1. With every new action and rule put into place by the German officers, the Jews slowly get more anxious and panicked. It starts with Germans entering Hungarian territory, although the people weren't worried because they doubted the ability of the German army. The second act was arresting the leaders of the Jewish community, which caused a slight disturbance throughout the community. People were slightly worried, but not that much and continued to live as normal. They thought they were being taken somewhere safe, where they can continue to work and live away from war zones. Shortly after, Jews were not allowed to leave their homes for three days on pain of death. This rocked the community, as everyone realized that Moshe the Beadle wasn't crazy and was truly trying to warn everyone of what was to come. Second, Jews no longer possessed the right of owning jewels, precious metals, or anything of value. The caused a glazed reaction to come from the people; the doubting stage where people try to pretend that everything is normal. Next, every Jew must wear a yellow star. People didn't really see this as a threat, seeing as how everything else was. When Wiesel's father got called to the newly revised council about the terms on deportation, everyone began packing for the worst immediately and hoped to survive.
2. "From that moment, everything had happened very quickly. The race toward death had begun."
This quote comes from the area in the story where the German soldiers begin to show their real purpose of living with the Jews, right after they arrest the leaders of the Jewish community. This begins the slow process of deportation, which causes a wave of fear to consume the public. From this line, the book pretty much goes down hill for all the Jews.
"In front of us flames. In the air that smell of burning flesh. It must have been about midnight. We had arrived-- at Birkenau, reception center of Auschwitz."
Here, all nightmares and negative assumptions that the Jews have had turn into a reality. They now see that Moshe was not crazy and that the worst is yet to come. To me, it seems as if the narrator of the story is somehow indirectly relating Birkenau to hell. He talks about flames and the smell of burning flesh, and the way he writes makes it seem as if he's in the depths of fiery hell.
"Are you in good health?"
I've seen this many times in the book already, and we're not done reading yet. This question can mean life or death to someone. Even if you're dying and you lie about your health, it feels like another test cheated, but you'll eventually die and either be left for dead or thrown into the furnace. Some Jews tried to keep everyone they cared about healthy while others only looked out for themselves and kept healthy and alive no matter the cost.
"A-7713!"
Jews are not called by name, but are given a number, a label. It symbolizes how low the Germans think of the Jews. Every Jew had a number that they were identified as and addressed by, their names dead and forgotten. It strips their sense of uniqueness and identity, dampening their spirits and lowers their worth among the Germans.
"'Me, too... Me, too! They told me to stay behind in the camp.' They had written down his number without his being aware of it."
Eliezer seems to truly fear for his father for the first time in the concentration camp. This time, his father could die and he can't do anything about it besides help to escape, which was not recommended (by the Germans). He hasn't seen his mother in weeks (or chapters), so his father is the one he has the closest bond with. He would be lonely and without family in the camp if his father doesn't pass the second selection, and seems to be hoping and praying as hard as possible that he'll have his father for another day.
No comments:
Post a Comment