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By Elie WieselBy Elie Wiesel“The Holocaust is a central
event in many people’s lives, but it has also become a
metaphor for our century. There cannot be an end to
speaking and writing about it.”
-Aharon Appelfeld
Facts and Literary Facts and Literary ElementsElements
Author: Elie WieselAuthor: Elie Wiesel Type of work: non-Type of work: non-
fiction/memoirfiction/memoir NightNight is semi- is semi-
autobiographical. autobiographical. Wiesel pulled from Wiesel pulled from his own his own experiencesexperiences
POV: first person POV: first person reminiscentreminiscent
Facts and Literary Facts and Literary Elements SettingElements Setting
World War II/ Holocaust World War II/ Holocaust 1941-19451941-1945Various concentration camps Various concentration camps
in Poland and Germany: in Poland and Germany: Auschwitz/ Birkenau, Buna, Auschwitz/ Birkenau, Buna, Gleiwitz, and BuchenwaldGleiwitz, and Buchenwald
The memoir begins in Sighet, Transylvania.
During the early years of World War II, Sighet remained
relatively unaffected by the war. The Jews in Sighet
believed that they would be safe from the persecution that Jews in Germany and Poland
suffered.
About the Author:About the Author:
born in 1928 in Sighet, born in 1928 in Sighet, Transylvania, now part of Transylvania, now part of Romania Romania
In 1944 he was taken In 1944 he was taken from his home at the age from his home at the age of 15 with his parents of 15 with his parents and three sisters and and three sisters and sent to the Auschwitz sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, concentration camp, then to Buna, Birkenau, then to Buna, Birkenau, and finally Buchenwaldand finally Buchenwald
FamilyFamily
Father: A major community Father: A major community and cultural leaderand cultural leader
Lived comfortablyLived comfortably Mother and three sisters Mother and three sisters
(Tzipora, Bea, Hilda).(Tzipora, Bea, Hilda).
TraditionTradition
Elie had a serious interest in Elie had a serious interest in Jewish studiesJewish studies
He studied the Kaballah, He studied the Kaballah, Jewish Mysticism, and the Jewish Mysticism, and the Talmud (Jewish law) from a Talmud (Jewish law) from a very early age.very early age.
Spent hours studying.Spent hours studying.
In 1944, In 1944, however, Elie however, Elie
and all the and all the other Jews in other Jews in
town were town were rounded up in rounded up in cattle cars and cattle cars and
deported to deported to concentration concentration
camps in camps in Poland.Poland.
He was 14.He was 14.
They were They were sent to sent to
Auschwitz Auschwitz and then and then
other other concentratconcentration camps.ion camps.
Roll call in Buchenwald, February 1941
About the Author con’d:About the Author con’d:
At Auschwitz he and his At Auschwitz he and his father were separated father were separated from his mother and from his mother and sisters(Tzipora, Bea, sisters(Tzipora, Bea, Hilda)Hilda)
His father died 1945 while His father died 1945 while still held captivestill held captive
About the Author Cont’dAbout the Author Cont’d
He survived the He survived the concentration camps and concentration camps and was freed from was freed from Buchenwald in 1945Buchenwald in 1945
He was sent to France and He was sent to France and lived in an orphanage lived in an orphanage until he came of age.until he came of age.
About the Author Cont’dAbout the Author Cont’d
He attended the Sorbonne He attended the Sorbonne where he studied where he studied literature, philosophy, and literature, philosophy, and psychologypsychology
For ten years he vowed For ten years he vowed never to speak of his never to speak of his experienceexperience
About the Author Cont’dAbout the Author Cont’d
In 1956 he In 1956 he published his first published his first version of version of NightNight. . He then shortened He then shortened the novel and it was the novel and it was published in published in English in 1960English in 1960
He has since He has since written 40 other written 40 other booksbooks
About the Author Cont’dAbout the Author Cont’d
He won the Nobel Peace Prize He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986in 1986
Now 86 years oldNow 86 years old Taught Boston UniversityTaught Boston University Often speaks out against Anti-Often speaks out against Anti-
Semitism. Recently spoke out Semitism. Recently spoke out against Hamas.against Hamas.
Facts and Literary Facts and Literary Elements ConflictsElements Conflicts
Major external conflict: Major external conflict: Eliezer struggles with Nazi Eliezer struggles with Nazi persecution, persecution,
Major internal conflict: Major internal conflict: Eliezer struggles with his Eliezer struggles with his own faith in God and in own faith in God and in humanityhumanity
Facts and Literary Facts and Literary Elements ThemesElements Themes
Eliezer’s struggle to maintain Eliezer’s struggle to maintain faith in a benevolent Godfaith in a benevolent God
SilenceSilence Inhumanity toward other Inhumanity toward other
humanshumans The importance of father- son The importance of father- son
bondsbonds
WWII and the HolocaustWWII and the HolocaustCont’dCont’d
The Holocaust: A systematic The Holocaust: A systematic extermination of Europe’s Jews. extermination of Europe’s Jews. Six million European Jews murdered, Six million European Jews murdered,
making this the greatest act of genocide making this the greatest act of genocide known to the worldknown to the world
Gypsies, the handicapped, and Poles Gypsies, the handicapped, and Poles were also targeted for destruction. were also targeted for destruction. Other victims included homosexuals, Other victims included homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of war, and political dissidents.war, and political dissidents.
WWII and the HolocaustWWII and the Holocaust
Hitler comes to power in Hitler comes to power in Germany in 1933. Hitler creates Germany in 1933. Hitler creates the Nazi party (The National the Nazi party (The National Socialist Party) Socialist Party)
WWII and the HolocaustWWII and the HolocaustCont’dCont’d
He promoted the argument that He promoted the argument that Nordic peoples, which he called the Nordic peoples, which he called the Aryan race, were superior to any Aryan race, were superior to any other group or race of people.other group or race of people.
Under Hitler’s instruction, Under Hitler’s instruction, Germany implemented a set of Germany implemented a set of Laws designed to dehumanize Laws designed to dehumanize German Jews, who were then German Jews, who were then subjected to violence and prejudice.subjected to violence and prejudice.
WWII and the HolocaustWWII and the HolocaustCont’dCont’d
WWII begins on SEPTEMBER 1st, WWII begins on SEPTEMBER 1st, 19391939-Germany invades Poland. The Polish -Germany invades Poland. The Polish Armies crumble before the new kind Armies crumble before the new kind of warfare, the Blitzkreig.of warfare, the Blitzkreig.
WWII and the HolocaustWWII and the HolocaustCont’dCont’d
JANUARY 19th, 1945JANUARY 19th, 1945Germany in full retreat on Eastern Germany in full retreat on Eastern FrontFront..
MAY 1st, 1945MAY 1st, 1945Berlin surrenders to occupying Berlin surrenders to occupying Soviet forces.Soviet forces.
MAY 7th, 1945MAY 7th, 1945Germany formally surrenders.Germany formally surrenders.
Cont’dCont’d
Most of the groups targeted by the Most of the groups targeted by the Nazis were killed in concentration Nazis were killed in concentration camps, where they were gathered, camps, where they were gathered, imprisoned, and forced into labor. imprisoned, and forced into labor. When they were no longer of use, When they were no longer of use, they were killed.they were killed.
By the end of WWII By the end of WWII more than more than
35 million people35 million people
were killed – were killed –
more than more than half half
were civilians.were civilians.
GenocideGenocide
Geno – from the Greek word genos, which means birth, race, of a similar kind
Geno-cide
-Cide – from the French word cida, which means to cut, kill
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