Elie Wiesel Chapter 4 Analysis

Chapter 4 begins when the Jews had just arrived at Buna. The day after arriving the prisoners went through medical examination. The doctors merely wanted to know if the prisoners were in good health. However, the dentists were looking for gold crowns. Elie himself had a gold crown and his number was written down. The Jews were assigned to labor units. Elie and his father were assigned to a warehouse for electrical equipment. Elie avoided having his gold crown removed by pretending to be ill. Franek, the foreman, beat Elie’s father until he allowed for his gold crown to be removed. One day when Elie did not have work he saw Idek lying with a girl. Because of this Elie was given 25 whippings. One day the air raid sirens went off as American planes …show more content…
Elie himself did not fast as his father forbade him to do so but also because Elie no longer accepted God. Elie was transferred to a different block as his father. Elie now worked in the building unit. He had to drag heavy blocks of stone for 12 hours a day. Soon selection was circulating. This meant that an SS man would examine everyone. Whenever he found a weak one, his number was written down and he was good for the crematory. Elie was worried his father wouldn’t pass the selection. The head of Elie’s block told the prisoners what selection would be like. They would have to undress completely and then go before the SS doctors. He was told to run like the devil was after him to give himself color. Before running of himself Elie managed to see that Yossi and Tibi’s numbers had not been written down. After a bell rang signaling selection was over Elie met with his father later and he told Elie that his number had not been written down. Several days had passed and the only thing that changed was that rations had become more meager. Those whose numbers were written down were to stay behind in the camp. As Elie started out for work his father came running toward