Obligation In Elie Wiesel's Night

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“Never Again” is a phrase that refers to the genocides that have occurred in history, particularly the Holocaust. Yet this phrase cannot be put into effect and cannot become the truth until the younger generations realize the full implications of it. That is why Elie Wiesel’s Night and Helen Fein’s Universe of Obligation are instructive to teenagers today. Wiesel’s memoir is from a time in his life that makes it easier for younger readers to connect to, allowing him to impart to them knowledge that will later on allow them to make better choices with their own lives. His book also introduces the idea of the universe of obligation and teaches students to be mindful of the way they treat others.
Night is a book that invokes thought regardless of age range. It is the feelings of a boy who is only a teeanger at the time when he experiences many of the worst kinds of torture humankind has perpetrated. While Night has undoubtedly been influential over all age-ranges, it is …show more content…
Fein’s Universe of Obligation is defined as,” People to whom you are obligated, for whom rules apply, and whose injury calls for amends.” Knowing this concept allows people to become more aware of their relationships with others as well as the seriousness of their actions. It is even more impactful for teenagers who are in the middle of building relationships and universes of obligations. Night represents the extremes of when the universe of obligation shrinks but milder infractions occur even in modern times. An example of this is evident in Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez speech to the UN. Martinez is campaigning for people to help him stop global warming, but many countries are so concerned with themselves that they find it unnecessary to deal with this major problem. Their universes of obligations shrink to exclude the younger generation, the ones who will have to deal with an Earth devoid of greenery and covered in
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