NIGHT FINAL EXAM NOTES

Author: Eliezer Wiesel

• Born in 1928, in the town of Sighet, Romania

• 1944 - Deported to Auschwitz with his family, marking the beginning of his harrowing experiences in the Holocaust.

• Wiesel survived:

  • Auschwitz

  • Buna

  • Buchenwald

  • Gleiwitz

• In 1963, Wiesel became a U.S. citizen

• He continued to advocate for human rights as a professor of humanities at Boston University (1976)

• From 1980 to 1986, Wiesel served as the Chairman of the President's Commission on the Holocaust, where he worked to educate Americans about the Holocaust and prevent future atrocities.

• He received the Congressional Gold Medal in 1985 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

BACKGROUND:

• The original title of Night was “And the World has remained Silent”

  • The first version was 800 pages and written in Yiddish

• He wrote the book after taking a vow of silence for 10 years.

THEMES OF THE NOVEL:

• Apathy is more dangerous than pure hatred

• One’s spirit drives the soul to survive

• The light of faith in humanity can overcome the darkness of hate

• Even in despair, man searches for meaning

COMMON FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:

Anaphora - repetition of a phrase or a word at the beginning of a sentence. (ex. “Never shall I forget..” )

Asyndeton - a list of things without conjunctions.

Polysyndeton - A list of things with the repetition of a word (neither rain nor shine nor wind)

Periodic Sentences - a sentence where the main idea is at the end.

STYLE REVIEW AND MINI LESSONS

• High/Formal Diction: This involves language that creates an elevated tone. It is free of slang, idioms, colloquialisms, and contractions. It often contains polysyllabic words, sophisticated syntax, and elegant word choice.

  • Used in scholarly papers, formal speeches, and literature.

• Neutral Diction: Uses standard language and vocabulary without elaborate words and may include contractions.

  • Found in newspapers, articles, and other informative writing.

• Low/Informal Diction: The language of common, everyday use. It may include slang, idioms, colloquialisms, and contractions.

  • Often used in conversation and personal letters.

TYPES OF DICTION

• Slang (GOAT, lit, etc)

• Colloquial (gonna, wanna, etc.)

• Jargon- slang belonging or most commonly used in a certain region (ex. Texas: y’all)

• Dialect - Non-standard sub-group of language

SYNTAX ANALYSIS

• Syntax- Sentence structure

• Syntax analysis- the process of looking closely at sentence structure and determining the impact of various structures.

• Analyze syntax by considering :

  • Sentence length

  • Sentence beginnings

  • Word order

  • Rhetorical questions

  • Arrangement of ideas

  • Sentence classifications

  • When analyzing syntax, be sure to explain the effect as well. Mere sentence identification is not enough.

SENTENCE TYPES AND STYLES

• Telegraphic (shorter than five words)

• Short (6-10 words)

• Medium (11-25 words) 

• Long (25+ words)