Compare and Contrast Elie Weisel and Anne Frank

Essay by BloopidfudalityHigh School, 10th grade October 2006

download word file, 6 pages 5.0

Holocaustic Remains

The holocaust was one of the most horrific events of the 20th century, with over 6 million Jews, as well as millions of others, being slaughtered mindlessly no better than vermin. Within this tragedy of an event, there existed two Jewish individuals, and although one of them wasn't fortunate enough to survive the treachery, they have both contributed undeniably to the present day's understanding of the holocaust. Elie Weisel and Anne Frank's writings are both incredibly distinct, individual pieces, all the while sharing extremely prominent features. This so happens to be, as the two authors both have similarities and differences in writing style, as well as their own life experiences.

One of the most defining features of any writer or author is his or her writing style, and with Elie Weisel and Anne Frank the difference in style are key factors to what makes each piece so powerful and unique.

Perhaps the most prominent difference in style is the mood attached to each author's works. In Weisel's book, Night, the mood portrayed is indisputably that of a depressing and gloomy one, as seen from the highly optimistic excerpt, "The stars were only sparks of the fire, which devoured us. Should that fire die out one day, there would be nothing left in the sky but dead stars, dead eyes." He cannot be blamed for stating this depressing thought, as within the story nearly all hope is lost, but it remains to be a key example in the depiction of Elie Weisel's dark mood. In contrast, Anne Frank's pieces contain a hopeful, uplifting and ever-positive mood which can be seen from the excerpt, "Every day I feel...how beautiful nature is, how good the people are around me, how interesting this adventure is!" Despite her troubling times, Anne persists...