NightBy: Elie Wiesel

**** YOU MUST BRING THIS PACKET AND YOUR BOOK EVERYDAY TO CLASS****

230 Points

Name:_______________________________________ Period: ___________________

Pre-Reading Questions (25 points)Directions: Respond to each of the following questions in four or more complete sentences.

Prompt 1 Based on the image on the cover of this packet and the title of the novel, what do you think this book is going to be about and why?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prompt 2: Are there times when it is best to speak up and defend someone when you see something that is wrong? Are there times when it is not best to do that? Why or why not? What is an example you can think of?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prompt 3: Are people who associate with criminals just as guilty as those who commit the crime? Why or why not? What if they know about the crime ahead of time?

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Prompt 4: Would you do anything in order to live? How about to save someone you love? Explain.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prompt 5: Would you ever do anything to harm someone you cared about? Why or why not? What if your life depended on you harming them? Would you then? Why or why not?

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Elie Wiesel and the Memoir (10 points)Directions: Use the talking to the text method to read the following selection.

Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust.—Elie Wiesel in Night

These are the author’s own words, describing his arrival at the concentration camp that would claim the life of his mother and younger sister. According to critic Kenneth Turan, Wiesel’s memoir commands readers to feel “the inexpressible nausea and revulsion that a simple recitation of statistics never manages to arouse.”

Night begins in 1941 in Wiesel’s Eastern European village of Sighet. As World War II consumes Europe, Wiesel and the other Jews of Sighet still feel safe. An intensely religious young man, Wiesel spends his days studying sacred Jewish texts. By 1944, however, the Germans occupy Sighet and Wiesel’s struggle to survive begins. Wiesel is deported to a Nazi concentration camp where he faces terrifying brutality, the tormenting losses of family and friends, a changing relationship with his father, and an intense challenge to his religious faith. Through young Wiesel’s eyes, readers travel into the hell of Hitler’s death camps and into the darkness of a long night in the history of the human race.

Wiesel wrote Night nearly ten years after the end of World War II. In an interview with noted French Catholic writer and humanitarian François Mauriache, he was inspired to break an earlier vow of silence he had made about the Holocaust. Mauriache urged Wiesel to tell his tale, to hold the world accountable. The resulting 800-page Yiddish manuscript, And the World Remained Silent, was the material from which the considerably shorter Night evolved. In its shorter version, Wiesel’s memoir was published first in France and later—after much resistance due to its distressing subject—in the United States. Slowly, it gathered force and has since been read by millions.

Though the story is written in narrative form, it is not a novel. As a memoir, Night is a brief autobiographical work in which the author

recounts events he has witnessed and introduces people he has known. It is the first of many attempts Wiesel has made to honor these people, many now long dead, and to tell their horrible stories. With Night Wiesel also begins an attempt to find some human or divine explanation for the events he witnessed. For a man raised with deep religious faith, reconciling Nazi actions with Judaism has been a life-directing task.

Since Night’s American publication in 1960, Elie Wiesel’s willingness to share his own story has helped turn the tide of world discussion. After the end of

World War II, many people—Jews and non-Jews alike—did not want to think or talk about the horrible events that had occurred. They wanted to avoid the responsibility that might fall on individuals, governments, and organizations who knowingly, or unknowingly, allowed the Holocaust to happen. Some even tried to deny that the Holocaust actually took place. The works of Elie Wiesel ring out in protest against that absurdity and demand that people remember. As he said in a People magazine interview:

the only way to stop the next holocaust . . . is to remember the last one. If the Jews were singled out then, in the next one we are all the victims.

THE TIME AND PLACE

Night takes place in Europe (Romania, Poland, and Germany) during World War II (1939–1945). This war, sparked by German aggression, had its roots in the ending of an earlier war. With Germany’s defeat in World War I, the nation was left with a broken government, a severely limited military, shattered industry and transportation, and an economy sinking under the strain of war debts. Many Germans were humiliated and demoralized.

The Nazi party—in German NAZI stands for National Socialist German Workers Party—came to power in the late 1920s. The party, through its leader Adolf Hitler, offered to restore German pride. At large rallies Hitler spoke of Germany’s long military tradition, its national character, and its entitlement to greatness. To explain Germany’s fallen state, Hitler blamed the Jews and others whom he said were not true Germans. Many Germans responded enthusiastically to Hitler’s ideas, and in 1933 he became chancellor, or leader, of the country.

Once in power, Hitler was able to restore Germany’s economy and its military. He used that progress to support his expansion efforts, unchecked by Allied countries struggling with the worldwide Great Depression. In 1938 Hitler began invading the lands around Germany. Britain and France declared war in 1939. The United States did not enter the war until 1941.

