Night by Elie Wiesel

Eliezer

The narrator, a teenager who loses faith in God and struggles for survival in concentration camps.

Shlomo

Eliezer's father, who remains by Eliezer's side throughout their ordeal.

Moishe the Beadle

A teacher and poor Jew who warned others about the horrors of the camps after escaping.

Akiba Drumer

A camp inmate who loses faith in God due to his suffering and ultimately meets a tragic fate.

Madame Schachter

A woman who experiences a mental breakdown on the train, foreshadowing horrors the prisoners will face.

Juliek

A cynical Polish electrician who shares a bond with Eliezer.

Tibi and Yosi

Two brothers from Czechoslovakia who support each other through their hardship.

Dr. Josef Mengele

The infamous SS officer who conducts selections at the camps.

Idek

A violent prisoner in charge of other prisoners at Buna, known for his cruel treatment.

Franek

A former student who seeks Eliezer’s gold tooth, representing greed and cruelty.

Rabbi Eliahou

A respected rabbi who is abandoned by his son during the deportations.

Zalman

A fellow prisoner who is trampled to death during a forced march.

Meir Katz

Eliezer's acquaintance who helps him and his father but eventually succumbs to despair.

Stein

A family member who provides support and news about loved ones to Eliezer and his father.

Hilda

Eliezer's oldest sister.

Bea

Eliezer's middle sister.

Tzipora

Eliezer's youngest sister, who is only 7 years old.

The Ghettos

Areas where Jews were isolated from the rest of society before deportation.

Auschwitz

The infamous concentration and extermination camp where Eliezer faced unimaginable horrors.

The Selection Process

The brutal procedure where the SS officers decide which Jews will live or die.

Dehumanization

The process by which individuals lose their human qualities, often experienced by prisoners.

Faith

A central theme in Eliezer’s journey, which he struggles to maintain in the face of suffering.

Survival

The instinct that drives Eliezer to endure harsh conditions and fight for life.

Resistance

Acts of defiance against oppression, shown by Eliezer and others in small, personal ways.

Buna

The labor camp where Eliezer and his father are sent after Auschwitz.

Concentration Camp

Detention centers where Jews and others were imprisoned, forced to work, and often executed.

Forced Marches

The brutal treks that prisoners had to endure, often leading to death from exhaustion.

Loss of Identity

The stripping away of personal identity, represented by the assignment of numbers.

The Kabbalah

A mystical Jewish text that Eliezer studied with Moishe, reflecting his early faith.

The Soup

A symbol of survival, often associated with terrible conditions in the camps.

Kaddish

A Jewish prayer for the dead, which becomes significant (and ultimately not recited) after losses.

Symbolism of Fire

Represents destruction, both literal (crematoria) and spiritual (loss of faith).

The Role of Family

Central to Eliezer's journey, highlighting bonds that are both a source of strength and pain.

Holocaust

The genocide of Jews and others during World War II.

Despair

A pervasive feeling among prisoners, representing the struggle against hopelessness.