Mary+Grace+and+Cami

Mary Grace-Partner A >>
 * Chapter 1**
 * Post a quote (with citation) that you think is particularly powerful/meaningful/etc from when Elie and his family are in the ghetto.
 * "People thought this was a good thing. We would no longer have to look at all those hostile faces, endure those hate-filled stares. No more fear. No more anguish. We would live among Jews, among brothers..." (12)
 * Post a second quote (with citation) from any point in this chapter that you think is particularly powerful/meaningful/etc.
 * "They passed me by, one after the other, my teachers, my friends, the others, some of whom I had once feared, some of whom I had found ridiculous, all those whose lives I had shared for years. There they went, defeated, their bundles, their lives in tow, having left behind their homes, their childhood" (17)


 * Post this quote: “But people not only refused to believe his tales, they refused to listen. Some even insinuated that he only wanted their pity, that he was imagining things” (7) and write your thoughts about its sad irony.
 * I find it incredibly sad that Moishe was able to give everyone a warning of what was to come yet they didn't believe a word he said. If they had believed him, then maybe some could have escaped and saved themselves from misery or death. In some ways, I can relate to the non-believers, though. It seemed so impossible and incredible at the time that I probably would have considered it to be lies as well. Today, there have been so many unthinkable evil acts that have occurred the tale that Moishe shared could actually be considered realistic. It wasn't until after the Holocaust that people realized such terrible things could happen, and even then some people don't believe it. It's a shame that people could have been saved if they just believed what Moishe told them.

Cami Parrish- Partner B
 * Choose two of the quotes posted by your partner to analyze and reflect upon. Write a paragraph+ in response to each quote (= 2+ paragraphs).
 * "People thought this was a good thing. We would no longer have to look at all those hostile faces, endure those hate-filled stares. No more fear. No more anguish. We would live among Jews, among brothers..." (12)
 * It is sad to think about the fact that the Jews viewed this as a good thing, moving into the ghettos. Being forced out of your homes and moving into crowded spaces with relives or neighbors would have been horrible. Some how they viewed this as an opportunity to be with brothers. As their windows were sealed and painted, they were peaceful and happy. I think this quote is proving that it is hard o face the truth. As the Jews were forced into the ghettos they viewed the good sides and as horrible things kept happening they hoped for the best. Elie Wiesel made it seem like the Jews had no idea some of this was coming. When there were clearly signs that things were only going to get worse. This seems to be a quote of denial.
 * "They passed me by, one after the other, my teachers, my friends, the others, some of whom I had once feared, some of whom I had found ridiculous, all those whose lives I had shared for years. There they went, defeated, their bundles, their lives in tow, having left behind their homes, their childhood" (17)
 * Everyone, even the strongest people that young Elie once looked up to, feared, or respected seemed to be beaten down. This shows how much of a traumatizing and horrible event this must have been. The adults were "defeated" because everything was being taken away. People didn't know what was next they just knew when it was time to leave. As these people passed they were unsure of what was coming but had no choice. This must have been so freighting for them because of the unknown. It must have been sad for the people that weren’t leaving yet because that had to watch these people that they have lived so closely too just disappear.

** Class Discussion questions: ** Sad. The strongest people are now lowered and powerless. They were leaving everything they had and it was sas bcause the people watching them go not only knew them but knew they had to go next. Moishe the Beadle was a foreign Jew who managed to escape the kiling centers. He tried to warn everone, but no one believed him. It's a good foreshadow because he was trying to tell everyone the Holocaust was coming and they didn't believe him. Getting the reader interested. Some people knew what was coming The stuff he said was so unbelievable that people thought he was mad. What was happening was crazy. No one could really believe it. Current situation: Jews as part of life. German plans: take outsiders. Make others trust them. Understand that Germans were smart and decieving. The Jews were trusting. The World was in denial. 3 years into the War, the Nazis have been hiding the Holocaust. 4 years into the war-their life is still normal. Holocaust is still hidden. Spring of 1944-one year before the end of the war-They start taking the people in Romania where Weisel lived. In 1943, they know they will lose the War. They keep the machine running to kill as many Jews as possible before they lose. A section of a city, especially a thickly populated slum area, inhabited predominantly by members of an ethnic or other minority group,often as a result of social or economic restrictions, pressures,or hardships. The Ghettoes in Europe were sectioned off areas of the city thickly populated with people of the Jewish ethnic group as a result of social restrictions, pressures, and hardships, just like the definition says. Jews prohibited from leaving homes for 3 days under penalty of death. Jews forbidden to own gold, jewelry, or other valuables. All Jews have to wear a yellow star. Jews can't go to restuarants, travel by train, attend synagogue, or be out after 6 o'clock pm. Move to ghettoes Liquidation of the Ghettoes Move to smaller Ghetto Final liquidation Sent away on the trains
 * ** Share quotes that impacted you both then choose one to share with the class and explain why it impacted you all. **
 * "They passed me by, one after the other, my teachers, my friends, the others, some of whom I had once feared, some of whom I had found ridiculous, all those whose lives I had shared for years. There they went, defeated, their bundles, their lives in tow, having left behind their homes, their childhood" (17)
 * ** Who is Moshe the Beadle? Why do you think Wiesel used him as his introduction? (Think about your good intro. techniques!) **
 * ** Look up the word ghetto – can you find a definition that links to what we have learned about ghettoes in the book? Paste the definition and explain its connection. **
 * ** What are the steps in the “race toward death” (10)? List all of the steps (there are more than 5!) **


