Throughout history, many life changing events have occurred. Among those that have made the most impact on history is the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel’s book Night enriches the readers mind with a recollection of his experiences living through the horrifying concentration camps. Wiesel sensitizes the reader’s mind with painful memories that cannot be denied. Because of Wiesel’s ability to effectively create a vivid story by compiling relatable characters and powerful settings, one can believe Wiesel attempts to be indifferent about the tragedies of the Holocaust.
Wiesel’s ability to create a memorable story was elaborated by the characters he chose for his novel. When the Jews were on the train to Auschwitz, Mrs. Schächter stood out the most. “The separation had totally shattered her. […] One the third night, as we were sleeping, […] a piercing cry broke the silence: ‘Fire! I see a fire! I see a fire!’” (24). She represents the insanity that many Jews were afraid to voice. Like those who caused trouble at the concentration camps, she faced punishment. “A few young men forced her to sit down, then bound and gagged her. Silence fell again” (26). The Jews were willing to do whatever it took to have a sliver of calm they had not had in a while. In this case, it meant hurting one of their own in order to reestablish peace. By compiling characters like Mrs. Schächter, Wiesel teaches the readers about different people’s reactions to what is out in front of them.
Through Wiesel’s powerful settings one can gather that living through the different dreadful concentration camps was a life changing moment. A particular scene Wiesel mentions that is unforgettable was when the little boy was being hung in front of all his inmates. “But the third rope was still moving: the cold, too light, was still breathing… And so he remained for more than half an hour, lingering between life and death, writhing before out eyes. And we were forced to look at him at close range” (65). It is hard to understand how the Jews could live through the tragedy of seeing their peers die in an inhumane manner. Wiesel creates such an image that one cannot believe that there was so much hatred toward a race of people. Because of descriptions like these, it is impossible to be ignorant about how the Jewish community was being treated.
As Wiesel generates the plot one can gather the feelings the Jews felt when being brought to the concentration camps. When all the Jews were boarding the cattle they thought that nothing was happening, little did they know they were being