Dehumanization Among Prisoners
When considering the indescribable events that took place during World War II, often times people conclude that the guards of the concentration camps were the only ones who dealt out the inexplicable cruelty to the innocent Jewish prisoners of World War II. This statement later proves to be completely fictional. Elie Wiesel, writer of the memoir, Night describes the unthinkable injustice dealt to the prisoners by the German officers, but also the inconceivable: the dehumanization of prisoners by other prisoners. In his memoir, Wiesel goes beyond explaining the horrors of Hitler and the Nazi regime, but further explains how the prisoners and victims did nothing to rebel or perhaps even stay united as prisoners. …show more content…
On the death marches, Wiesel remembers many of these moments. Wiesel declares, “Then I remembered something […] He had seen him. And he continued to run on in front, letting the distance between them grow greater” (Wiesel 87). He notes that Rabbi Eliahou loses his son, but Wiesel had seen his son running in front and realizes he was trying to lose his dad (Rabbi Eliahou) to lift burden of his shoulders. Wiesel later writes he never wants to make the mistake that the Rabbi’s son made. He catches himself bordering the line of this with some of his disheartening thoughts about his …show more content…
The prisoners undoubtedly are changed people as the book; not by choice however; they experienced the worst possible pain anyone could feel: feeling like they no longer have a purpose to carry on. Many even found out it acceptable to just lie in the snow on the death marches and simply die. They felt this scenario was better fit than suffering more. The amount of mental and physical cruelty these prisoners grinded through wore them down to the point where couldn’t care less who died as long as it wasn’t them. Wiesel puts into the simplest terms, Wiesel remarks, “My God, Lord of the Universe, give me strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahou’s son has done” (87). Wiesel illustrates, through his unfathomable experiences, just how horrifying these events were and how much these people went through. After months, perhaps years, these prisoners became untouched by deaths of peers; this reality led to greater problems for them; and led to their ultimate
When considering the indescribable events that took place during World War II, often times people conclude that the guards of the concentration camps were the only ones who dealt out the inexplicable cruelty to the innocent Jewish prisoners of World War II. This statement later proves to be completely fictional. Elie Wiesel, writer of the memoir, Night describes the unthinkable injustice dealt to the prisoners by the German officers, but also the inconceivable: the dehumanization of prisoners by other prisoners. In his memoir, Wiesel goes beyond explaining the horrors of Hitler and the Nazi regime, but further explains how the prisoners and victims did nothing to rebel or perhaps even stay united as prisoners. …show more content…
On the death marches, Wiesel remembers many of these moments. Wiesel declares, “Then I remembered something […] He had seen him. And he continued to run on in front, letting the distance between them grow greater” (Wiesel 87). He notes that Rabbi Eliahou loses his son, but Wiesel had seen his son running in front and realizes he was trying to lose his dad (Rabbi Eliahou) to lift burden of his shoulders. Wiesel later writes he never wants to make the mistake that the Rabbi’s son made. He catches himself bordering the line of this with some of his disheartening thoughts about his …show more content…
The prisoners undoubtedly are changed people as the book; not by choice however; they experienced the worst possible pain anyone could feel: feeling like they no longer have a purpose to carry on. Many even found out it acceptable to just lie in the snow on the death marches and simply die. They felt this scenario was better fit than suffering more. The amount of mental and physical cruelty these prisoners grinded through wore them down to the point where couldn’t care less who died as long as it wasn’t them. Wiesel puts into the simplest terms, Wiesel remarks, “My God, Lord of the Universe, give me strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahou’s son has done” (87). Wiesel illustrates, through his unfathomable experiences, just how horrifying these events were and how much these people went through. After months, perhaps years, these prisoners became untouched by deaths of peers; this reality led to greater problems for them; and led to their ultimate