A C T I V E R E A D I N G N O T E S A N D PA S S A G E A N A LY S I S

Night

Passage Analysis

Each requires a complete sentence, and at least 2-3 sentences to fully answer. Your commentary should fully explain your response.

(1) Identify two strong words/phrases in the passage. What makes this word/phrase strong? How does it impact the audience?

(2) How does Wiesel sound (think: tone)? How does he ensure these feelings come across?

(2) What is the ultimate ‘claim’ that could be made from the passage being read and discussed? What does Wiesel want us to think after reading that specific passage?

Pages 3-12

Reveals family history Starts in 1941, he is 13-years-old Does not know what “The Final Solution” is (proves Hitler’s

agenda is very secretive) He was deeply religious Has 3 siblings:

2 older sisters 1 younger sister

Pages 3-12

Moishe the Beadle Poor child in Sighet He is left alone often (his character development suggests that he

is unloved) Known for asking controversial questions

Why do you pray? Elie does not know how to answer his questions. Moshe helps him to

want to learn about involved religions that might help him answer that question.

Pages 3-12

German power starts to be known Foreign Jews are deported (Moishe) Rumored to be at a labor camp; people are okay with this idea of

losing rights

Sighet stops talking about the deported Jews… The common belief: “we are safe” and “the labor camps cannot be

real” The start of developed ignornace…

Pages 3-12

Moishe’s story: He survived, by sheer happenstance Gestapo (part of the Nazi party) stopped train, made victims dig a

mass grave, and then executed the victims. It was about fear and suffering.

Pages 3-12

1945: People believed mass extermination was not realistic (it was so

barbaric, people refused to believe the stories) There were few witnesses and absolutely no photographic

evidence Why should they believe?

Also: Elie asks to leave Sighet. Father refuses (he is too old). German forces arrive shortly after this request.

Pages 3-12

German officers: Good natured, supportive Sighet Jews refuse to believe the rumors, even mocked the

rumors

In reality: Germans were taking notes, identifying the Jewish families, and establishing a need for a ghetto He was a spy. A very likeable spy who falsely gained their trust.

Pages 3-12

German forces then…. Arrested political leaders Placed Jewish families under house arrest (3 days)

Seen outside? Punishment was death. Forbidden to own valuable property Forced to wear the Star of David (the yellow star) Could not be out of their house past 6:00PM Could not travel Could not go café’s or diners

THIS IS THE START OF A GHETTO.

Pages 3-12 Passage Analysis

“He told me what happened to him and his companions. The train with the deportees had crossed the Hungarian border and, once in Polish territory, had been taken over by the Gestapo. The train had stopped. The Jews were ordered to get off and onto the waiting trucks. The trucks headed toward a forest. There everybody was ordered to get out. They were forced to dig huge trenches. When they had finished their work, the men from the Gestapo began theirs. Without passion or haste, they shot their prisoners, who were forced to approach the trench one by one and offer their necks. Infants were tossed into the air and used as targets for the machine guns. This took place in the Galician forest, near Kolomay. How had he, Moishe the Beadle, been able to escape? By a miracle.”

Pg. 12-22

Two ghettos created One large and one small Some remained in their home, others were forced to move

Families moved in to help others Walls and barriers were built to establish segregation

Pg. 12-22

Once in the ghetto… People accepted their fate (they

were alive, and were separated from the Germans… not dead)

People refused to accept that the Holocaust was occurring… even the people who would most likely be killed from it If the victims did not believe it was

true, then the same might be said of the Allied forces at war

Pg. 12-22

Larger ghetto condensed to just smaller ghetto

Ghetto starts to be destroyed… the Jews of Sighet were now being transported They do not know where. Concentration camps were not highly

publicized.

President of Jewish Council does know… Germans threaten to kill if he tells anyone.

Pg. 12-22

People were loaded like cattle onto a freight trainGerman’s goals:

Remove freedom “Cage” the Jews Transport them to the camps

The Germans treated people like animals to make them feel less human.

Pg. 12-22

First reference to “night” It’s a time that is too dark to see, and thus becomes something to

fear Tomorrow (a daylight) seems to be unknown

Pg. 12-22 Passage Analysis

“Night. No one was praying for the night to pass quickly. The stars were but sparks of the immense conflagration that was consuming us. Were this conflagration to be extinguished one day, nothing would be left in the sky but extinct stars and unseeing eyes.”

