Symbolism In Night By Elie Wiesel

Night by Elie Wiesel is an adaptation of Elie Wiesel’s experiences in the Holocaust. The story is a portrayal of the suffering hundreds of thousands of people faced during the Holocaust. While the novel itself portrays Elie’s experiences, it is depicted from the viewpoint of Eliezer, a young boy who adapts to his new life during the Holocaust. Eliezer’s battle with God is a very prominent theme which can be seen throughout this novel. In the onset of the novel Eliezer’s belief in God is infinite. When Moishe the Beadle, Eliezer’s Jewish mysticism teacher asks Eliezer why he prays Eliezer states that he does not know why. “‘Why do you pray?’ he asked after a moment. Why did I pray? Strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe? ‘I don't

Eliezer correlates the righteousness of his God with the world and therefore is indoctrinated in to believing that the world is as merciful as

Eliezer questioned his God’s authority thus it can be assumed that he believe in his God’s existence.

However, comparative to the beginning of the novel, nearing the end, religious language has more or less ceased to exist from the writing which continues to depict Eliezer’s total loss of faith.

Within the novel Eliezer's faith in humanity is equally as flustered when he observes the selfishness of the prisoners who were largely at one point friends and family. One of the Kapo guards tells Eliezer that in the concentrations camps, every man is responsible for themselves. “‘Here, every man has to fight for himself and not think of anyone else. . . . Here, there are no fathers, no brothers, no friends. Everyone lives and dies for himself alone.’”(Weisel, p.105).

Eliezer ruminates that if the prisoners would collaborate together then they could employ their large numbers against the Nazi's and potentially escape their