Characterization
- Elie Wiesel- Round, Dynamic= He is the main character in the story and everything revolves around him. Also as he develops in the story since he begins to act differently even fighting his father throughout the book.
- Moche the Beadle- Flat, Dynamic= Does not give much information but shows through his actions how he can be considered crazy.
- Hilda- Flat= Does not give much background information on the character.
- Bea- Flat= Does not give information throughout the story.
- Tzipora- Flat=Does not give much background information on the character.
- Hungarian Police- Flat= Does not give much background information on the character.
- Gestapo- Antagonist, Flat=Does not give much background information on the character.
- Madame Schachter- Dynamic= She is deprived of her life and ends up going crazy at the camp.
- Dr. Mengele- Dynamic= He begins to grow nicer to Elie.
- Father- Dynamic= He was a strong man at the beginning but due to the circumstances he was morphed into a weak and deprived soul that was unable to make it through the given struggles.
- Reizel- Flat= Does not give much background information on the character.
- Stein- Flat, Symbolic= A friend of the family that we do not know much about but he shows hope to Elie and his Father when he sees them during roll call.
- Franek- Dynamic= Throughout the book he grows nicer to Elie and watches out for him.
- Tibi- Flat= Does not give much background information on the character.
- Idek- Flat= Does not give much background information on the character.
- Juliek- Dynamic, Symbolic= He is a friend of Elie and shows how cruel the people at the camp can be when he ends up dieing beside his violin.
- Rabbi Eliahou- Flat= Does not give much background information on the character.
- Meir Katz- Flat= Does not give much background information on the character.
- Resistance- Flat, Symbolic= Group at the camp that try to give everybody hope by fighting for their freedom.
- Front lines- Symbolic= We do not know much about them but they are a symbol of hope and freedom in the
book as they press closer to the camps.
Chapter 1
Predictions: Everybody gets moved. The soldiers were German.
Images: Families being evacuated.
Clarifications: Everybody is being moved to concentration camps.
Questions: Where are the people being taken?
Connections: It reminds me of when we had to move since our house had been flooded.
Summary: The army starts to move people out of town and then the second wave comes and takes them to Hungary.
Predictions: Everybody gets moved. The soldiers were German.
Images: Families being evacuated.
Clarifications: Everybody is being moved to concentration camps.
Questions: Where are the people being taken?
Connections: It reminds me of when we had to move since our house had been flooded.
Summary: The army starts to move people out of town and then the second wave comes and takes them to Hungary.
Chapter 2
Predictions: They all get killed. Madame Schachter went crazy.
Images: Monster House when the chimney is lit and the house starts eating people.
Clarifications: The fire that is seen is actually a crematory.
Questions: Is there a fire or is Madame Schachter crazy?
Connections: It reminds me of Monster House when the fire kicks on inside the house.
Summary: The Jews were brought to German camps after a three day ride. They all stayed for a little while until heading to the reception center for Auschwitz. Madame Schachter kept screaming fire. At night on the final day at camp they could see flames gushing out of a chimney in a building from which a horrible stench came.
Predictions: They all get killed. Madame Schachter went crazy.
Images: Monster House when the chimney is lit and the house starts eating people.
Clarifications: The fire that is seen is actually a crematory.
Questions: Is there a fire or is Madame Schachter crazy?
Connections: It reminds me of Monster House when the fire kicks on inside the house.
Summary: The Jews were brought to German camps after a three day ride. They all stayed for a little while until heading to the reception center for Auschwitz. Madame Schachter kept screaming fire. At night on the final day at camp they could see flames gushing out of a chimney in a building from which a horrible stench came.
Chapter 3
Predictions: They get burnt in the pit. Elie gets his crown taken out.
Images: Families are torn apart and sent to work.
Clarifications: The family was separated for good and the dentist was caught selling gold to other investors.
Questions: Who is Stein? Will they force Elie to get his crown removed?
Connections: It reminds me of when my parents got a divorce and my family was separated.
Summary: They get to the new camp where their family is separated by gender. As they begin to grow accustomed to the camp, they are stripped of their belongings, shaved, and sent to the dentist. They saw Stein at roll call the following day.
Predictions: They get burnt in the pit. Elie gets his crown taken out.
Images: Families are torn apart and sent to work.
Clarifications: The family was separated for good and the dentist was caught selling gold to other investors.
Questions: Who is Stein? Will they force Elie to get his crown removed?
Connections: It reminds me of when my parents got a divorce and my family was separated.
Summary: They get to the new camp where their family is separated by gender. As they begin to grow accustomed to the camp, they are stripped of their belongings, shaved, and sent to the dentist. They saw Stein at roll call the following day.
