Night: Ch 4-6

Night: Discussion Questions Chapters 4 and 5

Directions: With a partner(s), discuss these questions thoroughly. After an ample discussion, write down your answer. Your answers should be complete sentences.

1.    In chapter 4, Eliezer and his father arrive at Buna, the work camp. Compare and contrast Buna to Birkenau/Auschwitz.

2.    Describe the Frenchwoman who worked in the factory. At first, Eliezer thought that she did not speak German. After he is brutally beaten by Idek, she speaks perfect German to him. Why did she decide to speak to him after he was beaten?

3.    To get Eliezer’s fake tooth, Franek utilizes Eliezer’s weakness. What is his weakness? How does Franek take advantage of it?

4.    The author describes two different instances of hangings. After the first, Eliezer’s food tasted delicious. After the second, though, Elie describes the food as tasting like corpses. Detail the differences between these two hangings. Why did they affect the spectators differently?

5.    On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, over 10,000 Jews gather for prayers. Describe Eliezer’s thoughts as the prayer is recited. How does he twist the words of the recitation?

6.    Wiesel writes that “[t]he SS offered us a beautiful present for the New Year.” What is the irony of this statement? What was the “beautiful” present?

7.    Why does the head of the block attempt to assure the ten that were selected to stay in the camp that they would be fine? Once again, honesty does not seem like the best option.

8.    What was Eliezer’s inheritance from his father? How does the use of the word “inheritance” in the chapter compare to how most people use this word. Give another example of how a common word is used differently in Night because of the speaker’s experiences.

9.    When the reader is first introduced to Akiba Drumer, he is a deeply religious man; what has happened to Drumer? What did he ask for from his friends at the end of his life? Did they give it to him? Why or why not?

10.  The last section of this chapter begins, “At six o’clock the bell rang. The death knell. The funeral. The procession was beginnings its march.”
Describe the figurative language being used here. What is the speaker foreshadowing?

11.      While creating this book, Wiesel had to decide which memories he would include and which he would exclude. The account of Zalman could seem to be out of context and unnecessary to include. Why do you believe Wiesel included this anecdote?

12. Many times, authors will include a foil. A foil is typically a character that, when in contrast to another character, highlights a characteristic or aspect of the character. In what way could Rabbi Eliahou’s son be a foil to Eliezer? What aspects or characteristics of Eliezer are highlighted when compared to the rabbi’s son?

13.      Why does Juliek play his violin in the midst of such desperation? Why does he play Beethoven? Why did Wiesel include this in his memoir?