First, Elie learns about the limits of compassion during the cattle car ride to Auschwitz when Mrs. Schacter’s “sobs and screams became hysterical” (24). Mrs. Schachter, whose husband and older children had already been taken by the Nazis, was travelling with her young son to the camp but she could no longer take the clustered cattle ride anymore and began to show fear. The others in the cattle ride could not handle it anymore, they began beating her, not once but a few times. After that, Elie learns the limits of compassion when people started to believe she had an illness and they started to get frustrated “Keep her quiet! Make that madwoman shut up. She’s not the only one here…” (26). The other Jewish people became annoyed very quickly. They believed she went mad and their reaction was not accepting. The others said they did not believe it was fair that she could act up like this while, “the heat, the thirst, the stench, the lack of air” (26), were torturing them. Lastly, Elie learns the limits of compassion when the others started to beat the women right in front of her son “Her son was clinging desperately to her, not uttering a word. He was no longer crying” (26). As the others continued to hit her, they knew her son was clinging to her. They all went along with it, and even started to cheer. Nobody said it was disgusting or tried to stop it. They went on, while …show more content…
First, Elie learns his faith gives him compassion when he almost got his precious shoes taken away , “I thanked God in an improvised prayer, for having creating mud in His infinite and wondrous universe” (38). Elie, has always been religious, although his religion has faded throughout his experiences, it is the base of his existence. This shows because Elie realizes God came through and helped to guide him as the Gypsy did not take away his new shoes. Through Elie’s prayer he showed compassion for God. Next, Elie learns his faith will give him compassion. when he leaves Birkenau, “It was a beautiful day in May. The fragrances of spring were in the air. The sun was setting” (40). Elie finally caught the senses of reality outside of the camp and for a second he forgot about the awful life. I think this was a powerful passage because Ellie was acknowledging the world outside, he showed empathy for the small things. Lastly, Elie learns that his faith will give him compassion, when a man in charge began to talk, “Don’t lose hope. You already eluded the worst danger: the selection. Therefore, muster your strength and keep your faith” (41). This is exactly what Elie needed, a person who treated him as if he was human and Elie recognized that. As Elie was receiving compassion from the man,