Chapter 4
Predictions: Elie dies as did his childhood.
Images: Pergatory.
Clarifications: The camp gets bombed and the prisoner gets hanged sort of showing how God has been hanged since he is no where to be found.
Questions: Will everybody go for the soup? What did the prisoner do?
Connections: It reminds me of a book I read where this man made a deal with the devil to achieve unlimited power for a tournamnet and although he was good and had the choice to go to heaven he chose ten thousand years of torture because he felt like he should be condemned for making the deal.
Summary: The camp gets raided. A prisoner gets hanged for his crimes and Elie gets whipped by the Gestapo.
Predictions: Elie dies as did his childhood.
Images: Pergatory.
Clarifications: The camp gets bombed and the prisoner gets hanged sort of showing how God has been hanged since he is no where to be found.
Questions: Will everybody go for the soup? What did the prisoner do?
Connections: It reminds me of a book I read where this man made a deal with the devil to achieve unlimited power for a tournamnet and although he was good and had the choice to go to heaven he chose ten thousand years of torture because he felt like he should be condemned for making the deal.
Summary: The camp gets raided. A prisoner gets hanged for his crimes and Elie gets whipped by the Gestapo.
Chapter 5
Predictions: The camp gets liberated and Elie stays in the hospital.
Images: An operation room.
Clarifications: Elie's foot is infected and they extract puss from his foot in order to heal it.
Questions: Is God going to help? What will happen to Elie? Did they amputate his leg?
Connections: It reminds me of all the times I have been to the hospital.
Summary: The family begins to question their religion and faith in God. Winter comes and Elie goes to the doctor in order to be operated on. The red army is drawing in closer to the camps they get moved further into Germany.
Predictions: The camp gets liberated and Elie stays in the hospital.
Images: An operation room.
Clarifications: Elie's foot is infected and they extract puss from his foot in order to heal it.
Questions: Is God going to help? What will happen to Elie? Did they amputate his leg?
Connections: It reminds me of all the times I have been to the hospital.
Summary: The family begins to question their religion and faith in God. Winter comes and Elie goes to the doctor in order to be operated on. The red army is drawing in closer to the camps they get moved further into Germany.
Chapter 6
Predictions: They get moved further into Germany. His father dies in the crematory.
Images: A long frozen road covered with snow.
Clarifications: The long journey ahead killed many of the Jews that uptook the adventure.
Questions: Where is everybody being taken? Will Elie's father die?
Connections: It reminds me of Winter one year where I stayed outside for 5 hours and had severe frost bite.
Summary: The Jews get moved to another camp. The red army continues to press closer and they get moved one more time. Elie's father was selected to be killed but ran back to the other side during the confusion.
Predictions: They get moved further into Germany. His father dies in the crematory.
Images: A long frozen road covered with snow.
Clarifications: The long journey ahead killed many of the Jews that uptook the adventure.
Questions: Where is everybody being taken? Will Elie's father die?
Connections: It reminds me of Winter one year where I stayed outside for 5 hours and had severe frost bite.
Summary: The Jews get moved to another camp. The red army continues to press closer and they get moved one more time. Elie's father was selected to be killed but ran back to the other side during the confusion.
Chapter 7
Predictions: Elie dies from being hungry. Elie eats his father's rations.
Images: People fighting over the last bit of food left.
Clarifications: Elie does not eat his father's rations.
Questions: Is Elie's father dieing? Why would a son do such a thing?
Connections: It reminds me of how the slaves in Django fight to survive.
Summary: Elie's father becomes sick on the way to Buchenwald. Elie was struck with an internal conflict when he wanted to eat his father's rations but didn't. His father got dysentery then was carried to the crematory and burned. On the ride there the guards played a game where they threw the bread at the prisoners and watched them fight over it. A son killed his father for bread and was later trampled by all the other men for the bread.
Predictions: Elie dies from being hungry. Elie eats his father's rations.
Images: People fighting over the last bit of food left.
Clarifications: Elie does not eat his father's rations.
Questions: Is Elie's father dieing? Why would a son do such a thing?
Connections: It reminds me of how the slaves in Django fight to survive.
Summary: Elie's father becomes sick on the way to Buchenwald. Elie was struck with an internal conflict when he wanted to eat his father's rations but didn't. His father got dysentery then was carried to the crematory and burned. On the ride there the guards played a game where they threw the bread at the prisoners and watched them fight over it. A son killed his father for bread and was later trampled by all the other men for the bread.
Chapter 8
Predictions: All the Jews were killed. Elie lives and is mad at the Germans.
Images: Police fighting resistance.
Clarifications: Elie lives and when he looks in the mirror he sees his malnourished and dehydrated body looking at him.
