Night Study Questions
In a world of absurdity, we must create reason. We must create beauty and grace out of nothingness and, because there is violence, we must expose its ugliness. And because there is hate, we must unmask its grim purpose. Arid because there is despair, we must redeem it with hope. Because there is oblivion, we must remember.
- Elie Weisel
SYNOPSIS OF NIGHT by Elie Weisel
When WWII broke out, Eliezer Weisel was barely an adolescent. Absorbed in his studies of the Talmud and devoted to prayer, this innocent child was totally incredulous when Moche the beadle, his revered teacher, returned from Poland seemingly lifeless, uttering tales of atrocities perpetrated against the Jews. In fact, most of the Jews in the Transylvanian town of Sighet disbelieved these horrible stories.
Then it happened. German soldiers slowly invaded the little the little town. Soon Jews were driven out of their homes and herded into trains; their destination unknown. Finally, the Germans ordered their first stop: AUSCHWITZ. “Men to the left! Women to the right!” This was the last time Elie saw his mother and sister. Such was the beginning of a nightmare. Stripped, shaven, and beaten, Elie and his father managed to survive the first night.
Inscribed on the iron door at the entrance to Auschwitz was the slogan, “Work is Liberty,” almost prophetic in nature. Soon the prisoners came to realize that perhaps being worked to death might garner them the only freedom they might ever know--that liberty which only comes in death.
Conditions worsened; work increased; exhaustion was ever present. With soup and stale bread to eat, men became gaunt shadows of human beings. Whipped for marching out of step and hanged fro stealing soup, loving, moral men were transformed into grappling, vicious human animals grasping for survival. Sons betrayed and destroyed fathers for morsels of food or to ease their burden, purposely lost them during selection periods. Although Elie often wished
his father would suddenly be lost, he did not succumb to human’s potential vicious behavior. Instead, he cared for his father, encouraged him, “fathered” him.
Although transferred to another camp, their situation did not change. Rations were meager, whippings more frequent, and hangings and selections more numerous ....
Chapter 1 pp. 1-20
Discussion Questions: Answer questions completely and with full sentences.
- Who was Moshe the Beadle?
- Describe Moshe, the Beadle.
- How old is Eliezer at the beginning of the book?
- What does he ask his father for?
- What country is the setting? Modern day name?
- Why did Eliezer spend a lot of time with Moshe?
- Why did Eliezer pray, and why did he cry when he prayed?
- What happened to Moshe that caused a great change in him? Upon his return, what story did Moshe tell?
- Why didn’t the people believe him? How did the rest of the community react to what Moshe told them?
- Why did Moshe come back to Sighet?
- Why did the citizens resist the truth, even when it was in front of them? Why did the people in Wiesel’s village doubt Hitler’s plans to exterminate the Jewish Population?
- How did the German soldiers win the confidence of the people of Sighet?
- Cite examples of how the Jewish citizens of Sighet began to lose their rights.
- At first, how did the Jews of Sighet feel about the ghettos?
- Who offered Eliezer’s family safe refuge? What day of the week was Eliezer’s Family expelled?
- Describe the conditions in the train (at the end of the chapter).
Discussion Topics:
When the Jewish people were being deported, they were allowed to take only one small bag with all their possessions. Evidence has shown that most people took their photograph albums. Why were these albums so important to them?
Wiesel’s village was invaded by Nazi soldiers in 1944; years after the extermination of Jews had begun. Why, after all this time, did the people have so little, if any, information about what had been happening to Jews all over Europe?
Chapter Two( pages 21- 27)
- How many were in each cattle car? What was the train ride like? Quote one sentence that is especially descriptive of this experience.
- Why was lying down out of the question in the cattle car? Page # what was said?
- Why is it ironic when Elie describes the people near the windows as lucky?
- “Our eyes were opened but too late.” Why did Elie say this? Where was the train at this point?
- What event initially caused Madame Schächter to lose her mind?
- How and why did they want to silence Madame Schächter? Be specific.
- How was Mrs. Schachter’s screaming prophetic?
- Which concentration camp does Eliezer arrive at first?
- Look up Dramatic Irony. Write definition.
- When they arrive at Auschwitz what is the dramatic irony?
Chapter 3 - pp. 27-43
Night Chapter 3
- What was so important about the eight words spoken by the SS to Elie when he first arrived at the camp?
- Eliezer and the other prisoners are fully exposed to the horrible inhumanity of the Nazis. Due to the brutal methods of the Nazis, they are transformed from respected individuals into obedient, animal-like automatons. How does this transformation take place?
- How old does Eliezer tell Dr. Mengele he is when he arrives at Birkenau? Why does the older prisoner tell him to say this?
- What does one of the second veteran prisoners ask the group of new prisoners? What advice does he give Elie’s group?
