Detailed Book Report on Elie Wiesel's Night

Jon Cannon

Period 1

Section 1

Elie tells of his hometown, Sighet, and of Moshe the Beadle. He tells of his family and his three sisters, Hilda, Bйa, and the baby of the family, Tzipora. Elie is taught the cabala by Moshe the Beadle. Moshe is taken away and sees an entire train of people murdered by the Gestapo. He returns to Sighet and tries to warn them, but no one believes his story. The Nazis come and take over Sighet. Elie is moved to a ghetto, along with all the other Jews in Sighet. They soon are taken away in a train to Auschwitz.

INTERESTING WORDS:

Nobody ever felt ENCUMBERED by his presence. (Burdened)

Maimonides said it was only at thirty that one had the right to venture into the perilous world of MYSTICISM. (Religious studies)

This year was a year like any other, with its springtime, its BETROTHALS, its weddings, and birth. (Engagements)

There are ANTI-SEMITIC incidents every day, in the streets, in the trains. (Anti-Jew)

Section 2

A large number of Jews are forced into a train car. The ride is very cramped and uncomfortable. A woman called Madame ShÐ'chter starts shouting about a fire that she can see every night. Her little boy clings to her and cries. Eventually the Jews tie her, gag her, and even hit her. They finally make it to Auschwitz at what seemed to be midnight, and see the flames Madame ShÐ'chter was yelling about. A tall crematory spewing flames and smoke loomed over them.

INTERESTING WORDS:

An SS noncommissioned officer came to meet us, a TRUNCHEON in his hand. (Club)

We've got to REVOLT. (Rebel)

We started to eat our last PROVISIONS. (Rations)

Section 3

Elie and his father are separated from Elie's mother and little sister, never to be seen again. Elie comes face to face with the Angel of Death as he is marched to the edge of a crematory, but is put in a barracks instead. Elie's faith briefly faltered at this moment. They are forced to strip down, but to keep their belt and shoes. They run to the barber and get their hair clipped off and any body hair shaved. Many of the Jews rejoice to see the others that have made it. Others weep for the ones lost. They then get prison clothes that were ridiculously fitted. They made exchanges and went to a new barracks in the "gypsies' camp." They wait in the mud for a long time. They were permitted to another barracks, with a gypsy in charge of them. They are taken to Auschwitz, out of Birkenau. They are put in Block 17. They rest for the evening. They are woken up at about ten o' clock. They are given black coffee for breakfast, and they converse. At noon, they are brought a plate of thick soup. They take a nap in the shade of the block. They are waken and given identification numbers. Elie's is A-7713. There was a roll call that evening. Eight days pass by and Elie and his father meet Elie's cousin-in-law. They are transferred to another camp.

INTERESTING WORDS:

The ANTECHAMBER of hell must look like this. (Entrance)

So many crazed men, so many cries, so much BESTIAL brutality! (Cruel)

The MORNING STAR was shining in the sky. (Sun)

From the middle of the barracks, he HARANGUED us. (Scolded)

Auschwitz is not a CONVALESCENT home. (Restorative)

Section 4

They arrive at Buna and meet their new head of camp. They are showered and given new clothes. They meet their head of tent, who is a very fat and menacing German. A boy tries to trade Elie for his shoes, but he does not give them up. They were inspected by a doctor. He is inspected by a dentist for gold teeth, and Elie has one. Elie meets Juliek the Pole, Louis the violinist, Hans from Berlin, and the foreman Franek the Pole. Juliek tells him of Idek their Kapo who is ruthless and of their work which is not the least bit hard or dangerous. They go to work and meet Yossi and Tibi, two Czechs whose parents were exterminated in Birkenau. They become very good friends. After dinner, Elie is told to go the dentist. The dentist tries to extract his gold crown but Elie fakes ill. The dentist lets him go but tells him to come back, and not to wait for him to call. Elie goes back a week later with the same excuse, and the dentist lets him go again. One day he is beaten severely by Idek and a French girl slipped him some bread and gave him kind words. Another day, his father is beaten by Idek. Franek tries to take Elie's gold crown, but Elie won't let him. Eventually, Franek takes it from him and is transferred later. One day Idek tells them to do whatever they like, but to do something. Therefore, Elie is wandering around when he sees Idek with a half-naked Polish girl. Elie is caught and is whipped twenty-five times. Later there is an Alert. They stay in their Blocks and someone sneaks out to get some unguarded soup. Bombs drop on Buna, and their morale is improved. A week later, they see people hanged. They watch a little boy be hanged. They are disturbed.

INTERESTING WORDS:

They were two Czechs whose parents had been EXTERMINATED at Birkenau. (Killed)

Juliek, a BESPECTACLED Pole with a cynical smile on his pale face. (A Pole wearing glasses)

She gave me a MOURNFUL smile and slipped a bit of bread into my hand. (Sad)

Section 5

The Jewish year is ending. Elie and his father are separated. Selection was drawing close. Elie undresses and runs through the line of SS doctors. He passes selection and runs to find his father, who has passed as well. Several days pass by and Elie's father is asked to stay behind for work one day. He gives Elie a knife and a spoon. After work, he runs to his father's block to find him alive. Elie gives the knife and spoon back to his father. Winter comes and things are even harder. Elie gets a swelling in his foot and goes to the doctor. The doctor operates on him and he sleeps in a bed for the first time in a long time. Rumor spreads that the front is spreading closer to Buna. The camp began to evacuate in complete bedlam. Elie and his father decide to evacuate through