 * Chapters 2 and 3**
 * Partner B: **Complete this work in time to give your partner at least 12 hours to do their part.
 * Post two quotes (with citations) from any point in these two chapters that you think are particularly powerful/meaningful/etc.
 * "There are eighty of you in the car," the German officer added. "If anyone goes missing, you will be shot, like dogs" (24).
 * "Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight simple, short words. Yet that was the moment when I left my mother" (29).


 * What part of this book has surprised/affected you the most thus far (this can be in chapter 1, 2, or 3)? Post this part.
 * The part that affect me the most was the babies being thrown into the fire and peoples reactions to this event. " Babies!Yes, I did see this. with my own eyes... children thrown into the flames" (32)


 * Make a list of things (in any chapter you have read so far) that are unfamiliar, confusing, not totally clear … Think about vocabulary (foreign words and terms), geography, practices of the Jews or their captors, people mentioned, etc. Put a page number for each item.
 * Kaddish (33)
 * Barrack (34)
 * Kapos (36)

>>> I think that this line must have been one of the hardest for Elie to write. Its an extremely powerful line, but the amazing part is that the whole book is generally this powerful. Just imagining how in a moment, you lose your mother and your sisters, thinking that you will probably never see them again in your entire life. And what was a tragic and heart wrenching message for Elie was one that guard had probably said one hundred times, probably never truly realizing just how much misery those words caused the families. I almost tear up jsut thinking about going through these things, so I can't fathom the depth of the feelings Elie was having. **Discussion Questions** 1. Read one other pair’s wiki response page focusing on what they say has surprised/affected/etc them the most. How does their response link to yours? - Both have something to do with it being hard to believe such terrible things could happen. If it was hard for people going through it to believe, imagine how hard it is for other countries around the world to believe it. 2. What are the Jews reactions to: Moishe the Beadle, the **ghettoes**, and Madame Schachter? - Ghettos: at first, they thought it was okay, since they were with each other and protected them from other hostile faces. They wanted to remain optimistic, and didn't want to believe it was bad. By the time they realized it was bad, it was too late. 3. Looking carefully through your answers to #2, what is similar about all of these and why is this similarity a logical way for the Jews to act? - I think it was because they had no way of knowing what was going to happen, they just thought that was part of war, plus the soldiers were nice at first which made the Jews less cautious, also part of denial ---common thing is starting out okay, in denial, then it was too late, didn't want those things to be true, fear 4. What do you think the title, //Night//, means? - I think //Night// has to do with how bland and miserable Elie's life was. Generally, the day is associated with happiness and light, so the concentration camps were a place of despair and sadness and fear so they were more like night. It could involve the first night they arrived as well, or because it is hard to sleep since you know another terrible day is coming.
 * Partner A: **Complete this work below your partner’s response.
 * Choose one of the quotes posted by your partner to analyze and reflect upon. Write a paragraph+ in response to the quote.
 * "Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight simple, short words. Yet that was the moment when I left my mother" (29)
 * What part of this book has surprised/affected you the most thus far (this can be in chapter 1, 2, or 3)? Explain why.
 * The part that has affected me the most was when they first arrived at the concentration and saw the crematorium. I can't imagine people actually throwing babies into a fire. I also can't begin to understand the absolute terror Elie must have been feeling as he slowly got closer and closer to the crematorium line and the threat of being burned to death. I wonder if he actually would have run himself into the electric fence if he was chosen for the crematorium line...
 * Choose 2 or 3 things from your partner’s list that intrigue you. Look them up and paste urls for where further information can be found about them.
 * Kapos- a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp who was assigned by the SS guards to supervise forced labor or carry out administrative tasks in the camp. For more info, visit []
 * Kaddish- a prayer mourner's say for dead loved one. For more info, visit [] or []


