"Night"
written by Larry Watson
Eliezer Wiesel
His life until he was Liberated at the end of World War II
Eliezer Wiesel was born on September 30, 1928. He grew up with his parents and his three sisters, Hilda, Bea, and Tzipora, in Sighet, a small town in Romania. While he was growing up everything around him was to do with family, religious studies, Community and God.
When he was only three years old, Elie went to a Jewish school where he learned Hebrew, Bible, and the Talmud. He spent a lot of time talking with Moche the Beadle, who told him about the Messiah and mysteries of Judaism.
In 1940, the Nazis took over Sighet, and in 1942, the Hungarian government said that all Jews who could not prove that they were Hungarian would be taken to Poland (which was also held by the Nazis). Moche the Beadle was sent to Poland but he escaped and came back to Sighet to warn everyone of the danger, but everyone thought he was crazy.
Beadle & Brown depart (LOC)
English: Elie Wiesel Français : Elie Wiesel
Maison natale d'Elie Wiesel à Sighetu Marmaţiei,...In 1942, Elie had his Barmitzvah. He still studied the Bible and other Jewish books, and became more interested to the Kabbalah, which is Jewish mysticism.
In March 1944, German soldiers took over Sighet. They forced the Jews to wear yellow stars. The Nazis closed all Jewish businesses, raided their houses and made up two ghettos. By May, the deportations began. The Wiesel's servant, offered them to hide with her in her hut in the mountains, but they turned her down.
In early June, Elie's family were in the last group of Jews to be loaded into a cattle train.
After four days, the train stopped at Auschwitz. Elie told the waiting SS officer that he was eighteen, a farmer and in good health.
Although Pretty Good...
I found this book report/essay of good quality for the grade level reported. However the end of the essay leaves me wondering if something happened next. After reading the end of the novel, I would add the following:
The surviving prisoners, including Elie, were finally allowed to go free. Upon their first free moment the only desire they had was to find food. They were too exhausted physically and mentally to try to understand their ordeal.
Unfortunately Elie, who has not had food for days, became sick from food poisoning three days after the liberation. He became so sick that he was hospitalized. When feeling well enough to walk, he looked into the mirror and thought that he looked like a corpse.
In reality much of him died. Even though he is now a free man the enemy has left him feeling less that human - leaving him without dignity - and wondering if life is worth living now. If it is possible, it will take years for him to recover.
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