Pg. 23-28

In a train, headed to Auschwitz Largest and most deadly death camp (used labor and gas

chambers) Between 1940 and 1945, over four million people died there

Pg. 23-28

Germans are psychologically trying to affect their victims by treating them as animals Loaded into a cattle car, the symbolism was meant to deeply

affect their victims They call them “dogs”

Pg. 23-28

Mrs. Schacter Sees a fire (inside of her mind, no one else can see this fire) She is having an anxiety attack: her friends and son are trying to

calm her Her screams could mean their death

The men tie and gag her to prevent screaming (she’s affecting them psychologically, too). She gets loose, they physically strike her. The Holocaust victims became violent towards one another out of

preservation. They have been treated like an animal, so now they are starting to act like one.

Pg. 23-28

Auschwitz-Birkenau Final destination (learned by someone reading and offering gold

watch) 1944: Auschwitz-Birkenau had been opened for four years

This proves that German propaganda to hide the truth worked: no one knew what Auschwitz was or did.

Pg. 23-28 Passage Analysis

“The night seemed endless. By daybreak, Mrs. Schachter had settled down. Crouching in her corner, her blank gaze fixed on some faraway place, she no longer saw us.”

Pg. 29-37

At Auschwitz-Birkenau: “Men to the left, women to the

right.” This is the last he saw of his

mother, his younger sister

This is the selection process: Determining who will live and

who will die

Pg. 29-37

An old man gives advice to avoid being “selected”: Elie is OLDER than he actually is Shlomo (his father) is YOUNGER than he actually is

Pg. 29-37

The old man becomes angry due to their confusion The Wiesel’s were too innocent/ignorant to know or to recognize

the danger that they were in. The old man is insulted – he has been there for a while. No one

has come to save him from the Holocaust. Them not knowing anything proves to the old man that no one will be coming.

Pg. 29-37

Dr. Mengele “cruel, though not intelligent,

face, complete with a monocle” Determined who was “selected”

with his cane Known as the Angel of Death

LEFT: you are put to work RIGHT: crematoria

Pg. 29-37

SS officers search for “stronger men” Kommando: German word for detachment, here a detachment of

concentration camp prisoners at forced labor

A similar role to a Kommando was… Kapos: a concentration camp prisoner selected to oversee other

prisoners on labor details. The term is often used generically for any concentration camp prisoner whom the SS gave authority over other prisoners.

Pg. 29-37

Arrival process: Selection Barracks

Loss of clothes Loss of possessions

Barber: loss of hair Disinfectant Running in the snow/cold – further psychological attacks Clothes given

Pg. 27-37 Passage Analysis

“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life into one long night seven times sealed.

Never shall I forget that smoke.Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw

transformed into smoke under a silent sky.Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever.Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all

eternity of the desire to live.Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my

soul and turned my dreams to ashes.Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as

long as God himself.Never.”

Pg. 37-46

One NIGHT from arrival: Last image of mother and sister Man shot and killed Infant bodies in grave Crematoria Shaved, freezing, degraded

Pg. 37-46

Passes under gate of Auschwitz: Arbeit Macht Frei “Work makes you free”

Literal translation: you work yourself to death, and in death you are free of the oppression. They encouraged their victims to hope for death.

Pg. 37-46

All Holocaust victims bear a tattoo. Nazi’s numbered their victims to ensure that they were able to

keep track of how many victims were murdered. Continuation of de-humanization Elie: A-7713

Pg. 37-46

Stein: relative of the Wiesel’s His only reason to live is finding his family He is always asking for any person who can verify that they are

still alive

Once he discovers the truth, that they are dead, we never see him again. The understanding is that he had no reason to live without his

family being there. He lost his will to survive. It’s an inference with deeply-rooted understanding in survival.

Pg. 37-46

Elie and a few hundred others were then taken to the next location: Buna A sub-camp of Auschwitz (aka: Auschwitz III)

Pg. 37-46 Passage Analysis

“In the afternoon, they made us line up. Three prisoners brought a table and some medical instruments. We were told to roll up our left sleeves and file past the table. The three ‘veteran’ prisoners, needles in hand, tattooed numbers on our left arms. I became A-7713. From then on, I had no other name.”

Pg.47-54

Victims of the Holocaust were intentionally starved, while the leaders of the camp were obese

Holocaust victims would trade food and clothing with the perpetrators for additional rights

Pg. 47-54

Rumors also swirled about some of the leaders of the camp about inappropriate actions with children

It was thought that some of the leaders engaged in sex trafficking with young boys at the time. This is a further extension of human trafficking: illegal trade of

human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery

Pg.47-54

Dentists made notes about those with gold fillings in their teeth It was about who had “money in their mouth”

It was about greed Basic human emotion Driving factor of hate Not always money related, but often connected

Pg. 47-54 Passage Analysis

“A few days after my visit, the dentist’s office was shut down. He had been thrown into prison and was about to be hanged. It appeared that he had been dealing in the prisoners’ gold teeth for his own benefit. I felt no pity for him. In fact, I was pleased with what was happening to him: my gold crown was safe. It could be useful to me one day, to buy something, some bread or even some time to live. At that moment in time, all that mattered to me was my daily bowl of soup, my crust of stale bread. The bread, the soup – those were my entire life. I was nothing but a body. Perhaps even less: a famished stomach. The stomach alone was measuring time.”

