Scarred Through the Night Imagine witnessing the deaths of thousands. Imagine the flames that lick the charred, black sky. Imagine the faces, faces stripped of their past and future. Most of all, imagine being saved from such a scorching fate, only to work as a slave in a chilling environment. Elie Wiesel’s life is permanently changed the moment the Germans came knocking on their doors: He went from being a faithful boy to an empty shell bent on survival. Elie’s life before the camps revolved around his search for God’s answers. He yearned to study in-depth the ancient Jewish works: “...I told [Moishe the Beadle] how unhappy I was not to be able to find in Sighet a master to teach me the Zohar, the Kabbalistic works, the
…show more content…
Elie desperately tried to keep his father safe and alive, but his efforts eventually failed: “I gave [Father] what was left of my soup. But my heart was heavy. I was aware that I was doing it grudgingly… Just like Rabbi Eliahu’s son, I had not passed the test” (107). This quote alludes back to the scene when Rabbi Eliahu came asking for his son’s whereabouts (after they were separated during the march). The author is implying that Elie considers his father a burden. The fact that he was giving the soup “grudgingly” goes to show that Elie’s need to survive is kicking in, as he doesn’t wish to give away his sustenance. The author implemented strong diction such as “heart was heavy” and “grudgingly” to portray a change in Elie’s character, as he has not only lost his faith, but he has also lost his connection to his family. The Holocaust drastically changed millions of lives. Once a boy with a yen for studying the Kabbalah, Elie is pushed beyond his limits, slowly forgetting his values. Ultimately, he becomes solely focused on survival. His endeavors left him permanently changed—the memories of those nights were burned into his
Elie desperately tried to keep his father safe and alive, but his efforts eventually failed: “I gave [Father] what was left of my soup. But my heart was heavy. I was aware that I was doing it grudgingly… Just like Rabbi Eliahu’s son, I had not passed the test” (107). This quote alludes back to the scene when Rabbi Eliahu came asking for his son’s whereabouts (after they were separated during the march). The author is implying that Elie considers his father a burden. The fact that he was giving the soup “grudgingly” goes to show that Elie’s need to survive is kicking in, as he doesn’t wish to give away his sustenance. The author implemented strong diction such as “heart was heavy” and “grudgingly” to portray a change in Elie’s character, as he has not only lost his faith, but he has also lost his connection to his family. The Holocaust drastically changed millions of lives. Once a boy with a yen for studying the Kabbalah, Elie is pushed beyond his limits, slowly forgetting his values. Ultimately, he becomes solely focused on survival. His endeavors left him permanently changed—the memories of those nights were burned into his