The Common Theme Of Dehumanization In Night By Elie Wiesel

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Throughout the Nobel Peace Prize award winner Night, a common theme is established around dehumanization. Elie Wiesel, the author, writes of his self-account within the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz. Being notoriously famed for its unethical methods of punishment, and the concept of laboring Jews in order to follow a regime, was disgusting for the wide public due to the psychotic ideology behind the concept. In the Autobiography we are introduced to Wiesel who is a twelve year old child who formerly lived in the small village of Sighet, Romania. Wiesel and his family are taken by the Nazi aggressors to the Concentration camp Auschwitz were they are treated like dogs by the guards. Throughout the Autobiography the guards use their authoritative …show more content…

In the beginning of the story Wiesel explains the effect the Germans had upon the Jews in Sighet. Prior to the complete occupation of the Germans the Jews had a vivid image of the officers which Moishe the Beadle explains “You don’t understand… I succeeded in coming back.” (Wiesel 7). He uses this to imply that the Germans are to be feared, and that he escape by a slim chance. Wiesel ignores this, however Moishe explains what is not as the first step of dehumanization. Not only does Moishe talk about him escaping but he mentions the certain disgust he felt “Without passion or haste. They shot their prisoners” (Wiesel 6). Wiesel uses this quote to integrate the juxtaposition of what the Jews believed to the reality, because shortly after the Germans turn against the Jews. Later in the story the Germans arrives in the village which the Jews ignore as the first sign. Wiesel explains “German soldiers--- with their steel helmets and their death’s-head emblem. Still, our first impressions of the Germans were reassuring”, which he uses to compare the prediction to the reality of the matter (Wiesel 9). This is an example of the Juxtaposition that Wiesel uses to convey the message that people have numbed there feeling towards

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