BACKGROUNDINTRO NOTES

NIGHT BY ELIE WIESEL

WWII > who is elie wiesel?

2010 time 100Photo credit: david shankbone

Buchenwald, 1945. Wiesel is in the second row from the

bottom, seventh from the left.

addressing the United States Congress

Born 9/30/28 One of the most

discussed jewish holocaust survivors

Born in romania Family was deported

and bounced from camp to camp

eliewiesel

who is elie wiesel?

Published night in 1960, but it took 3 years to sell 3,000 copies

Won nobel peace prize in 1986

Today, his memoir has been translated into 30 languages.

Wiesel refused to make a film.

eliewiesel

who is elie wiesel?

Novel At a glance• autobiographical narrative• It covers 3 ½ years of Wiesel’s life• The authors style, imagery, and

symbolism create an evil portrait of the holocaust

NIGHT BY ELIE WIESEL

Novel At a glance• Setting: hungary, poland, germany; 1941-

1945• Plot: the narrative traces the struggle of

wiesel and his father to survive as prisoners of the nazis

• Conflict: • External: nazi vs. jews; winter• Internal: loss of innocence and faith

NIGHT BY ELIE WIESEL

Novel At a glance• Theme:• The depths of human evil challenge faith

in god• Dehumanization• Savagery vs. nobility• Human beings need illusions to combat

despair

NIGHT BY ELIE WIESEL

united states of America

United kingdom

united Soviet Socialist Republic

china

france

poland

Canada

australia

New zealand

South africa

netherlands

The allies The axisNazi germany

japan

italy

hungary

romania

bulgaria

finland

thailand

iraq

WWII > who?

AUSCHWITZ – where ELIE AND FATHER WERE SENTbUCHENWALD – where SCHLOMO DIEDBUCHENWALD– where ELIE WAS LIBERATEDFROM

WWII > the holocaust

WWII > the holocaust

Synagogue in Warsaw ghetto Auschwitz death camp

WWII > the holocaust