Night By Elie Wiesel Chapter 1 Summary

The Jews inside Buna come together for a service to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.Eliezer wonders, angrily, where God is and refuses to bless God’s name because of all of the death and suffering He has allowed.

Eliezer thinks that man is strong, stronger than God. During this year’s Rosh Hashanah, unlike all previous years, Eliezer is not asking forgiveness for his sins. Rather, Eliezer feels himself to be "the accuser, God the accused."The services conclude with the Kaddish and Eliezer goes in search for his father, who is standing as if a heavy weight is upon him. In that moment, Eliezer realizes his father is already beaten.On Yom Kippur, Eliezer refuses to fast—not only to please his father, who says they should not fast when they need to keep up their strength, but also to mock God.Eliezer is no

He asks them to remember to say the Kaddish for him after he dies. They promise… but they forget to say the Kaddish.Winter arrives and makes everything worse, more unbearable.The prisoners get Christmas and New Year’s off, plus the present of a "slightly less transparent soup."In January, Eliezer’s foot begins to swell. It’s so swollen, he goes to the doctor—a Jewish doctor and a prisoner—who tells Eliezer that he needs an operation or his foot will have to be amputated. So Eliezer enters the hospital.Life in the hospital is a bit better—more food, thicker soup, and even sheets on the beds.What Eliezer fears most is that he will be selected at the hospital while recuperating.The operation is successful and the doctor tells Eliezer he just needs to rest for two weeks.But Eliezer can’t feel his leg and he’s afraid it’s been amputated—which would mean selection. He’s relieved to learn that his leg is still very much attached.While he waits in the hospital, rumors fly that the Russians are not far away and the camp is going to be evacuated. Those who are in the hospital will probably be "liquidated," that is,