Alienation and InitiationNight by Elie Weisel

Alienation in Night

• Alienation: isolation, foreign, strange, unfamiliar, lonely, ostracized (perception)

• Physical, emotional, spiritual

~ Night ~

• Initiation:

–Leaving childhood things behind

–Growing up, self awareness,–Rite of passage, from innocence

to adult realities.

Bildungsroman

• A formation novel

• Coming of age of an untried/naïve youth– Abnormal youth– Conversion to austerity– Dedication to religious ideals– survivalism

~ Night ~

• Initiation:

–Boot camps; concentration camps

–Elie is forced to grow up under abnormal circumstances

~ Night Initiation ~• Responsible for dad/responsible

for self

–Harsh realities, horror, evil, inhumanity

–Experiences: embarrassment, great insecurity, questioning of God

Night ~Alienation~

• In Night- increasing alienation from Father

–From secure sonship to responsibilities of adult

–Perceives dad as a burden: ambivalence- relief at his death / feels guilt and shame

Night ~Alienation~

• In Night- increasing alienation from father causes faulty initiation

–Bruised, damaged emotions and spirits- produce damaged adults

–Worst consequence: loss of faith in God.

Impressionism

• Style derived from art and literature of late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

• Rooted in personal reactions to a situation or object

• Various visual and other imagery