Tossie 1

Drew Tossie
Ms. Vitello
Adv Comp. 5th Period
29 November 2017
Faith Oversighting:
In the memoir, Night, by Elie Wiesel, the author writes about his struggles and tyranny he

faces in a concentration camp. Wiesel starts out as an innocent 12-year-old who is trying to find

his way in society through his Jewish faith. Throughout the story, Wiesel describes how his

emotional and physical state of being overtake his spiritual mindset and skews his view of God.

As Wiesel depicts the horrific events that took place during the Holocaust in his memoir, readers

can see the clear shift in faith from his God, to his father and the other prisoners in the camp; and

how ultimately, his faith is what allows Wiesel to survive and live to tell his story.

From a young age, Wiesel expressed a strong interest in learning more about the

Kabbalah, and strengthening his faith. At night, Wiesel sneaks away to the synagogue and weep

and pray to God. However, by day, he seeks the guidance of Moishe the Beadle, a jack-of-all-

trades in Hasidic house of prayer (3). Moishe taught Elie that the real power a question is in the

answer and that he should pray to the God within him for the strength to ask Him the real

questions (5). Together, Moishe and Elie, discuss the same scripts to determine the underlying

messages in them, which led Elie to strengthen his faith in God and begin [his] initiation (5).

Moishe soon was sent to a concentration camp, but somehow escapes and returns to warn the

other Jews of the devastation coming. After the incident, Moishe warns Elie and the other Jews

of his awful experience; furthermore, he no longer mentioned either God or Kabbalah (7). Elie

keeps at his studies, however, no longer with Moishe, as speakers over the radio portrays good

news of bombings and the Second Front. The Jewish peoples hope decimate as Nazi soldiers
 Tossie 2

soon rush into the cities and forces anguish, and placed Jews into concentration camps. In the

camp, Elie sees infants being killed, his father being beaten, his food being limited, and his God

remaining quiet through it all. At this moment, Elie starts to question his own faith because he

wonders why God would be silent, or allow this type of tragedy to take place to His own

believers. Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned

my dreams into ashes (34). Elies confusions and confessions cause him to shift his faith from

God to his father and the cellmates.

Every second that passes, is every second that Elies faith in God shatters. I thought of

us as damned souls wandering through the void, souls condemned to wander through space until

the end of time (36). During this time, Elie works without a soul. Meaning that he continually

works while he believes he is living only to die; this is until the prisoners gather and discuss their

future and faith. Comrades muster your strength and keep your faith. We shall all see the day

of liberation (41). Elie called it the first human words (41); furthermore, these words begin

Elies faith in the other prisoners and hopes to one day be free from liberation. As his faith in

men is strengthening, Elies faith is beginning to diminish. Other prisoners believe they should

only rely on each other so wont perish, but still pray and ask God for guidance. Some of the

men spoke of Godas for me, I ceased to pray (45). During his time in the concentration camp,

Elie gets through his days by relying on his father and his will to survive.

It wasnt until his father died and after his liberation when Elie began to renew his faith in

God. Elies father last words, Eliezer (111), took a toll on Elie, and Elie said, it didnt matter

(113). While his father was on his death bed, the other prisoners began taking Elies dads rations

and the guards beat him in the head. At this point, Elie doesnt want to really trust anyone and he

starts to leave his life without meaning. Once his father dies, Elie is left with a void to fill. Before
 Tossie 3

liberation arrives, rumors of American soldiers rescuing other camps start to surface the

conversations of the prisoners. This sparks life and questions in Elie; the same questions he

asked God in the beginning of the memoir. Liberation finally arrives and instead of Elie seeking

out revenge, he seeks out food, and more questions to ask God. Although Moishe was probably

dead, the lessons and questions he taught Elie, began to surface once more.

Whether it be man or God, the faith in either is what ultimately drives Elie to keep

pushing forward. Through tyranny and oppression, Elie keeps a faith in something or someone

that allows him to see freedom and tell his story to others. Night is not only a memoir, it is a

guide for life. No matter what face, or how far you may fall, a faith in something greater than

you, is the only way we will see the light at the end of the tunnel.
 Tossie 4

Works Cited:

Wiesel, Ellie. Night. Translated Marian Wiesel. Hill and Wang, 2006. Print