Elie Wiesel Symbolism In Night

Words: 622
Pages: 3

The line between life and death is fragile. As one lives their daily life, any amount of circumstances can immediately cause their status to shift from a living, breathing being, into a decaying body. Many have lost their life in an instant, breaking the thin ice of the lake and plunging into an ocean of darkness. Eliezer Wiesel, the author of the novel “Night”, uses aggressive diction, heavy imagery, and stirring symbolism to describe the distorted line between existence and demise.
The whole of the book "Night" is filled with an extensive amount of word choice. For example, when Elie was just arriving at the death camp, he is approached by an "inmate"(32) which conveys the undeniable fact they they are indeed in a prison, or an inescapable place where Death can attack at any moment. Additionally, when the first Labor camp Elie was in was attacked, they were to run to the next one, being yelled at by their "assassins"(92), which alludes to the fact that their keepers could strike in an instant, severing their fragile connection with life and existence. Furthermore, as Elie and his father were being shipped in cattle cars, Elie's fathers eyes were described as "glassy"(99) when he was
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For example, when the Nazis first arrived at the jew's homes, the "deaths-head emblem"(9) or the nazi symbol is a symbol of despair and sorrow, them believing that that could be the end of their existence. Additionally, when it Mrs. Schächter had "flames devouring her"(25) which conveys the insanity and sorrow surrounding her due to her loss of family and her reason for life. Alike the previous, Elie had a "small red flame"(86) surrounding him, which explains the death and destruction that has enveloped his line, and is followed up with "a shot"(86) which adds that he may always be next, keeping him on the edge of a sword. Theses symbols give a large step forward to showing his natural proximity to