Questions: Will Elie die? Will everybody be killed?
Connections: It reminds me of how the police held off resistance in various movies that I have watched.
Summary: The Jews were being liquidated from Buchenwald. The resistance acted and took over the camp. Elie got food poisoning and had to stay in the hospital for two weeks. When he got up and looked in the mirror, he saw a corpse staring back at him and he would never forget that moment.
Predictions: All the Jews were killed. Elie lives and is mad at the Germans.
Images: Police fighting resistance.
Clarifications: Elie lives and when he looks in the mirror he sees his malnourished and dehydrated body looking at him.
Questions: Will Elie die? Will everybody be killed?
Connections: It reminds me of how the police held off resistance in various movies that I have watched.
Summary: The Jews were being liquidated from Buchenwald. The resistance acted and took over the camp. Elie got food poisoning and had to stay in the hospital for two weeks. When he got up and looked in the mirror, he saw a corpse staring back at him and he would never forget that moment.
Theme
In order to survive, you must stick together and have faith. This was evident throughout the book as the ones that survived were the people that stuck together and helped each other out. Many characters were symbolic of faith and hope.
Under harsh circumstances you must watch out for yourself, other than worry about others. This is apparent when the son kills his own father in order to have a little bit of bread.
It is hard to keep ones faith when bad things occur. Elie continually questions God and as to whether or not He is there. He also questions as to how God could let his own children be hurt by these men and not do anything to stop them.
Under harsh circumstances you must watch out for yourself, other than worry about others. This is apparent when the son kills his own father in order to have a little bit of bread.
It is hard to keep ones faith when bad things occur. Elie continually questions God and as to whether or not He is there. He also questions as to how God could let his own children be hurt by these men and not do anything to stop them.
Motif
The Gestapo were loyal to following orders presented by Hitler leading them to perform these heinous crimes. Regardless of their personal beliefs, the Nazi soldiers always did as they were told.
The Jews acted as they did and were silent due to being scared of a higher power. Although they may have wanted to act out, they did not do so because they were afraid.
Elie questioned his faith because of the circumstances he was being put through. Throughout the book, his faith was tested by the Gestapo and cruel people that took advantage of him and beat him down until there was nothing left.
The Jews acted as they did and were silent due to being scared of a higher power. Although they may have wanted to act out, they did not do so because they were afraid.
Elie questioned his faith because of the circumstances he was being put through. Throughout the book, his faith was tested by the Gestapo and cruel people that took advantage of him and beat him down until there was nothing left.
Symbol
Prisoner- Elie's childhood and God When the prisoner was hanged, it showed how God was not there with them. Also that everything was real and Elie would need to realize this and mature even for being so young.
Stein- Hope He was a family friend that they had talked with many times and he showed that their family could still be alive.
Zalman- Self-Preservation Even though he was suffering alongside Elie and collapsed due to stomach pains, Elie continued to move forward since he could only think about himself so that he could survive.
Front Lines- Hope and Freedom As the front lines drew closer, it meant that the Jews could possibly be liberated and go home to their families and friends.
Stein- Hope He was a family friend that they had talked with many times and he showed that their family could still be alive.
Zalman- Self-Preservation Even though he was suffering alongside Elie and collapsed due to stomach pains, Elie continued to move forward since he could only think about himself so that he could survive.
Front Lines- Hope and Freedom As the front lines drew closer, it meant that the Jews could possibly be liberated and go home to their families and friends.
Tone
Sad Many of Elie's friends died around him and he lost so many people that were important to him. He also lost his life and even his name. He missed everything and since he didn't have it, he was depressed.
Frightened When his father was beaten, Elie did not help or try to stop the Gestapo because he was afraid of them and not just them but even death itself. He did not want to die.
Alone Everybody lost loved ones and important people that mattered to them and without them they were lost and alone.
Overjoyed When liberated, everyone was so happy to regain their lives, families, friends, and even names.
Distraught Although everybody was happy, they were also distraught since they were unable to forget the engraved images and thoughts that began to tear their morals apart.
Frightened When his father was beaten, Elie did not help or try to stop the Gestapo because he was afraid of them and not just them but even death itself. He did not want to die.
Alone Everybody lost loved ones and important people that mattered to them and without them they were lost and alone.
Overjoyed When liberated, everyone was so happy to regain their lives, families, friends, and even names.
Distraught Although everybody was happy, they were also distraught since they were unable to forget the engraved images and thoughts that began to tear their morals apart.
Mood
Self-Discovery Throughout the book everybody had lost something and dealt with it in their own way by finding new kinds of hope and also exploring deep down insided of themselves to make judgements on what they should do.