Pg. 54-65

Elie discusses Idek and other German leaders who physically beat the prisoners at Buna during “times of madness” Elie is attacked most often for being in the wrong place at the

wrong time When guards were angry, they released their anger on the

prisoners with no reason (Elie’s first recount, he crossed in front of Idek – nothing else)

Pg.54-65

Elie’s father and their relationship

Elie loves him dearly, tries to help him as often as possible

Elie forfeited his gold tooth to save his father from Franek’s constant assaults Removed with a rusty spoon in the latrines Lost his tooth for nothing, he was transferred two weeks later

Pg. 54-65

One day, before his transfer, on the day he was not scheduled to work, Idek forced everyone to work. During the time he worked, Idek was nowhere to be found

Elie found Idek, in the back of a warehouse with a young girl Idek forced hundreds to work so that he could sleep with a girl Elie laughs at the notion – it was that ridiculous Idek swears revenge on Elie

Pg. 54-65

Elie is called forward with his ID number, placed on a crate, and is whipped 25 times Elie fainted from the pain

Afterwards, Idek threatens Elie with more whipping if he ever reveals what he saw INFERENCE: Idek was breaking a camp law, and if he was found

out – he could face punishment similar to the greedy dentist

Pg. 54-65

During an air raid at Buna, prisoners are required to be confined to their block Two cauldrons of soup are left unattended Everyone stares in extreme hunger, but only

one man was brave enough to attempt to eat the food He reached the cauldron, and then was shot

dead before he could eat the food.

The only man who died during the air raid was this man.

Pg. 54-65

A week after the bombing, the Nazi’s create a “gallow” in the central square to hang a man who attempted to steal during the air raid

The narrative discusses 2 of the other prisoners in depth: One is suspect is involved with the

resistance One is a young boy (the pipel) who was the

servant of a resistance member

Pg. 54-65

The prisoners seemingly never cry as they are always in pain. The boy’s death brought them all to tears. When being hung, you die from your weight pulling down and

snapping your neck. The boy was too light. He suffocated to death as he strangled himself at the end of the noose.

Starts a discussion on God and faith in relation to the Holocaust

Pg. 54-65 Passage Analysis

“And so he remained for more than half an hour, lingering between life and death, writing before our eyes. And we were forced to look at him at close range. He was still alive when I passed him. His tongue was still red, his eyes not yet extinguished.”

Pg. 66-75

Elie is angry and confused about God Wants to know why he should pray: he was targeted and

oppressed. To him, a just God would never let this happen.

You must understand, Elie struggled with his faith because he suffered physically to no end.

Pg. 66-75

By the end of 1944: Elie begins to struggle and rebel against religious traditions: he

eats on a day of fasting to prove his lack of faith

Pg. 66-75

Dr. Mengele and the selection: Nazi’s executed anyone who had become too frail or too weak. Others were kept alive as they could still work (… still suffer)

Both Elie and his father pass the selection. He does not stop to think about those who did not pass, he is too

thankful to be alive. The Holocaust has changed him… he is no longer compassionate.

Pg. 66-75 Passage Analysis

“I did not fast. First of all, to please my father who had forbidden me to do so. And then, there was no longer any reason for me to fast. I no longer accepted God’s silence. As I swallowed my ration of soup, I turned that act into a symbol of rebellion, of protest against Him.

And I nibbled on my crust of bread.Deep inside me, I felt a great void opening.”

Pg. 75-84

Victims in the hospital were treated better No work Better food

If the victims were healed, they could return to their suffering. The goal was to exterminate the Jewish race, but an underlying

mission was to cause pain and suffering. By prolonging some of those that were dying, the Nazi’s were able to aid this underlying mission.

Pg. 75-84

Rumors of a liberation are encouragedNazi’s started moving victims to new camps

This caused the inmates to believe the rumor

Those in the infirmary had a choice: march or stay? If they go, they could die. If they stay, they could die. On the other hand, they could be found and saved. Elie and his father choose to go. They could have been liberated

had they stayed.

Pg. 75-84

Inmates are forced to clean their housingDesigned to mislead the liberating army

If the area is clean, it cannot be thought that prisoners of war were being held and tortured there

Pg. 75-84 Passage Analysis

“What do you care what he said? Would you want us to consider him a prophet?”

His cold eyes stared at me. At last, he said wearily: “I have more faith in Hitler that in anyone else. He

alone has kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people.”

