EBand Greg
The Weight of War The holocaust was a very dreadful, dehumanizing tragedy that occurred during the early
1930’s. It made a very large impact on lives of those who survived to tell the story, and the
families of the ones who didn’t as he says “There is so much injustice and suffering crying out
for our attention: victims of hunger,of racism and political persecution….Human rights are
being violated on every continent. More people are oppressed than free. How can one not be
sensitive to their plight? Human suffering anywhere concerns men and women everywhere”
(Chapter 8 pg. 119). Elie Wiesel wrote the captivating autobiography, Night. Wiesel’s cruel
tone within the novel hits you with the reality of what it was trulylike to be a prisoner in the
Auschwitz, Buna, and Buchenwald concentration camps. He, a survivor of the holocaust
throughout his journey shows that the hardest battles are truly set for the strongest soldiers.
When the word “strongest” is used in the phrase “strongest soldiers”, it can either be
in the literal meaning of someone with very large muscles and is physically strong, however it
can also have the alternative meaning that someone has a great deal of determination and
overall are more resilient. People who are mentally strong are capable to withstand more
emotional trauma rather than someone who is not. The effects of this is more apparent.
People like this tend to have faced very tough situations but still ultimately persevered
throughout the position they were put into, only to receive the mental capability to still keep
their head held high. Like the main character Eliezer shows “Never shall I forget that night,
the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and
seven times sealed....Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my
soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned
to live as long as God Himself. Never." (Chapter 3, pg. 32). This presents the fact that even
though these horrific things he, has not only seen but experienced firsthand, have left such
an overwhelming impact on his life. He now exceedingly long after the event, looked back and
almost promised himself that he made it out a survivor for a reason. The event being one he
will never forget. This is due to the fact that the events that took place were so traumatizing
he has a mental scar of them. Eliezer manages to sustain this strong mindset; and how he
does this is that no matter what Eliezer never gave in, he never gave up. He states "Was
there a single place here where you were not in danger of death?" (Chapter 3, pg. 37) this
really emphasizes how miniscule the line between life and death was for the prisoners.
When this tragic event occurred. Many who believed in god or who were religious of
some sort were absolutely baffled at how they’re god who was supposed protect them from
evil; men and women who weren’t sinners. bewildered by the fact that the god who was
supposed to look over them would put them through such terrible circumstances. Wiesel
states, “I did not deny God's existence, but I doubted His absolute justice." (Chapter 3, pg.42)
meaning he didn’t believe god wasn’t real. But he was perplexed as to why this god who
he’s only done well for would do something like this to him. to all of them. He doubted that
god really did symbolize equality and righteousness. Because any god willing to do that. Was