Into the Dark: Into the Dark: NightNight ReviewReview

FeracoFeraco

English 9English 9

23 May 201123 May 2011

TermsTerms Beadle – a caretaker or “man of all Beadle – a caretaker or “man of all

work” in a synagoguework” in a synagogue• Moche! Moche!

Cabbala – Jewish mysticism Cabbala – Jewish mysticism • Followers believe that every aspect of the Followers believe that every aspect of the

Torah has hidden meanings that link the Torah has hidden meanings that link the spiritual world to everyday life. The spiritual world to everyday life. The teachings of the cabbala can be found in teachings of the cabbala can be found in the Zohar, which was compiled in the the Zohar, which was compiled in the 1400s1400s

• This is what Moche teaches Eliezer This is what Moche teaches Eliezer

TermsTerms Job – a biblical figure who questioned why Job – a biblical figure who questioned why

the just must suffer while the wicked the just must suffer while the wicked flourishflourish• How does he compare to Eliezer?How does he compare to Eliezer?

Kaddish – a prayer Jews recite in memory Kaddish – a prayer Jews recite in memory of a loved one of a loved one • The prayer praises and reaffirms a belief in The prayer praises and reaffirms a belief in

one Godone God• The Jews promise to recite one for Akiba The Jews promise to recite one for Akiba

Drumer – and never doDrumer – and never do

TermsTerms Nazis – “National Socialist Party” Nazis – “National Socialist Party”

• Fascist and right-wing, it warped its ideology as it Fascist and right-wing, it warped its ideology as it continued amassing power in Germanycontinued amassing power in Germany

• Promoted extreme racial and cultural intolerancePromoted extreme racial and cultural intolerance• Preyed upon the fears and insecurities of postwar Preyed upon the fears and insecurities of postwar

Germany Germany • Committed numerous atrocities, including the Committed numerous atrocities, including the

attempted extermination of the Jewish peopleattempted extermination of the Jewish people

TermsTerms SS – “Shield Squadron”SS – “Shield Squadron”

• A major force for HitlerA major force for Hitler Gestapo – Secret policeGestapo – Secret police

• Fell under the SS’s administration but was its own Fell under the SS’s administration but was its own unitunit

Kapo – A prisoner in a concentration camp, Kapo – A prisoner in a concentration camp, usually a criminal, who helped control other usually a criminal, who helped control other prisoners as a sort of overseer or wardenprisoners as a sort of overseer or warden

TermsTerms Yellow Star – A mark in the shape of the Star of Yellow Star – A mark in the shape of the Star of

DavidDavid• Jews were forced to wear this in order to set them Jews were forced to wear this in order to set them

apart from othersapart from others• One consequence: the mark made it easier to target One consequence: the mark made it easier to target

them via hate crimesthem via hate crimes Sighet – The Transylvanian town where Eliezer Sighet – The Transylvanian town where Eliezer

and his family live at the beginning of and his family live at the beginning of NightNight• The Weisel clan is taken to different concentration The Weisel clan is taken to different concentration

camps after being forced out of Sighet: camps after being forced out of Sighet: Birkenau/Auschwitz, then Buna, and finally Birkenau/Auschwitz, then Buna, and finally BuchenwaldBuchenwald

CharactersCharacters Moché the Beadle – Like Cassandra (blessed Moché the Beadle – Like Cassandra (blessed

with the power of foresight, but cursed by the with the power of foresight, but cursed by the inability to convince anyone she saw the truth), inability to convince anyone she saw the truth), he tries to warn the Jews of impending danger he tries to warn the Jews of impending danger only to be brushed aside and dismissedonly to be brushed aside and dismissed

Eliezer – Slightly fictionalized version of Wiesel Eliezer – Slightly fictionalized version of Wiesel ((not Wiesel himselfnot Wiesel himself))

A-7713 – The number branded on Wiesel’s arm A-7713 – The number branded on Wiesel’s arm in the concentration camp – his official in the concentration camp – his official designationdesignation

