Elie Wiesel (Night)

Chapters 2-3

The Jews of Sighet, are packed inside of a cattle trains they are crammed together so tightly, it’s impossible to lie down and they can only sit by taking turns. This is very unfair to the Jews as they do not even have the space to sit down.

Mrs. Schächter’s a woman, begins to moan, cry, and scream because she has been separated from her husband. she begins to scream that she sees fire, a terrible fire. People try to calm her but she will not be calmed. She tells them she sees a terrible furnace. The Jews in the cattle car try to explain Mrs. Schächter’s vision away – she must be thirsty, they say.At long last, people get fed up and they start to beat her with blows strong enough to kill her. This is not the right thing to do, to beat her because she has an opinion, this is unfair and unjust.

Chapter 2 

In chapter two, the Jews are tormented and tortured by nearly unbearable conditions. There is almost no air to breathe, the heat is extreme, there is no room to sit, and everyone is hungry and thirsty. After days of travel in these inhuman conditions, the train arrives at the Czechoslovakian border, and the Jews realise that they are stopping, and they are not just relocating. A German officer takes official charge of the train, threatening to shoot any Jew who refuses to yield his or her valuables and to kill everybody in the car if anybody escapes. The doors to the car are nailed shut, preventing anyone to escape.

In this chapter, the first “selections” occurs, during which individuals believed weaker or less useful are chosen and decided to be killed. Eliezer and his father remain together, however are separated from Eliezer’s mother and younger sister. Eliezer and his father meet a prisoner, who counsels them to lie about their ages. Eliezer, not yet fifteen is to say that he is eighteen, while his father, who is fifty, is to say that he is forty. Another prisoner approaches the new arrivals, angrily asking them why they let the Nazis bring them to Auschwitz. He explains to them, finally, why they have been brought to Auschwitz: to be killed and burned. Hearing this, some among the younger Jews begin to consider rebelling, but the older Jews guide and recommend them to rely not on rebellion but on faith. Dr. Mengele involved in determining whether new arrivals are fit to work or whether they are to be killed immediately. Taking the prisoner’s advice, Eliezer lies about his age, telling Mengele he is eighteen. He also says that he is a farmer rather than a student.

Eliezer, the narrator of Night, illustrates and displays his and others traces of the physical and psychological journey they have to go through.  So far, everyone, including Eliezer are all very confused as to where they are being taken, and things that have to complete to maintain and uphold a survivable life.

Dr. Mengele introduced in this chapter, identifies the role he plays in choosing those who are fit and can sustain life, by working in different conditions and sections, or those who are to weak and don’t have characteristics or things about them that are helpful in the society which would resolve in that individual getting immediately killed or tortured.

Chapter 2-3 is very dark the tone that is used is very serious, somber and mournful a example of these tones in chapters 2-3 are when he losses his faith in God’s justice. 

A kind prisoner comes up to Eliezer and his father, asking them their ages. On hearing that Eliezer is 15 and his father is 50, the prisoner tells them they should be 18 and 40. Age can mean the difference between life and death.

When Eliezer is questioned, he lies and says that he’s 18 and a farmer, rather than 15 and a student.

This is very smart what Eliezer did in order to survive he had to lie and by doing so he has guaranteed him self a future if it to be a short future or an long future we will find out in the next chapter.