Dialectical Journals: Night by Elie Weisel Chapters 1-2
This is what passes through my mind as I annotate and analyze Night by Elie Wiesel.
Chapter 1
I would like to be able to connect more with Elie and his Jewish religion. It is harder to comprehend the author’s message without a deeper understanding. I also feel that Elie’s relationship with Moshe the Beadle was more profound compared to his relationship with his father. His father was more concerned with the welfare of the community rather than the welfare of his family. I wonder if this will affect Elie’s decisions later when the two are in the concentration camps. Aside from that, I cannot fathom how the community could ignore Moshe the Beadle’s warning. Has there been a society that is shielded from the world so much that they cannot sense a looming danger? Lastly, I wonder if they found any threat from the pro-nazi political party that occupied Hungary, or if they were even aware of the status of the war. Were they aware of Hitler’s motives?
Chapter 2
This chapter allows the reader to step into the mentality of an imprisoned Jew that was being sent to the concentration camp. In fact, many signs of delusion were shown. Mrs. Schacter saw illusions of flames. It is also mentioned that she was beaten just to keep quiet. I think this foreshadows what will be happening to all the Jews at concentration camps; many of them would be worked and or beaten to death. Also, you can feel the looming danger in this chapter; although, others keep optimistic, offering beneficial possible outcomes for the group. This proves the ability of the Nazis to keep their operations secret. Even if they knew, they would ignore the obvious warnings; such as the one given by Moshe the Beadle. Also, in this chapter, the Jews of Sighet arrived at Birkneau, the arrival center for Auschwitz. Elie also mentions that the air lingers of the scent of human flesh. I believe that he is foreshadowing about what is to come to the new arrivals.
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