NIGHT
Author: Elie Wiesel
Nationality: Romanian
Genre: memoir
MAJOR CHARACTERS
1. Elie Wiesel- 12 when book begins; young Jewish boy who struggles to survive concentration camp horrors during the Holocaust;
fights to keep his father alive
2. Elie's father (Chlomo Wiesel)- survives many concentration camp horrors with his son but ultimately dies
3. Madame Schachter- separated from family on cattle car; loses her mind; has visions of
fire
4. Moshe (the Beadle)- Jewish synagogue official; escapes from mass grave killing;
warns others but is not believed
MINOR CHARACTERS
Idek........Franek........French girl........Dr. Mengele........Rabbi Eliahou
Stein.......Hilda..........Bea...................Tzipora................Mrs. Wiesel
Juliek......Stein..........Meir Katz...........Tibi & Yossi
LITERARY TERMS
1. Themes: a) one must sometimes adapt to extreme circumstances in order to survive
b) hatred & prejudice destroy an individual's humanity
2. Foreshadowing: a) Moshe's escape experience and his warnings foreshadow the fate of many more Jews
b) Madame Schachter's visions of fire foreshadow death & crematories in concentration camps
3. Symbols: a) yellow star of David identified Jews & represented Germans & others hatred of them
b) fire....death
c) night....hopelessness, uncertainty, loss, inner "darkness" or emptiness
4. Internal Conflict: a)Elie's continuous struggle to survive and to help his father
b) Elie's anger & questioning of God/religion
5. Settings: Sighet, 1941; Birkenau, Auschwitz, Buna, Gleiwitz, Buchenwald
Crematory oven 
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