on prison clothes, bathed in gasoline, beaten repeatedly, and forced to march long distances. They meet a distant relative whom Elie lies to about his family and he ceases speaking with Elie afterward.
SECTION 4
Picture it: Letter D
I picture Franek beating Elie’s father for asking to use the restroom
Infer: I predict that the beatings the prisoners receive will continue to become harsher and harsher until eventually the guards just start killing people
Clarify: I didn’t understand why the prisoners would try and steal soup during the raid. I would have left it alone, because it seems obvious that the guards would kill or maim anyone who touched it. All things considered though, I can see how tempting it would be to get even a scrap of food.
Try: Why do the Nazis allow Elie and his father to stay together during all of this?
Use: When Elie has to get his Crown removed, it reminded me of the times I’ve had to go to the dentist and how terrifying it can be
Summary: Elie and his father arrive at the work camp and a Kapo demands that Elie get his gold filling removed, He and his father go to work in the same job. Elie is beaten by a guard, then comforted by a French girl whom he recalls meeting again several years later. Elie’s father is beaten until Elie gives up his gold crown. Two men are killed during an allied air raid because they try to steal soup.
SECTION 5
Picture it: Letter E
I picture Elie wading through the snow with his injured foot, trying to catch up with the rest of the evacuees
Infer: I think that Elie’s father will end up surviving the selection somehow
Clarify: I couldn’t grasp why Elie would not want to go to sleep after running over 42 miles. Even if it meant death, I would still take the chance because it would be better than being stuck with the Nazis for longer. I understand though that Elie wanted to stay alive so that his father would have something to live for.
Try: Why does Elie begin to lose faith in his religion?
Use: I can relate to Elie and his father’s decision to leave because sometimes when something such as the weather gets too intense, I feel like it would be the best decision to leave.
Summary: Elie begins to lose faith in his religion and decides to eat on Yom Kippur, a day of fasting in Jewish tradition. Winter begins to set in and Elie injures his foot, requiring him to get surgery. After rumors of a Russian liberation attempt, Elie and his father decide to be evacuated.
SECTIONS 6 & 7
Picture it: Letter F
I picture the moment when the prisoners make it to the deserted village
Infer: I predict that many prisoners will die in the village because of a combination of exhaustion and the cold
Clarify: I couldn’t grasp why Elie would not want to go to sleep after running over 42 miles. Even if it meant death, I would still take the chance because it would be better than being stuck with the Nazis for longer. I understand though that Elie wanted to stay alive so that his father would have something to live for.
Try: Why were the Nazis shooting anyone who stopped running?
Use: I hate the feeling of running in the cold, so I can only imagine what it was like running 42 miles in the cold nonstop
Summary: Many of the prisoners from the work camp begin the long and painful run to the next camp. On the run, the Nazi guards shoot anyone who does not maintain a steady pace. The prisoners are forced to run for over 42 miles and wind up in a deserted village. After Elie and his father make their way into a large building, they fight to keep each other awake because they fear that if either of them goes to sleep, then they will die. They begin running again and eventually make it to the Gleiwitz camp. in the rush to get into the barracks, Elie are knocked onto the ground. During yet another selection, Elie’s father is deemed too weak and sent to death. Elie decides to take action and jumps into the same line as his father and during the confusion, they both manage to sneak back into the other line. The prisoners are boarded onto a cattle car, and they travel for several days. German townspeople throw bread into the cars and one boy kills his own father over a piece. Later, someone tries to strangle Elie in his sleep, but he is saved by a friend of his.
SECTION 8 & 9
Picture it: Letter G
I picture the moment when Elie says that he looked in the mirror and saw a “corpse”
Infer: I predict that Elie will go on and live his life, but he will constantly be haunted with memories of the horrors he witnessed in the death camps
Clarify: When I read the part where Elie does not cry when he discovers that his father has been taken to the crematorium, I could not understand why he felt no emotion. In his situation, I would have been hysterical. However, Elie explains it that he feels as though a weight has been lifted, and he can now devote his energy to staying alive.
Try: Why do the Nazis want to kill all of the prisoners left in Buchenwald?