Chlomo – Eliezer’s father, the character who Chlomo – Eliezer’s father, the character who takes the largest supporting role in the texttakes the largest supporting role in the text

CharactersCharacters Mother – Eliezer’s mother disappears fairly Mother – Eliezer’s mother disappears fairly

early in the narrativeearly in the narrative Hilda – Eliezer’s eldest sister, she is of marrying Hilda – Eliezer’s eldest sister, she is of marrying

age when the Jews are ghettoized and movedage when the Jews are ghettoized and moved Béa – Eliezer’s older sister, younger than HildaBéa – Eliezer’s older sister, younger than Hilda Tzipora – The “baby” of the family, Eliezer – and Tzipora – The “baby” of the family, Eliezer – and

Elie – lose her to the concentration campElie – lose her to the concentration camp Stein (of Antwerp) – A relative of Eliezer’s; Stein (of Antwerp) – A relative of Eliezer’s;

Eliezer and Chlomo lie to him about his family’s Eliezer and Chlomo lie to him about his family’s safety, and he’s crushed when he discovers the safety, and he’s crushed when he discovers the truthtruth

CharactersCharacters Madame Schäcter – A passenger on the Madame Schäcter – A passenger on the

car Eliezer rides incar Eliezer rides in• Prophetic cries earn her the same sort of Prophetic cries earn her the same sort of

“Cassandra” treatment that Moché received“Cassandra” treatment that Moché received Dr. Mengele – A physician in the SS who Dr. Mengele – A physician in the SS who

conducted vicious experiments on conducted vicious experiments on prisonersprisoners• Eliezer encounters him during selections, Eliezer encounters him during selections,

when he’s determining who will die, who will when he’s determining who will die, who will live, and who will become part of his live, and who will become part of his experimentsexperiments

CharactersCharacters Yeheil – A fellow prisoner who weeps as Yeheil – A fellow prisoner who weeps as

Eliezer tries to comfort him – highlights Eliezer tries to comfort him – highlights one aspect of the “human breakdown” as one aspect of the “human breakdown” as the prisoners are pushed to the edge of the prisoners are pushed to the edge of deathdeath

Akiba Drumer – A fellow prisoner who Akiba Drumer – A fellow prisoner who loses his will to carry on after his faith in loses his will to carry on after his faith in God is broken – another aspect of the God is broken – another aspect of the “human breakdown”“human breakdown”

CharactersCharacters Juliek – A fellow prisonerJuliek – A fellow prisoner

• Unlike Akiba, he preserves his will to survive, continuing Unlike Akiba, he preserves his will to survive, continuing to play his violin – sadly, mournfully – even as he’s to play his violin – sadly, mournfully – even as he’s threatenedthreatened

• Both he and the violin are destroyed, and his sad final Both he and the violin are destroyed, and his sad final song in Buchenwald haunts Eliezer’s memoriessong in Buchenwald haunts Eliezer’s memories

Franek – A musician and foremen who Eliezer Franek – A musician and foremen who Eliezer meets at the same time as Juliekmeets at the same time as Juliek• Turns out to be far crueler than at first blush, forcing Turns out to be far crueler than at first blush, forcing

Eliezer to have his golden crown (which holds his broken Eliezer to have his golden crown (which holds his broken tooth together) removed with a spoontooth together) removed with a spoon

CharactersCharacters Idek – One of the kapos in Buna, and an Idek – One of the kapos in Buna, and an

arbitrarily vicious manarbitrarily vicious man• Lashes Eliezer 25 times after the boy Lashes Eliezer 25 times after the boy

discovers his affair with a prisonerdiscovers his affair with a prisoner Yossi and Tibi – Two boys Eliezer Yossi and Tibi – Two boys Eliezer

befriends in Bunabefriends in Buna The “French” Girl – A “friend” Eliezer The “French” Girl – A “friend” Eliezer

makes while staying at Bunamakes while staying at Buna• She hid signs that she was Jewish in order to She hid signs that she was Jewish in order to

survive survive

CharactersCharacters The Oberkapo – A huge kapo who treated his The Oberkapo – A huge kapo who treated his

prisoners relatively well, and is transferred prisoners relatively well, and is transferred (assumed killed) after weeks of torture when (assumed killed) after weeks of torture when he’s suspected of sabotagehe’s suspected of sabotage

