Timeline of Eliezer's Life by KAITLYN GUERRERO

Eliezer Meets Moishe the Beadle

kguerrer0106_ — 2023-11-02 20:36:11 UTC

"'Why do you pray?' [Moishe] asked after a moment. Why did I pray? Strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe? ... [Moishe] explained to me, with great emphasis, that every question possessed a power that was lost in the answer ... The real answers, Eliezer, you will find only within yourself" (5).

This is the first conversation between Eliezer and Moishe the Beadle, who is Elie's Kabbalah mentor. The moment is significant because it shows how devoutly religious Eliezer is at the beginning of the story. He says that prayer, to him, is as essential and necessary to his life as breathing. It is also important because in this moment, Moishe teaches Elie an important lesson: to trust only in himself, and that the key to survival, the key to life, isn't inside any book or temple or rabbi, but inside of himself. Moishe pushes Eliezer to think more critically and helps his develop both mentally and spiritually.

Eliezer Struggles with his Faith from Witnessing the Crematorium entering the Camp

kguerrer0106_ — 2023-11-04 20:52:12 UTC

"For the first time, I felt anger rising within me. Why should I sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal and terrible Master of the Universe, chose to be silent. What was there to thank Him for?" (33).

This was the moment in the book where Eliezer and his father are separated from their family entering Auschwitz. This is an important moment because Eliezer and his father are walking through the crematorium witnessing people, children and babies being thrown into flames. There is a significant mentality change in Eliezer seeing how he has anger towards God for choosing to do nothing. The way he calls God "terrible Master of the Universe" in which he feels and most likely many other Jews felt that way too. Doubt is what it comes to in Eliezer's faith in God and it develops how he is throughout the camp.

Eliezer's father got chosen for Selection

kguerrer0106_ — 2023-11-24 09:32:53 UTC

"His speech became confused, he voice was choked. He knew that I had to leave in a few moments. He was going to remain alone, so alone... "Here, take this knife," he said. "I won't need it anymore. You may find it useful. Also take this spoon. Don't sell it. Quickly! Go ahead, take what I'm giving you!" My Inheritance..." (75).

There is this hesitation in Eliezer to take the stuff from his father. This is a significant moment because there is a break in Eliezer on how this is the one person he tried not to be separated from. But, now that exact person is being stripped away from him. This plays into his character later on in how he reacts with his father mentally and physically well-being. This is significant because it shows how the camps were good at making them feel alone. Also, pushing them into a corner to only care for themselves because anyone they might care about can be killed at any moment.

Eliezer after his Father's death

kguerrer0106_ — 2023-12-08 02:49:20 UTC

"I remained in Buchenwald until April 11. I shall not describe my life during that period. It no longer mattered. Since my father's death, nothing mattered to me anymore" (113).

This is the moment after his father's death where he has no sense of direction. Since the one reason keeping him from staying alive is no longer physically or mentally with him. It is continuously mentioned throughout the book, the reason why he pushes through is for his father. The significance is due to Eliezer writing about how his life is no longer mattering to anyone and therefore no longer matters to him. The importance in this ending is because Eliezer and the rest of the survivors probably felt like a person who became a ghost that no one would remember.