Use: I can relate to the feeling that Elie had when he was finally freed. When I returned home for the first time in over a year because of a house fire, I felt so relieved that I wouldn’t have to live in the crappy rental house anymore, much in the same way Elie was relieved that he would no longer have to live in the awful camps
Summary: After arriving at the Buchenwald camp, Elie’s father becomes fatally ill with dysentery. When Elie wakes up in the morning, discovers that his father has been taken to the crematory. He feels relieved that his father is no longer suffering and that he can now devote his time and energy to staying alive. The Nazis decide to exterminate the rest of the prisoners, but are thwarted during an air raid that forces the prisoners to move back into the barracks. A resistance movement takes over the camp and drives out the SS, liberating the Jewish prisoners. Elie becomes deathly ill with food poisoning, but remains alive. When he looks in a mirror for the fist time since he was in Sighet, he says that “a corpse gazed back” at him.
Picture it: Letter A
I envision the jews who were captured and forced to dig mass graves
Infer: I predict that Elie and his family will be taken by Nais and transported to Auschwitz
Clarify: The Nazis begin taking the Jewish people from Sighet during the Jewish holiday Passover
Try: Why are the Nazis only taking one or two of the Jewish people at a time?
Use: I understand Elie’s devotion to Judaism because I am quite religious myself.
Summary: Elie is a Jewish boy living in Sighet, Hungary. He devotes his time to studying the Talmud and the Cabbala, even though the latter goes against his father’s wishes. His teacher, Moshe the Beadle, is deported by the Hungarians. Moshe returns and explains the horrors that he witnessed at the hands of the Gestapo. The Nazis begin to deport the Jews of Sighet in small increments, Elie’s family being one of the last to leave. They are forced into cattle cars and transported out of Sighet.
SECTION 2
Picture it: Letter B
I picture the Jews of Sighet in the cattle cars used to deport them.
Infer: I predict the Jews will begin to panic and realize the gravity of their situation
Clarify: I did not understand why Madame Schachter kept rambling on about fire. After finishing the section, I realize that she may have had a premonition about the crematories
Try: Why are the Jews so quick to beat Madame Schachter, rather than help comfort her?
Summary: The Jews of SIghet are packed into cattle cars and begin their long journey. People on the train begin to lose their sense of civility and youndg men and women begin to flirt with each other while the others pretend not to notice. The conditions on the train are awful and it is very crowded. After stopping, a German official demands that all the Jews give up their possessions or be shot. Madame Schachter begins to go mad and starts raving about flames being outside of the train. She is beaten by some of the boys on the train ntil she is quiet. The train arrives at Auschwitz and the Jews realize for the first time the true gravity of their situation.
SECTION 3
Picture it: Letter C
I picture the nazi guards pointing their tommy guns at the jews passing through the “death gate” at Birkenau
Infer: I can surmise that Elie will not be sent to the crematory during the selection, however I also don’t think that the rest of his family will either
Clarify: I did not really understand the part where Elie doesn’t try to make a run for the fence when he has the chance. If it were me in that situation, I would have run as fast as possible to try and make it out. I suppose that in this situation, he wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen to them, so he didn’t want to risk getting shot right away.
Try: Why does Elie question himself when he doesn’t stand up for his father?
Use: I can relate to how Elie felt when his father was being beaten, because I have been in situations when someone is being bullied and I felt powerless to help them so I just stood and watched.
Summary: Elie and his father are sent to a work camp, forced to put on prison clothes, bathed in gasoline, beaten repeatedly, and forced to march long distances. They meet a distant relative whom Elie lies to about his family and he ceases speaking with Elie afterward.
SECTION 4
Picture it: Letter D
I picture Franek beating Elie’s father for asking to use the restroom
Infer: I predict that the beatings the prisoners receive will continue to become harsher and harsher until eventually the guards just start killing people
Clarify: I didn’t understand why the prisoners would try and steal soup during the raid. I would have left it alone, because it seems obvious that the guards would kill or maim anyone who touched it. All things considered though, I can see how tempting it would be to get even a scrap of food.
Try: Why do the Nazis allow Elie and his father to stay together during all of this?