In 1941, when Night begins, Hitler seemed unstoppable. By 1942 he controlled or was allied with most of Europe, including Wiesel’s Romania, which was pro-German. As the story progresses, Wiesel is confined in a total of three concentration camps, Auschwitz and Buna, in Poland, and later

Buchenwald, in central Germany.

Questions: (10 pts)

1. 1. In your own words, what did the Nuremberg laws do?

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3. How was it decided if you were Jewish or not?

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3. How many Jews were living in the Warsaw ghetto?_____________________

5. 4. How many Jewish people died during the holocaust?

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5. What is the “Final Solution”?

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7. 6. How many Jewish males were sent to concentration camps during 8. Kristallnacht?

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Concepts to Own- Judaism and WWII (10 points)Directions: Write down the definition to each word.

1. 1. Passover- ________________________________________________________________________

2. Pentecost- ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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3. Rabbi- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Rosh Hashanah- ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

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5. Synagogue- ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Talmud- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Torah- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Yom Kippur- ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Anti-Semitism- ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. Aryan- _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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11. Genocide- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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12. Gestapo- _______________________________________________________________________________

13. Nazi____________________________________________________________________________________

14. Kapo-_________________________________________________________________________________

15. Schutzstaffel (SS): ___________________________________________________________________

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Setting (10 points)Directions: In each arrow explain how the people reached each destination and draw an image of what each destination looks like in the box.

Sighet, TransylvaniaGhetto (still in Sighet)

Aushwitz- Burkenau

Aushwitz- Buna

Journal: My Most Precious Possessions (515 points)(after reading chapter 1)

The Nazis permit Elie and his family to take only their most precious possessions or what they can carry to the ghetto. When the Nazis evacuated the Jewish families from the ghettos and force them to board the cattle cars for work camps, they again told them to take only what they can carry.

Directions: If you were in a situation where you were forced to suddenly leave your home and were told only to bring those items you could carry to the ghetto, what would you bring? Make a list of the items you would bring, but remember they must be items you can carry with you.

My Most Precious Possessions:

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Using the space below, explain in five to six sentences why you chose the items you did and how you would feel if you had to leave them behind.

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Aushwitz- Buna

Night -Chapter QuestionsDirections: Answer each question on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to the back of this packet. Make sure to label each chapter and the question number. Be aware, some of these questions may come up on a POP QUIZ!

Chapters 1 and 2: (8 points)1. Describe Wiesel’s community at the beginning of the story. How does young Elie view the

world and his place in it?

2. What are some incidents that suggest or foreshadow the coming danger to the Sighet Jews? Why doesn’t the community believe it is in danger?

3. What are the conditions on the Jews’ train journey? How do the Jews react to Madame Schäcter’s behavior? What does this reveal about human nature?

4. Even though it was 1944, and Nazi extermination of Jews had begun years earlier, the Sighet Jews had very few facts about it. Do you think it is possible in today’s world for a community to know so little, to be so unprepared? Explain.

Chapters 3-5 (8 points)1. Describe the conditions at the Birkenau reception center, then at Auschwitz, and later at

Buna. How does Wiesel’s relationship with his father change during this time?

2. What events lead to the two hangings Wiesel describes? How does Wiesel feel about his evening meal after each hanging? What do his reactions suggest about how he is changing?

3. In the camps, Wiesel must struggle to stay alive and to remain human. In your opinion, how well does he succeed with his struggles?

4. There are several discussions about resistance by the prisoners. Why do you think there was no large scale effort to resist?

Chapters 6-9 (10 points)1. Why do Wiesel and his father leave Buna? How do they respond to the circumstances of the forced march?

2. What happens between Rabbi Eliahou and his son? What does Wiesel’s reaction to this incident reveal about his relationship with God?

3. How does Wiesel treat his father during the journey to Buchenwald and later during Chlomo’s illness? How does Wiesel’s link to his father affect his will to survive?

4. Given their life or death situation, do you believe Wiesel’s attitude toward his father was understandable? Explain your reactions.

5. Wiesel believes that remembering the Holocaust will help to ensure that this type of atrocity does not occur in the future. Do you think learning about historical events can guide people to behave differently? Explain.

Themes (20 points)(to be completed throughout the reading)

A theme is a central message or insight into life revealed through a literary work. It is a general statement about people or life in general. There are many subjects within the novel Night that can be developed into themes.

Directions: Complete the chart below. For each subject, find direct quotes from the novel that relate to that subject. After considering your textual evidence, develop a thematic statement for each subject (meaning what can we learn about the subject based on our readings).

Subject Evidence from Night Theme

MANKIND

COMPASSION

FAITH

Which one is the most valuable to you and why? _________________________________________________

Self-preservation vs. Family commitmentOne of the themes of Night, born out of Elie Wiesel’s own experience with his father and observations of other sons and fathers, addresses self-preservation versus family commitment. (10 points)

Directions: Complete the bubble cluster below with direct quotes that show the interactions between fathers and sons. Then on a separate sheet of paper, explain what readers can learn from this theme.

