Life Is Beautiful By Survivor Elie Wiesel

1134 Words5 Pages

A relationship between a father and a son is a sacred bond, one created at birth and strengthened over time. This paternal relationship is core to the value of family, a likewise bond of faith and trust. Such bonds are tested during times of hardship and pain, seen most clearly during times of war. During the events of World War II, and the gruesome events of the Holocaust, this truth was never more true. Through works such as the memoir Night, by survivor Elie Wiesel, and the artistry of the 1997 film Life is Beautiful, directed by Roberto Benigni, these times of hardships are kept alive in common memory. Through contrasting the lives of Elie Wiesel, and the fictional character of Giosue from Life is Beautiful, in the concentration camp, the evolution of the father-son relationship over time can be seen. Before the war had come to the forefront, both the lives of Wiesel and Giosue are similar in the basic sense. Their relationship with their father was, for the most part, one of reliance -- a bond similar to that of a teacher and a learner. Through the experiences documented in Night, Wiesel tells of how he saw his father as a leader, and as a protector. Wiesel remembers, “his [father 's] advice on public and even private matters was frequently sought” (4). Like he did for the community, Wiesel’s father was his protector, a type of teacher who provided him guidance. Another such example came during the early days of the creation of the Ghettos in Sighet, his hometown.

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