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Alexis Gosman
Mrs. Vitello
Advanced Composition
11 December 2017
Learning Tool
In the memoir Night by Elie Wiesel, the author tells about how he endured the Holocaust
and survived. Throughout the book he talks about his experiences in the concentration camps and
describes some of the graphic scenes he had to encounter. Wiesel tells his story in such an
interesting way that readers feel the emotions he was feeling as if they are experiencing
everything he went through by his side. This book gives a bigger insight on the Holocaust from a
survivors point of view. Reading Night is one of the many ways people can understand more
about the events that happened during this time. All of this makes Night a must-read book for
students. It is better to teach high school students about the Holocaust in school now while they
are still growing and learning. Even though Night describes violent acts and horrific events, high
school students should read Wiesels story to be better educated about this big event in history
and empathize with those who had to endure the terrible acts of genocide.
High school students should read Night by before they graduate because reading about
such dramatic events from an individual point of view is very interesting. After students read this
book, their outlook on the world will completely change. Night is a book that grabs the readers
attention and brings them back in time to experience the horrors of the Holocaust. Wiesels
writing style is very captivating; he uses short sentences or just one or a few words to express
what he is feeling and puts his own human experiences into words. For example, he says,
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"Behind me, an old man fell to the ground. Near him was an SS man, putting his revolver back in
its holster" (3.30) and Two men had seen and hurled themselves upon him. Others joined in.
When they withdrew, next to me were two corpses, side by side, the father and the son. I was
fifteen years old (7.33-34). Wiesel uses his unique writing style to relate to his readers what
emotions he was feeling and how he changed while being in the concentration camps. These are
only just a few examples of violence that Wiesel had to witness. In these quotes, it does not take
much to realize what is happening. Learning about his personal feelings while reading about
everything he is going through can make students think more deeply about the Holocaust.
Although students know some basic facts about the Holocaust, since it is taught in most
history classes, little details such as the personal stories of survivors are often overlooked. Night
gives a view of the horrors the Jews and many other people faced at the hand of the Nazis.
Knowing about the past is very important. I pinched myself: Was I still alive? Was I awake?
How was it possible that men, women, and children were being burned and that the world kept
silent? All this would not be real. A nightmare perhaps Soon I would wake up (3.54-59).
Wiesel himself in this moment could not even believe that what was happening to him was real.
Genocide is happening every day around the world, even today. He [Moishe] told me what had
happened to him and his companions. But people not only refused to believe his tales, they
refused to listen. Some even insinuated that he only wanted their pity, that he was imagining
things (1.29-31). In this quote, Wiesel is saying how everyone did not believe what Moishe was
telling them. In a way, it kind of relates to people today. In the book, no one believes at first
because they could not imagine such violence and such hate. This relates to students learning
about the Holocaust because even though they read it in text books, it is still hard to believe until
they start reading about peoples first-hand experiences, making the situation more real. If every
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high school student reads the memoir Night, they will be better prepared to help end similar
situations and genocide from happening again.
The Holocaust is one of the most notorious acts of genocide in history. The
exterminations committed by Nazi Germany before and during World War II killed millions of
people. Learning about genocide can create a deeper understanding of how the world was back
then. Also, studying about genocide can initiate a better understanding on the subject and the
dangers of remaining silent. If no one talks about these types of events that involve genocide,
such as the Holocaust, it will be harder to stand up against those who support this terrible act.
If people fall silent and do not recap these past events, then it will be harder to prevent
them from happening again. Wiesel himself has even mentioned how important it is to remember
this terrible event that he and many others had to face as well. Being able to read and learn more
about the Holocaust from this could be a great eye-opening tool to teach kids and help students
understand more about it. Learning about the different people involved in the Holocaust and
what exactly happened throughout that time can help people see from different points of views
from different people.
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Work Cited
Wiesel, Elie, and Marion Wiesel. Night. Hill and Wang, a Division of Farrar, Straus and
Giroux, 2017.
