Night

Elie’s experiences during the Holocaust change him as a person by the way things were for him. At first, Elie was into his religion and a family person. He looked for a mentor for himself because he wanted to know more. Elie was very pious. Unfortunately, that was taken away when Elie, a little boy, was rushed to a place where people of all ages shouldn't be.

The very first reason as to why he had changed was how everything was falling apart, left to right, for him and others. They weren't ready for anything so severe. They really did think that they were going to work in brick factories. Their temple was gone, their shops were trashed, Jews were being shot, and Jews were basically digging their own graves right when they went to “work.” Once Elie and his family got into the reception center for Auschwitz, they were separated. He only had his father now. People who have already been there told them what was up with it. Those prisoners first hand told them what they needed to say in order to stay “safe”, while others threatened them and actually told them the truth. Little by little, it got worse.

Wiesel had started to change the more it got worse. His father had also gotten worse, to the point where he was very weak. Wiesel had changed his mindset to survive. He was close to losing his humanity. His father had gotten beat right by his side and he was moving away so he won't get hit also. Wiesel then looked after his father when they did their march to Gleiwitz - Buchenwald. His father was dying, Wiesel’s father had told him to leave him at one point, “He half opened his eyes. ‘No advice,’ he said in a faint voice. “I’m tired. Leave me alone. Leave me.” (Wiesel 85). He then realized that his father was dying and there was nothing he could do about it. Any prisoner that came upon him had told him to leave his father, to take his rations, that there is no point. Wiesel knew there was no point, that he should take his rations, that he should leave his father but he didn’t. He didn't because his father was all he had left, time had caught up with his father either way. He was without his father now, “I awoke on January 29 at dawn. In my father's place lay another invalid. They must have taken him away before dawn and carried him to the crematory...There were no prayers at his grave. No candles were lit to his memory. His last word was my name. A summons, to which I did not respond.” (Wiesel 106).
Wiesel had to change his values to survive. After his father’s death, he felt nothing. “I might perhaps have found something like-free at last!” (106).

In the beginning, Wiesel was pious. He believed deeply in Him. When arriving at the camps, his faith had begun to decrease. Moshe the Beadle was willing to teach him but he was taken away for being a foreign Jew. That was the first sign of the Nazis taking over. When they finally did take over Sighet, he was confused. He didn't know what was going to happen but he had hoped that God would do something about it. Going to the reception center of Auschwitz, Madame, a woman who didn't know where they were going was screaming, “Look! Look at it! Fire! A terrible fire! Mercy! Oh, that fire!” (Wiesel 22).

Buna was when he actually was doubting his God. Buna was absolute hell for him. He really struggled with his faith. He would question himself. He would scream at his God. Someone had said behind him, “Where is God now?” - “And I heard a voice within me answer him: “Where is He? Here He is-He is hanging here on this gallows…” (Wiesel 62)

Wiesel had given up on his God when he realized that he would not step in to save him and his people. That was his big transformation from his old life. That is what had changed the most, his faith in God.

Wiesel, Elie . Night. New York: Bantam , 1960. Print.