The Pipel – A young, innocent boy who works The Pipel – A young, innocent boy who works for the Oberkapofor the Oberkapo• Eliezer thinks he looks beautiful, a “sad-eyed angel” Eliezer thinks he looks beautiful, a “sad-eyed angel” • He is killed around the time the Oberkapo disappearsHe is killed around the time the Oberkapo disappears• It takes him half an hour to die, and the sight proves It takes him half an hour to die, and the sight proves

to be one of the final blows to Eliezer’s faithto be one of the final blows to Eliezer’s faith

CharactersCharacters The Faceless Patient – Someone who stays in the The Faceless Patient – Someone who stays in the

hospital with Eliezer, and convinces him to flee hospital with Eliezer, and convinces him to flee before the patients are exterminated before the patients are exterminated • Had Eliezer stayed, he would have been rescued insteadHad Eliezer stayed, he would have been rescued instead

Rabbi Eliahou – A well-respected religious figure in Rabbi Eliahou – A well-respected religious figure in the camps, his son abandons him during the long the camps, his son abandons him during the long march to Buchenwald – foreshadowing the march to Buchenwald – foreshadowing the dilemma Eliezer will face with his own dying fatherdilemma Eliezer will face with his own dying father

Mier Katz – A strong prisoner who saves Eliezer Mier Katz – A strong prisoner who saves Eliezer from someone trying to strangle him, he finally from someone trying to strangle him, he finally loses his faith on the final train rideloses his faith on the final train ride

TermsTerms Rosh Hashana – The ten-day period Rosh Hashana – The ten-day period

that represents the beginning of the that represents the beginning of the Jewish New Year, ending with Yom Jewish New Year, ending with Yom KippurKippur

Yom Kippur – “The day of atonement,” Yom Kippur – “The day of atonement,” a day of fasting and prayera day of fasting and prayer

SymbolsSymbols

Bells – The loss of control the Jews face Bells – The loss of control the Jews face while living in the camps (ringing = obey)while living in the camps (ringing = obey)

Bread/Soup – Sustenance, life and Bread/Soup – Sustenance, life and existence – basic needs of human beingsexistence – basic needs of human beings

Fire and Smoke – The end of all things – Fire and Smoke – The end of all things – fire destroys bodies, smoke reminiscent fire destroys bodies, smoke reminiscent of soul/hope destructionof soul/hope destruction

SymbolsSymbols

Shoes/Gold Crown – Remnants of a past Shoes/Gold Crown – Remnants of a past life the Jews can never return to – this is life the Jews can never return to – this is why they’re lost in the campswhy they’re lost in the camps

Swastika – The rise of evil and death in Swastika – The rise of evil and death in the guise of something else (originally a the guise of something else (originally a peace symbol in other languages)peace symbol in other languages)

Violin – A little fragment of peace and Violin – A little fragment of peace and humanity in a sea of inhumanity and humanity in a sea of inhumanity and chaoschaos

Themes and MotifsThemes and Motifs

DarknessDarkness Denial / Ignorance / MistakesDenial / Ignorance / Mistakes FamilyFamily Good and Evil (Human Nature)Good and Evil (Human Nature) Faith and BeliefFaith and Belief InnocenceInnocence

Themes and MotifsThemes and Motifs

MemoryMemory NeedNeed LossLoss Tradition and HeritageTradition and Heritage Fear and HatredFear and Hatred Justice and ResponsibilityJustice and Responsibility