1. The novel, Night, is an alarming chronicle of Elie Wiesel’s survival of the Holocaust. The novel, which is not only emotionally riveting, provokes many thoughts about ethics and ideals. Elie Wiesel’s story generate the thought of religion, human nature, as well as choices and luck. The topic of dehumanization, however, is one that questions the ability of the human brain and emotion to change, if humans are not really as much of an advanced animal as supposed and whether feelings are predetermined for people.<br />Throughout a person’s life, their own personal beliefs are questioned and considered. Such considerations being based on care for families, individual needs against those of society, religion, and morals. After recognizing one’s values, how susceptible would they be to change? In the novel, Night, Elie Wiesel is a mature boy, fully immersed in the Jewish religion, he also cares for his family. During the beginning of his harrowing and alarming journey, Elie Wiesel seemed to care more for others than himself. “My father wept. It was the first time I had ever seen him weep. I never thought he could. As for my mother, she walked with a set expression on her face, without a word, deep in thought. I looked a my sister, Tzipora, her fair hair well combed, a red coat over her arm, a little girl of seven.” (Page 16-17). This quote shows that Elie Wiesel had no intention of thinking himself, only the pain that his family seemed to be feeling. However, hours later, after being humiliated, shaven and stripped, Eli Wiesel already began to lose “human” emotions. On page 33, Elie Wiesel wrote, “I ceased to feel fear. And then I was overcome by an inhuman weariness.” Again, within hours, it was written that even more emotions that one is expected to feel, were lost. “It was no longer possible to grasp anything. The instincts of self-preservation, of self-defence, of pride, had all deserted us.” (Page 34). Near the end of the novel, it was clear that the author could not feel. He had lost everything, seen things that many would never dare to imagine, and animalistic characteristics were more discernable than human feelings. On page 107, Elie Wiesel realizes that, “And I had but one desire-to eat. I no longer thought of my father or of my mother.” At the begin of this horrifying story, he only considered and observed the feelings and emotions of his family. After he had been beaten, abused, stripped, undermined, and caged, he could only think of his survival. <br /> Would you jump into a churning river to save a friend or family member if you could or would die? Perhaps a more acceptable and popular choice with be to save your friend or family member. But is that the truth? In a moment where you are struggling for your own life, would the thought of saving another person’s life even register? A herd of wildebeests, running from the jaws of a predator think of saving another member? A mother wildebeest may fight for the life of her young until death, but would a human? Perchance humans are even more animalistic than such. Survival can overrule the emotions and feelings of any character. In the novel, Elie Wiesel’s character initiated the survival mode of his system. the care for his father was vast. All Elie’s actions pertained to the connection and life with his father. “I wanted to see first where they were sending my father. If he went to the right, I would go with him.” (Page 29) Although it was only the beginning of his journey, Elie would have considered the horrifying consequences that that action could have caused him. When asked by an assistant of the head of the German camp if they could make a trade for his shoes, Elie replied that, “On one condition. I want to stay with my father.” (Page 46). Again and again, Elie showed that he cared for his father, but did all his actions validate the true care? On page 36-37, Elie shows an example of the survival for one’s self. “Then, as if he had suddenly woken from a heavy doze, he dealt my father such a clout that he fell on the ground, crawling back to his place on all fours. I did not move. What had happened to me? My father had just been struck, before my very eyes, and I had not flickered an eyelid. I had looked on and said nothing.” The quote shows that has not only the boy’s personality changed, but that his conscious self realized that only negatives could come from moving. It is not just the boy experiencing moral changes. Many people they encountered acted on many survival and animalistic instincts. Near the beginning of the Holocaust, the members travelling in the same train as Elie’s family experienced such actions. On the train, a women was having hallucinations and would cry and scream through the night. In order to keep safe, to protect one’s self or the families sanity, she was beaten. “Once more the young men tied her up and gagged her. They even struck her. People encouraged them.” (Page 24.) Later in the account, the men the boy and his father travelled with seemed to have lost all humanity and control. “’Meir. Meir, my boy! Don’t you recognize me? I’m your father… you’re killing your father…’” The scene continued, the son finally beat the bread from his father, but the action did not serve him well as two other men attacked him. “When they withdrew, next to me were two corpses, side by side, the father and the sun. (Page 96). On page 95, an event took places that questions the humanity, control, and animal instincts of two different characters. “One day, when we had stopped, a workman took a piece of bread out of his bag and threw it into a wagon. There was a stampede. Dozens of starving men fought each other to the death for a few crumbs. The German workmen took a lively interest in this spectacle.” Usually, people stay away from brawls, but the fact that people would fight to the death for a bread crumb. The more disgusting and worrisome part of this event, is the human nature of those watching and throwing the bread. To have an interest in watching starving and beaten men fight each other to the death questions the true feelings that people have towards certain situations.<br />Human nature has been challenged because of events from the time of the birth of the human race. From acts of murder and genocide, to cheating and stealing, the poor side of human nature seems to be overlooked. The generosity and worry of situations throughout the world is what the majority of human nature seems to consist of. Albert Camus once said that, “Man is the only creature that refuses to be what he is.” Through Elie Wiesel’s account, there are many events and situations that obliviate the most popular thought towards human nature. When watching shows, listening to documents and accounts, the thought of death and pain is sickening. But suppose that feeling is presupposed, and the truth lies in horrifying accounts, such as the one Elie Wiesel shared. On page 60, Elie shares “Then the camp, block after block, had to march past the hanged man and stare at the diamond eyes, the lolling tongue of death… I remember that I found the soup excellent that evening.” After seeing a man killed in front of a person, it is assumed that one would not enjoy their next meal, unless starved and under life or death situations. The previous quote from page 95, men were enjoying the spectacle of other men killing each other for a piece of bread. Again, it is supposed that the sight of that event would be nothing but horrible and sickening. The presupposed feelings toward certain sights, events, and spectacles pertaining to disdained situations were completely denied in this novel.<br />During the novel, Night, Elie Wiesel shares his account of his horrifying journey though the Holocaust in which the audience is able to construct insightful opinions about human nature and the dehumanization of both the Jews and Germans. Many of the Jewish people lost emotions that most people take for granted, such as control, love, and pride. The German contenders faced dehumanization in the way that they were no longer sickened by death and may felt pride in the way the beat the weak. All of these emotions, or lack there of, question the ability of human nature to change, the animalistic characters in all humanity, and the presupposed emotions in which society is expected to feel. <br />