Night Group

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geniuswannabe
geniuswannabe
Student
High School - 10th Grade

"Night" positions readers to contemplate the idea of a world without God." How does this pertain to the novel?

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Posted by geniuswannabe on Monday November 10, 2008 at 1:37 AM and tagged with god, night, philosophy, reader response, theology.

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  1. ms-mcgregor Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The atrocities suffered by the Jews and especially by Eliezar and his family beg the question "How could a loving God have allowed such a thing to happen?"

    After the United States and its allies discovered the concentration camps many also asked, "Where was God?" It's the same question people asked after the World Trade Center was attacked or whenever there is some terrible catastrophe.

    However, it's important to remember that, even as they were suffering, many Jews held on to their faith. They said prayers as they were marched to their deaths at Auschwitz. For many of them, it was not God who was to blame, but man. As Eliezer says, "humanity is not concerned with us." That is why they must pray for themselves, because there is no one left to pray for them. That is also why Elie Weisel wrote the story, so that men would never forget what happened to his family and friends.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/night-wiesel
    http://www.enotes.com/night-wiesel/critical-overview
    http://www.enotes.com/night-wiesel/themes

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    Posted by ms-mcgregor on Monday November 10, 2008 at 9:58 AM