Night Comprehension Questions

Name______Ms. Biondi English II CP ______

Night Comprehension Questions By Elie Wiesel

Directions: Respond to the following questions in complete sentences. For full credit, respond in detail and use evidence from the text to support your answers when necessary.

Preface & Foreword:

1. According to Elie Wiesel, what was his purpose behind writing this novel?

2. How did language become an obstacle for Wiesel as he tried to tell his story?

3. Describe the difficulties Night faced when it was first published.

4. Beyond the tragic loss of Elie’s family, what else did he lose forever?

5. Where does Wiesel show rebellion? Why do you think he does it?

6. Overall, how would you interpret Mauriac’s tone toward his subject, Elie Wiesel?

Section 1: (pg. 3-22)

1. Who is Moishe the Beadle? Describe him in detail. 2. How does Wiesel describe his father?

3. What does Moishe tell the townspeople about his experience at the concentration camps?

4. Why does Wiesel open Night with Moishe the Beadle and his story?

5. What do the townspeople of Sighet think of Moshe’s story?

6. Why did Moishe return to Sighet?

7. How does Elie’s community feel about the war during the spring of 1944?

8. How do the townspeople view the German soldiers when they first invade Sighet?

9. What happens on the 7th day of Passover? What name does Elie give that moment?

10. What restrictions were placed on the Jew’s of Sighet by the soldiers?

11. Describe the ghetto’s that were created in Sighet. 12. What does Wiesel mean when he states, “The ghetto was ruled by neither German nor Jew; it was ruled by delusion”? (12).

13. What terrible news does Elie’s father bring the townspeople?

14. To what does Elie compare the townspeople as they are filing out of the ghetto? Is this a fitting comparison? Why or why not?

15. What is ironic about the day Elie and the townspeople are expulsed from the ghetto?

16. Describe the synagogue the townspeople were forced to stay in prior to leaving the ghetto.

17. How are the townspeople being transported? Why is the symbolism in the form of transportation used?

1. Describe Elie’s experience as he rode in the cattle car.

2. On page 23 Elie states, “Our eyes opened. Too late,” what does he mean? Where do you think the Jewish people are being brought?

3. The German officers threaten to shoot the Jewish people at the beginning of this section. What are some of the reasons why? 4. Why does Mrs. Schachter go mad in the cattle car? What does she claim to see and how is this ironic?

5. How do the others on the cattle car treat Mrs. Schachter? Why do you think they do this?

6. Where is the cattle cars final destination? What will the Jewish people be doing there?

Section 3: (pg.29-46)

1. What two things have the Jewish people left behind in the wagons? Why?

2. Why does the inmate encourage Elie and his father to lie about their age?

3. Why is the second inmate Elie and his father encounter so angry?

4. What sight is Elie exposed to that causes sleep to still evade him?

5. Why does Elie feel anger when the people around him are reciting Kaddish?

6. As Elie nears the pit, what does he contemplate doing? Why doesn’t he?

7. What does Bela Katz note say? 8. What do the S.S officers do the incoming inmates?

9. The SS officer tells the inmates they have two options to choose from while in Auschwitz. What are they?

10. Elie see’s signs throughout his march through the camp. What do they say and why does he find it ironic?

11. Summarize the “first human words” that Elie hears while in Auschwitz.

12. How do the SS officers dehumanize the incoming inmates? List the ways.

13. What lie does Elie tell Stein? What does this tell you about his character?

1. Why were the German officers so interested in the children?

2. What Kommando does Elie get placed in? What warning does Juliek give him?

3. How does Elie avoid getting his gold crown removed? What happened to the dentist? 4. Describe the incident with Idek and the French woman.

5. How did the French woman sacrifice her safety for Elie?

6. What is Elie’s “weakness” and how does Franek exploit it?

7. What happens after Elie catches Idek with the Polish girl? What are Elie’s thoughts while it is happening?

8. What is left unattended during the alert? What does one inmate decide to do? What is his fate?

9. Why are the inmates relieved during the bombings?

10. What happened to the pipel?

11. Then man marching behind Elie asks, “Where is God?” What does Elie mean when he responds, “Where is he? This is where—hanging here from this gallows” (65). ?

1. In what ways has Elie abandoned his religious beliefs? Give 2 examples from the text. 2. What happens during selection?

3. Why do the veteran inmates consider Buna a paradise?

4. What are the inmates advised to do in order to increase their chances at passing selection?

5. What two thoughts does Elie have as the inmates are standing in line waiting for Dr. Mengele to examine them?

6. What does Elie take from his father? Why?

7. What happened to Akiba Drumer? What does he ask the inmates to do for him?

8. What happened to Elie’s foot? What makes him afraid to stay in the infirmary?

9. Why does Elie’s neighbor in the infirmary have faith in Hitler?

10. What does Elie and his father decide to do when the camp announces that it will be evacuated? Why do they make this choice?

11. What happened to those who stayed in the infirmary? 12. Why did the Blockälteste order the prisoners to clean the block before evacuation?

1. Describe the inmates’ march through the snow.

2. What does Elie consider as he is marching that winter night? What stops him?

3. Why does Elie consider himself and the other inmates “masters of nature”?

4. Why won’t Elie’s father let him sleep?

5. What did Rabbi Eliahu’s son do?

6. Who’s voice does Elie hear in the pile of inmates? What is this person concerned about?

7. What significance does Beethoven’s concerto still have for Elie?

8. How does Elie’s father evade being sentenced to death at the end of this section? Section 7: (pg. 98-103)

1. What do the men do with the dead bodies in the cattle cars? Why?

2. What happened to the old man who received a piece of bread?

3. What happened on the third night of the journey?

4. How many people were on the wagon at the beginning of the journey? At the end? What is their final destination?

Section 8: (pg. 104-112)

1. Why is Elie ashamed of himself at the beginning of this section?

2. Why does Elie compare himself to Rabbi Eliabu’s son?

3. What did Elie’s father die from?

4. Why do the other bunkmates beat Elie’s father?

5. What advice does the Blockälteste give Elie? What does Elie think of this? 6. What does the SS officer do to Elie’s father when he won’t remain quiet?

7. What happened the morning of January 29th?

Section 9: (pg. 113-115)

1. What is unusual about the morning of April 5th?

2. Who arrived at 6 in the afternoon at Buchenwald?

3. What do the prisoners think about once they are liberated? What do they not think about?

4. What does Elie see when he looks in the mirror for the first time since the ghetto? Why does this affect him so deeply?