“He explained to me, with great emphasis, that every question possessed a power that was lost in the answer…” (5).
How is it that at such a young age, Wiesel had already decided what it was he wanted to do with his life? He decided it before realizing what the true power of man could do if it is possessed with bad spirits. He was so sure of what he wanted to become that he searched for his own guide (master) to teach him the ways. Moreover, at such a young age, Wiesel was getting himself into disruptions, which penetrate deep within all human spiritual aspects of life. He did all of this without even knowing his true self.
“The police were taking role calls, once, twice, twenty times” (16).
Whis is it that the Hungarian police had to take role of every Jew within that ghetto more than once. What was the difficulty in trusting them as to obey the rules they were given. Why could they not trust that race, that they started the torture within each person before it was started externally to each Jew? How could the Jews not see or foresee what dangers laid for them. How could they not see, as they were crammed into lines and files, making sure repeatedly that everyone were accounted for, that there would not be pain and suffering ahead for them? They ignored the sign that warned them.
“She received several blows to the head, blows that could have even lethal” (26).
At what point of stress do men go from being men to absolute savages? How is it that the grown men in the train reached their point of true savagery, that they would beat a woman in front of her child? What is it about the distress of being on a train with the destination unknown, that made these men change so much, that they would have the nerve to through possible lethal blows at a women. How is it possible for a thing like this to occur in a matter of days? Change should be positive, not returning to our savage ways.
“We did not know, as yet, which was the better side, right or left, which road led to prison and which to the crematoria” (32).
It must be terrifying; having a man chooses your fate for you based on your age, health, and protection. The worst possible dilemma, instructed to walk in a certain direction, not knowing if the path in which you are walking leads to fatality or if you will be spared, to later on go through hell on Earth. It is crazy to think that it was possible for people to decide the fate of other people based sourly on little information about them. People’s fates were being decided on whether you were too young or too old, ill or in great health. Fate should not be at the hands of man, it should remain in God’s position.
“At the start of the third week, our Blockalteste was removed; he was judged too humane” (44).
Finally, there is at least one person who shows a bit of human kindness, allowing the Jews a bit of freedom. How is it that, because a person is acting like a human, not beating the Jews, but still obeying his orders, is punished and replaced by a person who is known to act more crewel? What was it about the Jewish race that upset the Nazis? How could they become so upset with an entire race, that instead of waging war or trying to come to a compromise, they turn to murder and touché?
“What’s more, if I felt anger at that moment, it was not directed at the Kapok but at my father” (54).
How can a boy, that before anything had happened to him, a boy, who loved his father so much that he would have killed himself if they were to have been separated; go from this to being angry at his father as he is being beat in front of him. It is hard to believe how a boy who loved his father, changes over time to despise him as he is being beaten. Is it the fact that he had seen death or that he had witnessed firsthand what humankind can really be without order; is that why Wiesel had changed?
“How could I say to him: Blessed be Thou, Almighty, Master of the universe, who chose us among all nations to be tortured day and night, to watch as our fathers, our mothers, our brothers end up in the furnaces?” (67). It is amazing how a person can gain their belief for a God, but it is more amazing how one could lose their faith. Losing faith I you God that you have loved so much and appreciated, is similar to that of losing your would. Wiesel loved his God so much, that he was willing to dedicate his entire life to learn about his teachings. However, after going through what he had to go through, it is my belief that anybody would lose his or her faith in God. How could he let that happen to his people, and do nothing to the people who are committing the crimes?
“He was not alone in having lost his faith during those days of selection” (76).
Unfortunately, the occurrences that happened in the concentration camps caused a whole love of people to lose their faith. It is understandable how this could happen, but unfortunate. Many people lost part of themselves during this time. Even worse, is to think about how God allowed the Germans to execute their gruesome plans on the Jewish and not be punished for their sins in any way. The Jews suffered great loss, family death, destruction of their homes, and loss of faith; but the Germans lost nothing.
“If one of us stopped for a second, a quick shot eliminated the filthy dog” (85).
It is atrocious to imagine this quote. How can a group of soldiers follow their orders to kill someone based on stamina and durability? How can a person shoot another person with such ease, that they do not have any remorse as to what they have just done? If the passé slowed down, if a person needed to catch their breath, they would be shot dead like nothing... Denying the people a simple act of human nature is inhumane, because they denied it with murder.
“pressed tightly against one another, in an effort to resist the cold, our heads empty and heavy, our brains a whirlwind of decaying memories” (98).
Having to huddle together is not bad. However, when you know you have to, because if you do not your chances of dying a slow painful and freezing death are increased greatly, giving you no option, but to tyro save your own life. It is not only the physical properties that are affected by the possibility of a freezing death, but also the internal and mental pain. You begin to think of what could happen, you imagine yourself there, just another dead soul, and that is what keeps you alive, fighting for your life.
“Suffering from, dysentery, my father was prostrate on his cot, with another five sick inmates nearby” (108). Such great hospitality that the Jews were given by the Germans. They wouldn’t allow the sick to be comfortable. Instead, they worsened. They crowded all of the sick people in to one little room. Doing this was like saying that all of the people in the room were at the bottom of the barrel, the highest on their list to kill or allow them to die. The people were of no use if they were ill, so they should just let them suffer, the kill them.
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