Examples Of Father Son Relationship In Night By Elie Wiesel

From Son to Father

Humanity’s cruel, brutal and unforgiving ways were shown in the 1940’s. Thousands of people were deported to the concentration camps across Europe and unfortunately for Elie Wiesel, he was one of them. It was vital for Elie to support his family since it was his only thing worth living for. Elie Wiesel, author of the novel Night portrayed father/son relationships in his novel using foreshadowing, imagery, irony, and others.

Irony is used heavily throughout the novel especially in the father son theme. For example, when Stein of Antwerp finds them and is supplying them with food he says “Take care of your son. He is very weak, very dehydrated…”(45). You see this same irony over and over. Partly since our society views males as strong role models who look after their families and protect them. In Night Elie’s role changes to the protector for his father. You see this when Elie is teaching his father to

He had become childlike: weak, frightened , vulnerable. “Father,” I said, “ You cannot stay here .” I pointed to the other corpses around him; they too had wanted to rest here. “I see them my son, I do see them. Let them sleep . They haven’t closed an eye for so long… They’re exhausted… exhausted …” His voice was tender. I howled into the wind: “They’re dead! They will never wake up! Never! Do you understand”. (?) Elie is pleading for his father’s life. After some thinking the only way Elie is alive is because of his father. “ To no longer feel anything, neither fatigue nor cold, nothing. To break rank, to let myself slide to the side of the road… My father’s presence was the only thing that stopped me.” (?). If his father decides to give up and die, so will Elie. As Elie is pleading to his father that he keep marching and to have hope, he is also pleading for his own