- Why was there a threat of a revolt by a few young Jews? What did the elders say to them?
- As Elie and his father approached the ditch (p.31), what did they think their fate was to be?
- What is a Kaddish? What did Elie consider so unusual that they reciting it? What pray might this be compared to in Catholicism?
- It is difficult to have faith in God when one is constantly surrounded by death and inhumanity. During this first night in campElie sees and is subjected to many horrible sights and events. Describe two instances that cause Elie to question his faith?
- If the prisoners were considered “sturdy” what kind of work would they be assigned?
10. Compare Elie to Madams Schächter son after he watches his father been struck by the gypsy deportee in charge of the stone barracks? What does this tell you about human nature?
- What happens to the prisoners every time they enter a new camp?
- The head of Eliezer's block kindly offers advice to his new charges: What is it?
- What is the identification number tattooed on Eliezer? What other atrocities did the prisoners endure after they pass section that degrades and dehumanizes them? And what effect did these offensive acts have on they prisoners?
- What is the name of the distant relative that Eliezer meets at Birkenau? What does Elie tell him about his family? Why do you think he tells him this informant? What happens when a transport from his home town come to the camp?
- What is one constant thought; one thing he wants during the selections and assignment of camps?
- What does the inscriptions say over Auschwitz’s camp door? What is important about this? Is it true? What might you change it to?
- When the prisoners first arrive at the camp, some of the young men want to rebel: "We've got to do something. We can't let ourselves be killed. We can't go like beasts to the slaughter. We've got to revolt." Despite these early feelings of rebellion, the prisoners rapidly become docile and fearful, and they follow the rules set out by the Nazi authorities. Why do they obey people who are so obviously intent on destroying them?
1. When questioned by the S.S. Officer, why did Elie lie about his age and occupation?
2. What was the first horrifying sight that Elie at first disbelieved?
3. Explain what Elie meant when he said, “Never shall I forget these flames which consumed my faith forever.”
4. How had Elie changed in a short time?
5. What was Elie’s first impression of Auschwitz after leaving Birkenau?
6. What was the “compulsory formality” at the entrance to all camps?
7. What sort of identification was used on the prisoners?
8. Why was the prisoner in charge of Elie’s block removed from this position?
9. What were the prisoners’ rations at each meal?
10. What was Bela Katz forced to do once he was chosen for his strength?
Chapter 4 - pp. 45-62
1. What were the objectives of the medical examinations?
2. Why were the Jewish musicians not allowed to play music by Beethoven?
3. Describe one of Idek’s bouts of madness.
4. How did Elie initially avoid losing his gold crown?
5. Whom did Elie meet years later on the Paris Metro?
6. What happened when Elie refused to give his crown to Franek? What was the end
result?
7. Describe the scene with the soup cauldrons.
8. During one of the preliminary “ceremonies” for a hanging, what did Juliek whisper to Elie? What does this suggest?
9. During one hanging, Elie and the other prisoners cried. What made this hanging different from others?
Night Four
What unit is Eliezer put into when he first arrives at Buna?
What does Eliezer later find out about the French girl at Buna?
What is Eliezer's most valuable possession that he tries to hold onto for as long as possible?
Who forces Eliezer to give up his gold crown?
What does Eliezer later find out about the French girl at Buna?
Why does Idek have Eliezer whipped?
During the air raid, only one prisoner dies. How does this casualty occur?
How do the prisoners react when an air raid occurs at Buna? Why?
Chapter 5 - pp. 63-80
1. Why didn’t Elie fast on Yom Kippur?
2. What advice was Elie given to pass the selection process?
3. How did Elie’s father respond when he learned his name had been written down?
4. What did Akiba Drumer ask the others to do for him? Did they do it?
5. Why was Elie placed in the hospital?
6. Why was the camp to be evacuated? What did Elie learn of the fate of those-who stayed behind in the hospital?
Chapter 6 - pp. 81-92
1. What happened to anyone who could not keep up with the march?
2. How did Zalman die?
3. What horrible realization did Elie come to concerning Rabbi Eliahou and his son? How did Elie respond to this?
4. What was Juliek’s last act?
5. How did Elie help his father when the selection was made?
Chapter 7 - pp.93-98
1. How did Elie again help his father when they were on the train?
2. Describe the scene Elie witnessed between the father and son.
3. How many got out of the wagon? Where had they arrived?
Chapter 8 - pp. 99-106
1. Explain how the father/son roles had been reversed in the case of Elie and his father?
2. Why was Elie’s father being beaten?
3. What did Elie think of the advice given to him by the head of the block?
Chapter 9 - pp. 107-109
1. What happened on April 5th?
2. What was the resistance movement? What did they do?
3. What did the prisoners do when they were freed?