The false optimism as displayed by the villagers of Sighet in Elie Wiesel's Night is used to create suspense and instill a sense of despair into the reader. The reader, conscious of the Jews' inevitable demise, is bewildered again and again by the villagers' refusal to accept the truth of their situation. Unable to acknowledge the impending danger and unwilling to take action, it is evident the Jews themselves are an indirect factor to their downfall.
Ultimately, the purpose of Wiezel's elaborations of the naïvety of the Sighet Jews are to parallel the same sense of hopeless desperation as felt by the Jews imprisoned in the death camps.
Ultimately, the purpose of Wiezel's elaborations of the naïvety of the Sighet Jews are to parallel the same sense of hopeless desperation as felt by the Jews imprisoned in the death camps.