 * Chapter 4**
 * Partner A: **Complete this work in time to give your partner at least 12 hours to do their part.
 * Post one quote (with citation) from any point in this chapter that you think is particularly powerful/meaningful/etc.
 * "I watched it all happening without moving. I kept silent. In fact, I though of stealing away in order not to suffer the blows. What's more, if I felt anger at that moment, it was not directed at the Kapo but at my father. Why couldn't he have avoided Idek's wrath? That was what life in a concentration camp had made of me..." (54)
 * Wiesel almost overwhelms us with his descriptions of his concentration camp experiences. Choose one experience he describes that sticks out in your mind (from any point in the book) and explain: (a) the experience, (b) the effect of the experience on Wiesel, and (c) the effect of reading about the experience on you.
 * One experience I thought was extraordinary was when Elie was helped by the Frenchwoman after he was beaten up, and later met her again in Paris. It sort of gave me hope that there are still happy miracles despite all the horror Elie went through. She helped Elie after he was beaten by the Kapo by consoling him and wiping his forehead. Later, they met in a cafe in Paris and reminisced together. It was probably a real shock to Elie during both experiences, since she had never said anything to him before during first one, and he probably never expected to see her again but did during the second one. It made me happy that Wiesel to that little happy reunion.
 * Partner B: **Complete this work below your partner’s response.
 * Analyze and reflect upon the quote posted by your partner (write a paragraph+).
 * This quote is showing how a camp can change someone. A boy who used to stand up for his father now was speechless in his fathers time of need. This is sad because he wasn't mad at the Kapo, but at his own father for causing a problem. This also shows how the jews had no choice but to obey and keep quite. Anyone who even asked a simple question, like where is the bathroom? was put in there place by betings. The other sad side of this is that Elie wrote about this moment because he probly feels guilt that he did nothing when his father needed help.
 * Wiesel almost overwhelms us with his descriptions of his concentration camp experiences. Choose one experience he describes that sticks out in your mind (from any point in the book) and explain: (a) the experience, (b) the effect of the experience on Wiesel, and (c) the effect of reading about the experience on you.
 * When the young pipel was hung along with the two other people. The two other people die quickly, but the pipel was no giving up and lasted 30 min. This pipel was the one person that was kind and helped the people in the camp. Pipel was the face of an angle to Wiesle and watching the slow struggling death of this angle was horrific. To me this was the point where hope was lost because the one good person in the camp was now dead.


 * Chapter 5**
 * Partner B: **Complete this work in time to give your partner at least 12 hours to do their part.
 * It has been said that a person's eyes are windows into the soul. Find the passage where Elie describes the eyes of Akiba Drumer – quote it with a citation here.
 * "Lately he had been wondering among us, his eyes glazed, telling everyone how weak he was" (76).


 * Post one quote (with citation) from any point in this chapter that you think is particularly powerful/meaningful/etc.
 * "He was skin and bones, his eyes were dead. I could just hear his voice, the only indication that he was alive" (78).


 * Partner A: **Complete this work below your partner’s response.
 * It has been said that a person's eyes are windows into the soul. Reflect on the quote about Akiba Drumer posted by your partner. Why does Drumer lose his will to live? How about Elie? Is there a difference between the two? Why or why not?
 * If its true that the eyes are a window to the soul, then Drumer's eyes show exactly what he is. A worn-down, defeated, miserable man, who truly is just a shadow of a person without a true brain, just meandering around with what remains of his body. After going through the horrible experiences of living in a concentration camp, its not hard to imagine why he lost his will to live. He had no one to live for, not even himself, so he lost the want to live. Elie was extremely religious as a young boy, most of his time dedicated to learning about Kadidsh and his religion. When he believed that God had abandoned him, it was like a part of him was no longer alive. He still had his father to think about, so he had some reason to live, but I think that if his father had passed away, he would have been no better off than Drumer, maybe even worse.


