NIGHT by Elie Wiesel About the Author n
NIGHT by Elie Wiesel
About the Author n n Born September 30, 1928 in Sighet, Transylvania Grew up in a small village where his life revolved around: n Family n Study of Judaism n Community
About the Book After the war, Wiesel wrote for French and Jewish publications. n He settled in the U. S. in 1956. n Breaking his own vow never to write about his death cam experience, Wiesel publishing Night in 1958. n
DAY 1 - Life in Sighet, Transylvania *Read: Section 1 (pgs. 3 -22) *Write: a brief summary of-- • • characters setting plot tone
DAY 2 - Train to Auschwitz *Read: Section 2 (pgs. 23 -46) *Write: - begin A-B-C Graffiti - answer study questions
DAY 3 - “Selection” at Birkenau *Read: Section 3 (pgs. 47 -65) *Write: - continue A-B-C Graffiti - answer study questions
DAY 4 - Loss of faith at Buna *Read: Section 4 (pgs. 66 -84) *Write: - Group Element Presentations
DAY 5 - The end at Buchenwald *Read: Section 5 (pgs. 85 -115) *Write: - finish A-B-C Graffiti
After the War n After Elie was released from the hospital, he had no family to return to. n n He went with 400 other orphan children to France. From 1945 -1947, he moved from house to house found for him by Children’s Rescue Society.
n After he was freed from the camp on April 11, Wiesel became sick with intestinal problems. n After several days in the hospital, Wiesel wrote an outline for a book describing the Holocaust. n He wasn’t ready to publicize his experience, but promised he would in later years.
DAY 6 - Speech Analysis *Read: Nobel Prize Speech (pgs. 117 - 120) *Write: complete the quiz
Education n In 1948, Elie enrolled in the Sorbonne University where he studied literature, philosophy, and psychology. n He was extremely poor and very depressed and considered suicide often.
The Turning Point n n Wiesel’s turning point came when he interviewed the Catholic writer, Francois Mauriac. During the interview, everything was centered around Jesus and Wiesel ended up saying the following; n "…ten years ago, not very far from here, I knew Jewish children every one of whom suffered a thousand times more, six million times more, than Christ on the cross. And we don’t speak about them. " n Wiesel ran out of the room, but Mauriac followed and advised Wiesel to write down his experience.
The Novel n Elie spent a year working on the 862 page manuscript he called And the World Was Silent. n He gave it to his publisher who returned it as a 258 page book called Night. n The book was published first in France in 1958 and then in the U. S. in 1960. n The book is autobiographical and told of his experiences during the Holocaust.
Humanitarian n Wiesel was outspoken about the suffering of all people, not only Jews. n In the 1970 s, he protested against South African apartheid. n 1980 - he delivered food to starving Cambodians n He explained, “That is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. ”
U. S. Holocaust Museum n In 1993, Wiesel spoke at the dedication of the U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D. C. n His words are carved in stone at the entrance to the museum: “For the dead and the living, we must bear witness. ”
Quotes to Remember n n n I write to understand as much as to be understood. No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them. The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
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