Pg. 85-97

Death March Running to a new location to avoid the liberation forces Minimal breaks – very few opportunities to catch ones’ breath

SS soldiers were offered chances to rest and to catch breath

If you could not keep up, you would be trampled to death by other victims, or you were shot by the S.S.

Pg. 85-97

This is the best known of all the death marches: January 1945 60,000 prisoners marched out of camp 35 miles long, then put on a freight train to other camps Approximately 15,000 died on the way

Pg. 85-97

The Rabbi’s story: Lost his son during the death march Elie remembers the true story: the son ran ahead as his father fell

behind Family and friends once were the pillars for the reason to survive They became meaningless in the end, self survival was more

important

Pg. 85-97

Juliek the violinist: Plays the violin and brings life to the fellow survivors; music is

not something they have heard/experienced in a great deal of time

He played the violin until he died In the morning: he was dead, and the violin was trampled

Pg. 85-97

Selection process: Weak to the left, strong to the right Elie’s father was sent to the left Elie ran after his father, created confusion and pulled him to the

right in order to save his father’s life

Pg. 85-97 Passage Analysis

“A terrible thought crossed my mind: What if he had wanted to be rid of his father? He had felt his father growing weaker and, believing that the end was near, had thought by this separation to free himself of a burden than could diminish his own chance for survival.”

Pg. 98-103

Elie worries about his father’s health and ability to progress is dwindling Glassy eyes, not moving, etc.

The S.S. are clearing out the trains of those that are dead Victims helped as they could steal their clothes and anything of

value

Pg. 98-103

Elie manages to get his father to move, and the train continues to travel for days The train is uncovered, and so they are draped in snow freezing

to death

Travelling to Buchenwald Another sub-camp of Auschwitz

Pg. 98-103

During the travel, a civilian throws bread onto the train The victims fight over the bread, try to kill one another for the

bread

INFERENCE: The idea of compassion has to come from the right place. If you give to help, be sure in the end it does not cause more pain. Proven by the story of the woman who shared coins with the

children in the fountains. The children were trying to kill one another. Charity has to done so in a way to help, not hurt.

Pg. 98-103 Passage Analysis

“… And what if he were dead, as well? I called out to him. No response. I would have screamed if I could have. He was not moving.

Suddenly, the evidence overwhelmed me: there was no longer any reason to live, any reason to fight.”

Pg. 104-112

Arrival at Buchenwald: Told about taking a “hot shower” Elie is tasked with trying to get to the showers, but to also help

his father who has resigned to die

Pg. 104-112

Elie realizes that his father is sick, he does not accept the reality of it: his father is dying of dysentery Deathly ill, weakened, consistently thirsty (however, should he

drink water – it could help kill him) Doctors will not cure him Other victims in the bed nearby steal his food and assault him

because they are angry that he does not have the strength to go the bathroom outside

Pg. 104-112

Elie’s father gets worse, and other victims recommend to Elie that he worry only for himself (his father was going to die anyway) He could be eating his rations to save his own life He immediately regrets thinking this way, is ashamed Elie pretends to be sick so that he can remain with his father in

the blocks

Pg. 104-112

S.S. officers are in the blocks, and Elie’s father keeps crying out to Elie to get him more water. The officer commands him to be silent. When he does not

comply, he takes a club to Elie’s fathers head.

Pg. 104-112

January 28, 1945: Elie went to sleep above his father’s cot.

January 29, 1945: Elie woke up to an empty cot, his father was taken to the crematoria. Elie is not sure if he was actually dead, or near death In any case, his father is now gone

Pg. 104-112 Passage Analysis

“No prayers were said over his tomb. No candle lit in his memory. His last word had been my name. He had called out to me and I had not answered.”

Pg. 113-115

Remained in Buchenwald until April 11, 1945 He does not describe his time there (his father died, he felt he

had no reason to live)

Pg. 113-115

April 5: Mass “liquidation” – the camp would do roll call and force people

to leave its gates, never to returnApril 10:

20,000 still in the camp (all would evacuate at the same time) Resistance movement decided to act at 10:00 A.M:

By 6:00 P.M., the S.S. had fled and the first American tank entered the gates of Buchenwald

Pg. 113-115

First act of freedom: Eating Getting clothes Sex

Never talk about revenge The idea was to show that ignorance and hate only leads to pain.

As the person on the end of torture, he says it is best to rise above the hate. Revenge will not “fix” anything.

Pg. 113-115 Passage Analysis

“From the depths of the mirror, a corpse was contemplating me.

The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me.”

Class Wordle

Much like you did in your PBL assignment, we are going to create a Wordle.

Right now, write down a list of five words/phrases in which you feel best “summarize” this novel.

Be prepared to share out – we are going to create the Wordle in class.