Theme- Dignity in the face of human crueltyAnother of the themes of Night deals with dignity in the face of human cruelty.(10 points)

Directions: Complete the three boxes on the right. You may either paraphrase events from the novel or use direct quotes. After considering your textual evidence, develop a thematic statement (a statement that shows what we can learn from each event).Inhuman Cruelty Responding with Dignity

Self-preservation versus family commitment

Theme:

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Night - Final Assessment:Directions: Chooae one activity from each category to complete this packet.(50 points)

Category A: WritingOption 1: Letter to the author

Abusive kapos and being allowed only minimal food On Rosh Hashanah…

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Juliek…_______________________________________________________

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Eliezer…_______________________________________________________

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Forbidden to play Beethoven, forced on a death march, freezing and crushed in barracks

The doctors will not attend Eliezer’s father, the fellow prisoners beat him, no more food is given to him because he is dying

Write a letter to Elie Wiesl. There are several things you need to think about for your letter. You must use proper letter format (see me for format), and include the following:

1. Tell Elie what you thought/ how you reacted to his story2. Mention at least 2 specific incidents (things that happened) from the book and how or why

they affected you.3. Tell Elie what you learned about the Holocaust from his experience4. Explain what you learned from his experience overall 5. Share any other personal information, questions, or insights you would like.

Option 2: Response to literatureChoose a theme to write about and share with your reader how it connects to your life in a five paragraph essay. This essay should have an introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs and a conclusion format. Use the autobiographical narrative notes to help you with this assignment.

Option 3: Discussion on the dehumanization of people.Dehumanization is the process by which the Nazis gradually reduced the Jews to little more than "things" which were a nuisance to them. Explain at least THREE specific examples of events which dehumanized Eliezer, his father, or his fellow Jews. Then, analyze how each event changed Elie’s attitude, outlook, and identity. Write this in a five paragraph essay format.

Option 4: ReflectionWrite a 1 paragraph response to each of the writing prompts you responded to before we

started reading. Do you still think the same way? Why or why not?

Option 5: Creative WritingPretend you are a guard at one of the concentration camps. You are working there, because it

is your duty, however, you disagree with what is being done. You know that if you get out of line, the other Nazis will treat you the same way they treat the Jewish people. One day, you decide that enough is enough, and you want to help the Jewish people escape. Write a five, or more, paragraph short story on what you would do.

Option 6: Journal EntriesPretend that you are a person living in the concentration camp and write 5 diary entries on

what you think, feel and do each day.

Option 7: What ifIdentify a turning point, and think what would have happened if this never happened. Then

write five paragraphs on Weisel’s life would have been different if this event did not happen.

***RUBRICS WILL BE PASSED OUT AT A LATER TIME*****

Night - Final Assessment:(40 points)

Category B: CreativityOption 1: Infographic

Create an infographic (much like the one with facts about the holocaust) for the book Night. Include at least 7 images and 9 facts. This must be done on poster board

Option 2: Create a book trailerCreate a book trailer for Night. A book trailer is just like a movie trailer. It shows all the important elements of the book, just like the movie. Your trailer may be live action, puppets, computer generated, etc. It must be at least 2 minutes long.

Option 3: Create a movie posterGo 'old school' with the images, either draw them or use images from magazines, newspapers, etc. Also choose important quotes, create taglines, and provide a brief synopsis to "sell" the story to the potential audience.

Option 4: Create a word collage Write the title of the book in the center of a poster board, then search through magazines and newspapers to find words, phrases, and sentences that either represent the book or explain something about the book. You should concentrate on theme, setting, plot, and characters during this exercise. Requirements: a minimum of 50 words, phrases, and sentences, paper should be fully covered and provide the viewer with a strong visual impact that reveals a great deal about the story.

Option 5: Create a character scrapbookConsider the purpose of scrapbooking and what kinds of mementos you would place in your own scrapbooks. After choosing a character from the text, use magazines, newspapers, and your own imaginations to cut out and/or draw mementos that would be important to the character. Your scrapbook must have at least 10 entries. Be sure to label these entries.

Option 6: Costume/Set design Consider what it would be like to stage a production of the story. Using magazines, newspapers, advertisements, etc., create fashion boards to represent how you would dress the main characters and/or set boards to detail how you would set the stage including backdrops, lighting, props, etc. Write-ups should include why these visual choices were made and how they relate to the text using concrete examples. You must create 3 fashion boards and one detailed set board

*IF you would like to come up with your own writing assignment or creative project, please see me and get it approved. I would love to hear your ideas!