Examine the ways in which Eliezer's relationship with his father is changing. What is the cause? How does this affect the way Eliezer sees himself as an individual? the way he views his father?

In section 4, I can notice that Eliezer’s relationship with his father is changing gradually due to the concentration camp filling them with fear and afraid of death. When Elizer sees Idek, the Kapo in charge of Elizer’s work crew, beating up Elizer’s dad for not working hard enough - "'You old loafer!' he started yelling, 'Is this what you call working?'" (54), He feels annoyed at his father for being stupid and his disablity to avoid Idek’s fury. Then, he realizes that the concentration camp changed him to a selfish guy who cares only about himself and his own survival. This change is caused by the concentration camp that gives them only suffering and misery - "That was what life in a concentration camp had made of me..." (54). The cause also seems to be the oppression of the Nazi and the fear of death they encounter everyday. However, the significance of this change is that his anger is directed to his dad, not the Kapo who beats him up - "What's more, if I felt anger at that moment, it was not directed at the Kapo but at my father" (54). I think that he is disrespecting his father even though he's not showing it. He is also scared that he will become so emotionless and selfish that he may abondon his father, losing filial responsibility. "In fact, I thought of stealing away in order not to suffer the blows" (54). This quotation exhibits that he would rather run away than stay and help or defend his father, disregarding his filial responsibility to take care of his father and remaining only concerned for his life.

Bibliography:

http://www.zchor.org/auschwitz/komski.htm
http://www.extremecatholic.blogspot.com/2005_01_09_archive.html

How does Eliezer respond when his father is beaten for the first time? Ho does that response affect the way he sees himself? What does he fear is happening to him?

Auschwitz concentration camp

Auschwitz concentration camp

In section 3, Eliezer and his father are brought to a concentration camp located in Auschwitz. His father is beaten up by one of SS German officers for asking for permission to go to the toilets. In the last paragraph on page 39, he says, "I stood pertified" (39). The book continues to say he just stood there and didn't even blink. He was so scared that he just kept silent. If he saidhe would have dug his nails into the officer's flesh, then why didn't he? Because his instinct at that moment told him to protect himself; if he reacted, he might have been hurt, too, or even killed. His response makes him feel like he is just an useless and incompetent person who can't defend his father who is  beaten up by the German officer. He fears he is also becoming more of a coward. He feels guilty for not being able to do help his father - "Remorse began to gnaw at me" (39). However, at the same time, his anger towards the German officers grows more - "All I could think was: I shall never forgive them for this" (39). From this statement, we can sense that he will carry his anger for a long time.

Bibliography:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/imint/auschwitz.htm
http://www.samanthahowell.com/womeninlodz/?page_id=16

Schindler’s List Directed by Steven Spielburg & Night Written by Elie Wiesel

Jews moving into ghetto

The movie Schindler’s List by Steven Spielburg, describes the harsh treatment that Jewish people suffered during the Holocaust in the eyes of Oskar Schindler, a German war profiteer. In the movie, German Nazi soldiers made all of the Jewish people abandon their property including their home and valuables and sent the Jews to the ghetto of Cracow in Poland. This also can be seen in Night written by Elie Wiesel, which takes place in the Transylvanian town of Sighet. In Night, the German armies take over Hungary and move into Sighet. The Jews are also forced to move to small ghettos, crowded together and surrounded by barbed wire fences. Also, their valuables are confiscated, and Germans made them wear yellow stars to distinguish them from non-Jewish people. Moreover, the book implies that the Jewish people soon forget about the anti-Semitic act that deported all foreign Jews, including Moshe, Eliezer’s challenging teacher and gets back to normal life. In the movie, the Jews feel irritated and annoyed at first about their deportation by compulsion and the prohibition of contact with outside, but they soon acquiesced and go back to their normal life. However, Schindler makes a reasonable excuse for them to get out of the ghetto by offering to open a factory where they can work by making pots and pans for soldiers at battle. Despite their different perspectives, the movie and book successfully describe the unfair treatment that Jewish people underwent by depicting in detail the condition the Jews suffered in ghetto.