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Terence Thorpe

Mrs. Crowell

Advanced composition

29 November 2017

Thief in the night

In the book Night by Elie Wiesel students learn about his life through World War II. Elie

Wiesel at only twelve Nazis force him to a concentration camp. Thankfully he survived the

experience and wrote this book. Night teaches students history and the heartbreaking events of

the Holocaust. Reading this book teaches children valuable lessons about relationships, fairness,

forgiveness and survival and to appreciate what they have.

This work allows students to learn about a time in history that we wish never even

happened. Learning about this terrible point of our existence helps us to try and prevent it from

happening again. In this piece readers hear firsthand accounts of the horrors throughout the

Holocaust. Reading this story in a school environment encourages students to discuss the book.

Most students, if told to read the book alone or at home, will just skim over it and will not get

anything out of it. Discussing it allows them to understand the purpose of the book and learn how

to decipher different texts. Most students, especially teens, are very self-absorbed and do not

consider how they would have fared in such a tragic and horrifying time as the Holocaust he

was pale but seemed more solemn than frightened (61). This book may be graphic for younger

readers but ideally suits teenage readers because the main character is also a teenager. The book

speaks in the language of a young person, with titles on paragraphs, short sentences and long

thoughts we were not afraid (60). It reflects how a teenager views the actions of adults and
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what we say inside our head but will not dare speak out loud. In a school setting, students can

and should be encouraged to speak freely.

Wiesels book overflows of optimism. The Jewish community has seen so many regime

and governmental changes that they do not really fear what others forecast to come. Even when

Moishe the Beadle tells everyone who would listen, at every opportunity; of the changes that will

happen and how it soon will affect their little town of Sighet Jews, listen to me (7) - most

people remained optimistic. With each new announcement of restrictive rules for Jews like not

allowed to go to synagogue or forcing them to hand over all of their valuables or not leaving

their homes for three days the Jews of his town and his family still do not realize what terrors

happen from their stillness. They move on with their daily tasks as much as possible even I did

not believe him (7) and look at each rule as an inconvenience. When Wiesels father gets

consulted by the towns prominent members, his responses did not lead them to believe he should

be worried. As teenagers read this memoir they will likely see glimpses of similarities in their

own family and friends and how they all interact. It will help, to understand that Wiesels life,

before the Holocaust, compared to people now shares many similarities.

Tragedy can make even the most religious lose faith in what they believe in for gods

sake, where is god (65). Wiesels loss of faith allows students to easily understand a child going

through what he endures. Wiesel loves his religion so much that by day I studied Talmud and

by night I would run to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the temple (3), and he

still ends up despising God. Even his master, Moishe the Beadle, loses his faith after being one

of the first in his town to experience the hard times of the Holocaust. In the concentration camp,

many people try to honor God and keep the practices of the Jewish faith. But Wiesel suffers so

much that he has trouble understanding how God allows these things to happen. Learning this
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about another teen helps us to see that disaster will test us, spiritually and physically. No one can

ovoid hardships in life. Wiesels resolve to hold on in spite of thinking that God had left him and

his people, shows todays teenagers that everyone has doubts when tough times and hardships

strike.

Night portrays as a great book to read with teenagers. It shows teens that the word does

not revolve around them, that even though they maybe young and self-centered, and think the

world does not care and will beat them up. This book has a bigger impact on teens because when

someone their age goes through something they can imagine it happening to them. It makes us

appreciate all the things that we have and realize that our worst day do not come close compared

to what Elie had to endure we stared at the flames in the darkness (28). The book also forces us

out of our comfort zone. It forces us to imagine the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all

eternity of the desire to live. (34). We have to think about more than just ourselves and may

need to support our parents or other family in their time of need.

Night may make students question their beliefs. they might wonder why God did not help

the many victims of the Holocaust. If so, they are going through the same conflict as Wiesel

(except they are not in the Holocaust). This book teaches children valuable lessons about life and

to appreciate what they have.

Work Cited

Wiesel, Elie night. Translated by Marion Wiesel, Hill and Wang, 2006