Night Essay

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person thinking if it would be better to just die than to endure every evil the Nazis could possibly do to them. It would leave that person wondering if it is even worth it to stay alive through all the torture if they may just be murdered. But like most new inmates to the concentration camps, Eliezer has hope of survival and continues on his difficult journey of self-preservation.

One of Wiesels values that was that was altered the greatest was his relationship with God. Now for many prisoners in the camp god was who they turned to and was their greatest explanation for the horrible things happening to them. As Akiba Drumer states, “God is testing us. He wants to see whether we are capable of overcoming our base instincts, of killing the satan within ourselves. We have no right to despair. And if He punishes us mercilessly, it is a sign that He loves us that much more…” (pg.45). While Wiesel, though is not yet denying God’s existence, is doubting his ‘absolute justice”. He’s constantly wondering why God would let all of these cruel/evil. He knows that God cannot be testing them because innocent babies are being killed and they have not been on earth long enough to be “tested”. “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” (pg.34). Wiesels doubts continue throughout the book and this quote just shows how fractured his relationship with God has turned. He believes that God could never possibly let innocent people (including himself) but murdered and tortured as they were. So further through the book he may even start to wonder if there even is a God.

Ultimately, Eliezer Wiesel has been scarred for life and any ounce of innocence he had in him has been destroyed. Now matter how old he gets, he will never forget the events of the Holocaust that has changed him forever. With his struggle of self-preservation Wiesel had lost his protective instinct, in fear of the repercussions. Wiesel had such a struggle with maintaining his faith in which that has changed his character forever and the Holocaust has crushed everything he studied all of his life. He will “Never forget” the Holocoust.

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