Illustrating Major Themes in "Night" by Elie Wiese
Illustrating Major Themes in "Night" by Elie Wiesel
When being asked to paint a picture of the universe from darkest black to gray, one might think that this would be an easy task. After all, when discussing the events that these authors have endured, it is difficult calling anything gray. Pitch black seems to fit all of the readings equally. Reading the gruesome stories of physical and mental abuse, it is difficult to hear that a human being not only went through what these four did go through, but that a human being could really do this to another person.
If I had to sit and decide in which order to place these writers, the criteria I would use would be how they looked at the spirit of man. Eli Wiesel, Primo Levi, Tadeucz Borowski, and Charlotte Delbo: what these four writers have in common is that they all experienced the lowest that life possibly could have offered them. They were all beaten, tortured, and had to live everyday with the realization that that day could be their last on earth. The way that Borowski has titled his chapter, “This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentleman” made me suspicious right away. Living in that environment can turn a normal person into a monster.
“Listen, Henri, are we good people?”
“That’s stupid. Why do you ask?”
“You see, my friend, you see, I don’t know why, but I am furious, simply furious with these people – furious because I must be here because of them. I feel no pity. I am not sorry they’re going to the gas chamber. Damn them all! I could throw myself at them, beat them with my fists. It must be pathological, I just can’t understand… (Borowski 350)”
This quote shows how humanity is killed when put into these horrific situations that Borowski has written about. Of course all of these people are in a situation that truly is unimaginable, but the lack of humanity is most prevalent here.
One passage in which Borowski comes to the realization of what is going on really hit me as being extremely important. “…The scenes become confused in my mind – I am not sure if all of this is actually happening, or if I am dreaming. There is a humming inside my head; I feel...