In the novel Night, Elie Wiesel explains his experiences as a young Jewish boy during the Holocaust. The Holocaust was a genocide during World War II and Elie was a Jew that was captured and taken to a concentration camp. The Nazi’s did things to the Jews to make them feel like they weren’t humans. Elie, his father, and fellow Jews went through many events that dehumanized them.
One event that caused dehumanization were the tattooing of numbers on the prisoners. Elie stated, “I became A-7713. From then on, I had no other name.” (42) This shows how the Jews were recognized by their letters and numbers tattooed on them, and not their names.The Nazi’s were taking away their names which was a human quality and a big part of individuality. This …show more content…
All of the Jews wore the same stripped clothes with their shaved heads. This caused them all to look the same. They were stripped of their own identity. Wearing the same clothes and looking the same as everyone else takes away individuality. Part of being human is individuality because everyone is different. This event caused the Jews to not feel like humans.
The last event that caused dehumanization were the tests that the Jews had to take. They had to take physical tests to decide if they would be killed or be able to remain alive. The Jews had to run fast and hope they would pass. It wasn’t fair at all because everyone has different levels of physical strength. Also, the Jews didn't get much food so most of them weren't in shape or healthy enough to run. Taking a test that your life depends on made the Jews feel less human.
Every prisoner was stripped of every quality that made them human. The Nazi’s made the Jews feel worthless and unhuman. They all lost years of getting to be themselves, find themselves, and to have individuality. These three causes of dehumanization don’t even explain everything that caused the Jews to feel less human during the Holocaust. Elie states, “From the depths of the mirror, a corpse was contemplating me. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me.” (115) The last time Elie saw himself was in the ghetto. He lost himself, which
One event that caused dehumanization were the tattooing of numbers on the prisoners. Elie stated, “I became A-7713. From then on, I had no other name.” (42) This shows how the Jews were recognized by their letters and numbers tattooed on them, and not their names.The Nazi’s were taking away their names which was a human quality and a big part of individuality. This …show more content…
All of the Jews wore the same stripped clothes with their shaved heads. This caused them all to look the same. They were stripped of their own identity. Wearing the same clothes and looking the same as everyone else takes away individuality. Part of being human is individuality because everyone is different. This event caused the Jews to not feel like humans.
The last event that caused dehumanization were the tests that the Jews had to take. They had to take physical tests to decide if they would be killed or be able to remain alive. The Jews had to run fast and hope they would pass. It wasn’t fair at all because everyone has different levels of physical strength. Also, the Jews didn't get much food so most of them weren't in shape or healthy enough to run. Taking a test that your life depends on made the Jews feel less human.
Every prisoner was stripped of every quality that made them human. The Nazi’s made the Jews feel worthless and unhuman. They all lost years of getting to be themselves, find themselves, and to have individuality. These three causes of dehumanization don’t even explain everything that caused the Jews to feel less human during the Holocaust. Elie states, “From the depths of the mirror, a corpse was contemplating me. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me.” (115) The last time Elie saw himself was in the ghetto. He lost himself, which