NIGHTNIGHT

Section 3Section 3

Introduction to Introduction to

Birkenau/ AuschwitzBirkenau/ Auschwitz

POINT OF VIEWPOINT OF VIEW

Wiesel’s chilling Wiesel’s chilling first person point of first person point of viewview results in powerful emotions. results in powerful emotions. He shows us only what He shows us only what Eliezer sees Eliezer sees and thinks at a given moment.and thinks at a given moment.

This This limited perspectivelimited perspective and and lack of lack of knowledgeknowledge make the story all the make the story all the more more terrifying.terrifying. We as the readers We as the readers are always with Eliezer, are always with Eliezer, caught up in caught up in the tension and horror of his personal the tension and horror of his personal experience.experience.

LOSS OF FAITHLOSS OF FAITH

Eliezer’s loss Eliezer’s loss of faith in God begins at of faith in God begins at Auschwitz.Auschwitz. When he first sees the When he first sees the furnace pitsfurnace pits in which the Nazis are in which the Nazis are burning babies, he experiences the burning babies, he experiences the beginnings of doubt.beginnings of doubt.

This later shows a This later shows a contrast contrast between between Eliezer’s faithEliezer’s faith and the continued faith and the continued faith of of other devout prisoners such as other devout prisoners such as Akiba DrumerAkiba Drumer, whose strong beliefs , whose strong beliefs raise the prisoners’ spirits.raise the prisoners’ spirits.

LOSS OF HUMANITYLOSS OF HUMANITY

In this section, we also see In this section, we also see Eliezer beginning to Eliezer beginning to doubt his doubt his own humanity and his loss of own humanity and his loss of faith in man. faith in man.

ExampleExample

When the Gypsy inmate beats When the Gypsy inmate beats his father, Eliezer his father, Eliezer is surprised at is surprised at himself for how he reacts.himself for how he reacts.

Only the day before, he tells himself, Only the day before, he tells himself, he would have attacked the Gypsyhe would have attacked the Gypsy; ; now, however, now, however, he remains silent, and he remains silent, and feels guilty about it.feels guilty about it.

Fear of SilenceFear of Silence is very important is very important in this memoir. Wiesel could be in this memoir. Wiesel could be asking the following question: asking the following question:

if there isif there is silence in the face of silence in the face of evil, thenevil, then couldcould that silence that silence allow evil to survive?allow evil to survive?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLESIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE

This section contains one of the This section contains one of the most famous paragraphs from most famous paragraphs from the memoir. It is the first time the memoir. It is the first time that Eliezer that Eliezer interrupts his interrupts his narration to reminisce about the narration to reminisce about the ways that the Holocaust ways that the Holocaust continued to affect his life after continued to affect his life after it endedit ended. .

The repetition of the phrase The repetition of the phrase “Never shall I forget”“Never shall I forget” shows how shows how Eliezer’s experiences are Eliezer’s experiences are forever forever burned into his mind.burned into his mind.

This phrase also shows how This phrase also shows how Wiesel understands the Wiesel understands the importance of importance of remembering the remembering the horrible events of the Holocaust.horrible events of the Holocaust. He has the job of bringing these He has the job of bringing these events to light so that events to light so that nothing nothing like that can ever happen again.like that can ever happen again.