Research: Auschwitz Concentration Camp and Elie Wiesel Essay

Submitted By Babygirl59
Words: 351
Pages: 2

A light that shines through the darkness; the sun that shines through the night. When comparing Elie Wiesel’s “Night” to Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” one can observe many symbols and themes used to portray the activities that occur during their time. Whether symbols are used to show the dehumanization of the German Nazi’s or to allude to the idea that a world without God is present, symbols are used throughout both works. Elie Wiesel’s “Night” and Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” have very similar themes and the symbols used support this assertion. Fire appears throughout the book “Night” as a cruel abuse of the German Nazi’s power. On the way to Auschwitz, Madame Schachter receives a vision of fire that makes her seem like a mad woman. This vision serves the purpose to be foreshadowing device to the heinous future they will be experiencing. The fire is the cause of their disinterment; the destruction many of them will face when they meet their death at the crematoria by the hands of the German Nazi’s. to add on to the destruction the fire gives, Eliezer also witnesses the burning of little babies in a ditch by the hands of the Nazi’s. Fire plays a completely different role as to Jewish tradition and the Bible. In the Bible, fire is associated with God. Fire is associated with God and divine madness. In Gehenna (the Jewish version of Hell), the wicked are punished with fire. Just as the Jewish people in this time are being “punished”. The fire is punishing