Perspectives On The Holocaust In Eliezer Wiesel's Ordinary Men

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Pages: 8

Two works of literature that display examples of key events and perspectives on the Holocaust are “Night” by Eliezer Wiesel and “Ordinary Men” by Christopher Browning. The Holocaust occurred within the 1930’s. The Holocaust was the persecution and murder of millions of Jews. The Holocaust reminds us today of human nature and the sacrifices made by those before us. Are Elie Wiesel and Browning using their works of literature to notify those of later generations the effects and point of view of both sides? In “Ordinary Men”, Browning seems to be more sympathetic to the guards, while Elie Wiesel in “Night”, a survivor of the genocide, displays the point of view of those held within concentration camps. Throughout both their novels they exhibit …show more content…
The police battalion wanted to be accepted by their commanders and fellow members, so stepping forward was not seen as a choice. But ultimately, they were given one. Another perspective of dehumanization in the novel is how officers were practically forced to complete these horrible acts. I believe that it is inhumane to make people treat others this way no matter the motive or belief behind it. The police were given a way out by commander Trapp. Under the circumstances, they allowed peer pressure to overcome their own morals. Browning seemed to be very sympathetic towards the police battalion at first when describing the sadness and depression they went through after a long day of killings. After a long time of participating in such activities, they no longer felt remorse. Is this because they no longer felt like they had a choice? Or is it because they truly felt like they were right? I believe that conformity played a major role within their decision. The pressure to conform factors into the soldiers’ unwillingness to abstain from the killings at the …show more content…
Despite obvious signs, the Jewish did not want to believe that the Fascists were going to do anything to harm them. Moche the beadle, a humble man who was teaching Eliezer, was deported and taken to a concentration camp where he escaped and came back to warn the townspeople. They refused to believe him. Eliezer’s father refuses to escape the country even after the German army entered Sighet themselves. Until one day, unexpectedly, his father is summoned into a meeting and told that all Jews were being deported. The convoy of deported prisoners begin, Eliezer and his father are scheduled for the last group, and are moved into smaller ghettos. The prisoners are crowded into cattle wagons on a train. A woman named Madame Schaechter is on the train. She starts to scream hysterically about a flaming furnace she claims to see in the distance, and she scares the other occupants of the train. Finally, when the train arrives at Birkenau/Auschwitz, the prisoners see the flaming chimney that Madame Schaechter had prefigured. The prisoners march past SS officer Dr. Mengele, who "selects" who will live and who will go to the crematory. Eliezer and his father, at first, are selected to go to the crematory, when at the last minute, the line of men turns away from the flames. The prisoners are then forced to strip, run, bathe, and redress, all the while being pummeled by veteran prisoners