Elie Wiesel’s personal Holocaust experience and reaction to the cruelty enacted against the prisoners is ultimately founded in his religious beliefs. In the beginning of the novel “Night” one may see how Eliezer’s belief in God is absolute and he does not question it. In fact, when asked by Moishe why he prays he responds with “Why do I pray? Strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe?” (Wiesel, 4). Moishe then goes on to tell him that “Man comes closer to God through the questions he asks him” (Wiesel, 5) a statement that would ultimately stay with him throughout the Holocaust and cause him to ask God many questions in the midst of his despair. Although Eliezer initially begins with an unshakeable belief in God, the evil and cruelty of the Holocaust soon causes him to question God and leads to a struggle of faith. In fact, in one instance Wiesel discusses his witness of babies being thrown into the flames and shortly after goes on to state “For the …show more content…
Because he caused thousands of children to burn in his mass graves? Because he kept six crematoria working day and night, including the Sabbath and the Holy days...who chose us among to watch our fathers, our mothers, our brothers end up in the furnaces?” (Wiesel, 67). It is evident that Eliezer struggles to understand why a loving God would allow this to occur especially when the world and everything in it is suppose to be a reflection of God himself. This is intensified when he witnesses the selfishness, manipulation, and cruelty among his own people as they try to conserve their own lives. For instance, in his novel Wiesel recalls a moment where people where throwing pieces of bread into the wagons and an old man managed to obtain some, when his son realizes he jumps onto him and starts beating him (kills him) in order to get the piece of bread (Wiesel,