In the novel Night, by Elie Weisel, the Nazis reduce the Jews to objects that are a nuisance to them, stripping them of their value as humans. This dehumanization happens very gradually during the Holocaust, like a frog being cooked in water that slowly boils. The Jewish people adapt to any and every circumstance they’re thrown into. When they’re first moved to the ghettos they embrace it saying it’s their own land separated from the cruelty and that really the German’s are protecting them. This new normal is all part of Hitler’s plan to dehumanize the Jewish people. Hitler’s main goal in World War II is to erase the Jews entire existence. In the preface to the book, Weisler says that “It is obvious that the war which Hitler and his accomplices
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The demolishing of the captives soul happens slowly for some, for others it happens immediately. Elie experiences a gradual breaking of his soul. This comes with his contemplation of death at the beginning. Upon seeing that they are going to be thrown into the furnace, Elie tells his father it would be better to just run into the barbed wire fence because it would be faster. He gave up on fighting for his life. Elie then loses his faith. During the hanging of the small child, someone behind Elie asked “For God’s sake, where is God?” Elie responded himself with “Where is he? This is where- hanging here from this gallows…” (). This is the death of God, God no longer means anything to Elie and many other Jews who were robbed of their faith in an almighty, loving God who would let His people die like this. Finally, Elie embraces death when the Americans bomb Buna saying: “But we no longer feared death, in any event not this particular death. Every bomb that hit filled us with joy, gave us renewed confidence” (60). This was the completion of dehumanization that Hitler was aiming
The demolishing of the captives soul happens slowly for some, for others it happens immediately. Elie experiences a gradual breaking of his soul. This comes with his contemplation of death at the beginning. Upon seeing that they are going to be thrown into the furnace, Elie tells his father it would be better to just run into the barbed wire fence because it would be faster. He gave up on fighting for his life. Elie then loses his faith. During the hanging of the small child, someone behind Elie asked “For God’s sake, where is God?” Elie responded himself with “Where is he? This is where- hanging here from this gallows…” (). This is the death of God, God no longer means anything to Elie and many other Jews who were robbed of their faith in an almighty, loving God who would let His people die like this. Finally, Elie embraces death when the Americans bomb Buna saying: “But we no longer feared death, in any event not this particular death. Every bomb that hit filled us with joy, gave us renewed confidence” (60). This was the completion of dehumanization that Hitler was aiming