 * Chapters 6 and 7**
 * Partner A: **Complete this work in time to give your partner at least 12 hours to do their part.
 * Post one quote (with citation) that you feel is particularly powerful/meaningful/etc about Elie and his father.
 * "My father had huddled near me, draped in his blanket, shoulders laden with snow. And what if he were dead, as well? I called out to him. No response. I would have screamed if I could. He was not moving. Suddenly, the evidence overwhelmed me: there was no longer any reason to live, any reason to fight" (98-99).
 * Post another quote (with citation), but this time about another father/son pair.
 * "A terrible thought crossed my mind: What if he had wanted to be rid of his father? He had felt his father growing weaker and, believing that the end was near, had thought by this separation to free himself of a burden that could diminish his own chance for survival" (91).


 * Partner B: **Complete this work below your partner’s response.
 * Reading the two quotes your partner has selected, reflect on fathers and sons in this autobiography.
 * There were many different realationships. There were the sons who had become insane enough to kill thier fathers over bread. Then there were the fathers who were just now understanding the fact that thier sons are dead. Then there were the sons who no longer wanted to be with thier father because they feared being slowed down. Then there was Elie and his father. They looked out for eachother and stayed smart. The son would protect the dad when he did't wake up and the dad would tell Elie what was wise to do. Elie and his dad seemed to be the closest out of all of the other father and sons.


 * Chapters 8 and 9**
 * Partner B: **Complete this work in time to give your partner at least 12 hours to do their part.
 * If you had to point to one paragraph, page, passage ..., in this novel (from any chapter) which affected you the most, what would it be? Quote it with a citation.
 * "I don't believe that he was finished of by an SS, for nobody had noticed. He must have died, trampled under the feet of the thousands og men who followed us. I soon forgot him. I began to think of myself again. My foot was aching, I shivered with every step. Just a few more meters ans it will be over. I'll fall. A small red flame... A shot... Death enveloped me, it suffocated me. It struck to me like glue. I felt I could touch it. The idea of dying, of ceasing to be, began to fascinate me" (86).


 * Describe your feelings at the end of this novel.
 * I read the last few pages twice to really understand the closing. This book was interesting and frighting. I wanted to read on to see what was going to happen next, but I was scared that something bad was going to happen everytime I turned the page. There were some parts that were very hard to read, like when Eliezer's dad died and the very last sentence. at first I didn't understand it. Then I realized that he will never forget the way that person consumed by stravtion and death stared at him in the mirror. That really made me sad. I then looked at the picture of Elieser on the back of the book and tryed to imagen that man going through what he did and I just couldn't. What happend was so easy to be in denial about, enless one was there.


 * Partner A: **Complete this work below your partner’s response.
 * If you had to point to one paragraph, page, passage ..., in this novel (from any chapter) which affected you the most, what would it be? Quote it with a citation.
 * "Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life into one long night seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw transformed into smoke under a silent sky. Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes. Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never" (34).
 * Describe your feelings at the end of this novel.
 * I don't really know how I feel. There's definitely sadness and horror, but I think mainly I'm in disbelief. I believe that E. Wiesel went through all that, of course, but what I don't believe is how clueless the world could be while this is going on. the Nazi's did a thorough jo of hiding the camps, but I can't help but wonder how no one realized how terrible the camps were until millions had died and even more had suffered. The hardest part to read was when Eliezer's dad died. It seemed so sad that he had made it that far and only needed to make it a few more weeks to live until freedom. And after that discussion about the "showcase" concentration camp that had sinks and faucets in the bathroom but no plumbing, after I read each horrible thing in the rest of the book I found myself thinking, "Why couldn't someone have tried to wash their hands?" It would have destroyed the whole rouse, and more lives could have been saved.

**Final Reading Reflection** “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death” (Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Speech, December 1986).

** Partner A ****and Partner B :**Meet together to discuss this quote now that you know how the Holocaust shaped Elie Wiesel into who he is today. On your wiki page, record your shared understanding of what Elie Wiesel wants us to feel about **indifference**. We will share these in class.

Elie Wiesel is trying to tell us, through this quote, that the opposite of everything good is not bad but indifference. Having no care or concern is worse than the deepest hatred. You can see where he got inspiration from his experiences, especially in the last one. He talks about the indifference between life and death being worse than death itself, which he knows first hand since he felt indifference towards life and death after his father died. Most of the Nazi's didn't necessarily hate the Jews, but felt indifferent towards them, which lead them to follow the orders of those who hated them. Indifference is sort of a hollow space that can be controlled by the emotions around it. The indifferent soldiers were surrounded by leaders with hatred towards Jews, so the soldiers then started to hate them. You could also look at this quote being about people. You automatically form an opinion about others even if you don't know them, mainly being you don't care enough to get to know them. If you fight that indifference and get past the first impressions of "He's mean" or "She's ugly," then you might get to know some truly amazing people.