In this section of the book, Elie Wiesel describes in vivid and explicit detail, how his faith decreases throughout his time at the camp.
Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever.
Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live.
Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes.
Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as long as God himself. (34)
Even on his first night of camp, he says that he does not believe in God anymore, and very descriptively. Though he does mention God later, so it seems he still subconsciously believes in God.
There are more examples: “Behind me I heard the same man asking: ‘For God’s sake, where is God?’” (65) Here, a boy was hanged. The gruesomeness destroyed his faith. If I was Jewish, that would have destroyed my faith too. The child helped stow guns. He was punished brutally, as he was not heavy enough for the rope to break his neck. He was left dangling from the gallows, suffocating for thirty minutes before dying.
Nathaniel, I like the first quote that you picked out. I think that you could have found a better second quote, but I like it anyways. I also like how you put in something that was really hard to read about the kid being hung.
ReplyDeleteMr. N Dawg
ReplyDeleteI really loved How you presented this theme. However whilst reading it I became a tad confused after you state your first quote. I was unable to follow the second half, yet the idea was definitely there and so was to vocabulary.