Use: When Elie has to get his Crown removed, it reminded me of the times I’ve had to go to the dentist and how terrifying it can be
Summary: Elie and his father arrive at the work camp and a Kapo demands that Elie get his gold filling removed, He and his father go to work in the same job. Elie is beaten by a guard, then comforted by a French girl whom he recalls meeting again several years later. Elie’s father is beaten until Elie gives up his gold crown. Two men are killed during an allied air raid because they try to steal soup.
SECTION 5
Picture it: Letter E
I picture Elie wading through the snow with his injured foot, trying to catch up with the rest of the evacuees
Infer: I think that Elie’s father will end up surviving the selection somehow
Clarify: I couldn’t grasp why Elie would not want to go to sleep after running over 42 miles. Even if it meant death, I would still take the chance because it would be better than being stuck with the Nazis for longer. I understand though that Elie wanted to stay alive so that his father would have something to live for.
Try: Why does Elie begin to lose faith in his religion?
Use: I can relate to Elie and his father’s decision to leave because sometimes when something such as the weather gets too intense, I feel like it would be the best decision to leave.
Summary: Elie begins to lose faith in his religion and decides to eat on Yom Kippur, a day of fasting in Jewish tradition. Winter begins to set in and Elie injures his foot, requiring him to get surgery. After rumors of a Russian liberation attempt, Elie and his father decide to be evacuated.
SECTIONS 6 & 7
Picture it: Letter F
I picture the moment when the prisoners make it to the deserted village
Infer: I predict that many prisoners will die in the village because of a combination of exhaustion and the cold
Clarify: I couldn’t grasp why Elie would not want to go to sleep after running over 42 miles. Even if it meant death, I would still take the chance because it would be better than being stuck with the Nazis for longer. I understand though that Elie wanted to stay alive so that his father would have something to live for.
Try: Why were the Nazis shooting anyone who stopped running?
Use: I hate the feeling of running in the cold, so I can only imagine what it was like running 42 miles in the cold nonstop
Summary: Many of the prisoners from the work camp begin the long and painful run to the next camp. On the run, the Nazi guards shoot anyone who does not maintain a steady pace. The prisoners are forced to run for over 42 miles and wind up in a deserted village. After Elie and his father make their way into a large building, they fight to keep each other awake because they fear that if either of them goes to sleep, then they will die. They begin running again and eventually make it to the Gleiwitz camp. in the rush to get into the barracks, Elie are knocked onto the ground. During yet another selection, Elie’s father is deemed too weak and sent to death. Elie decides to take action and jumps into the same line as his father and during the confusion, they both manage to sneak back into the other line. The prisoners are boarded onto a cattle car, and they travel for several days. German townspeople throw bread into the cars and one boy kills his own father over a piece. Later, someone tries to strangle Elie in his sleep, but he is saved by a friend of his.
SECTION 8 & 9
Picture it: Letter G
I picture the moment when Elie says that he looked in the mirror and saw a “corpse”
Infer: I predict that Elie will go on and live his life, but he will constantly be haunted with memories of the horrors he witnessed in the death camps
Clarify: When I read the part where Elie does not cry when he discovers that his father has been taken to the crematorium, I could not understand why he felt no emotion. In his situation, I would have been hysterical. However, Elie explains it that he feels as though a weight has been lifted, and he can now devote his energy to staying alive.
Try: Why do the Nazis want to kill all of the prisoners left in Buchenwald?
Use: I can relate to the feeling that Elie had when he was finally freed. When I returned home for the first time in over a year because of a house fire, I felt so relieved that I wouldn’t have to live in the crappy rental house anymore, much in the same way Elie was relieved that he would no longer have to live in the awful camps
Summary: After arriving at the Buchenwald camp, Elie’s father becomes fatally ill with dysentery. When Elie wakes up in the morning, discovers that his father has been taken to the crematory. He feels relieved that his father is no longer suffering and that he can now devote his time and energy to staying alive. The Nazis decide to exterminate the rest of the prisoners, but are thwarted during an air raid that forces the prisoners to move back into the barracks. A resistance movement takes over the camp and drives out the SS, liberating the Jewish prisoners. Elie becomes deathly ill with food poisoning, but remains alive. When he looks in a mirror for the fist time since he was in Sighet, he says that “a corpse gazed back” at him.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G