The Evolution Of Elie's Faith In Night

Elie Wiesel's faith is a central theme of his memoir, 'Night', which recounts his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust. At the beginning of the book, Wiesel is a deeply religious teenager, obsessed with Jewish scripture and eager to learn more about the faith of his ancestors. However, as he faces the horrors of the concentration camps, his faith is tested and he begins to question God's existence and justice. By the end of the novel, Wiesel's faith has been severely weakened, if not completely shattered, as he struggles to reconcile his beliefs with the devastating circumstances he endures.

Elie loses his faith in God

Elie Wiesel's faith in God is shattered by his experiences in the Nazi concentration camps. At the beginning of the book, Elie is deeply religious, spending much of his time studying Jewish scripture and mysticism. However, the horrors he witnesses in the camps cause him to question his faith and, ultimately, lose all belief in God.

Elie's faith is a significant part of his identity at the start of the novel. He is obsessed with Jewish scripture and spends a lot of time with Moshe the Beadle, who instructs him in "the mystical side of Hasidism". Elie's faith gives meaning to his life, and he believes that through knowledge of God, he will be able to understand the essence of the world.

However, the events in the concentration camps affect him profoundly and change his perception of faith and God. He begins to question why such meaningless brutality can exist and wonders why God has abandoned them. He stops praying and, although he does not deny God's existence, he doubts "His absolute justice". The hanging of a young boy in front of all the Jews in the camp is a pivotal moment that changes Elie's attitude towards his faith. He becomes angry with God for his inaction and indifference to the suffering of the Jewish people.

Elie's loss of faith leaves him feeling empty and alone. He feels betrayed by God and can no longer bring himself to praise or worship Him. He is unable to understand how the other prisoners can continue to have faith in the face of such suffering. He is filled with anger and doubt, and his once-strong relationship with God is broken.

By the end of the novel, Elie is a changed person. He has lost his innocence and is haunted by the death and violence he has witnessed. He has survived, but his reflection is that of someone who is dead:

> "From the depths of the mirror, a corpse gazed back at me. The look in his eyes, as they stared into mine, has never left me."

He questions God's existence

Elie Wiesel's relationship with God is a central theme in his memoir, 'Night'. The book details his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust and how they changed him physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

At the beginning of the story, Elie is deeply religious and spiritual. He is fascinated by the Jewish faith and spends a lot of time learning about it with Moshe the Beadle, who instructs him in "the mystical side of Hasidism". Elie's faith is a significant part of his identity and his life revolves around understanding God and the essence of the world.

However, as the story progresses and Elie faces unimaginable horrors, his relationship with God changes drastically. He begins to question God's existence and intentions, especially as he witnesses the suffering and brutality around him. He cannot understand how a loving God could allow such atrocities to happen to his faithful people.

> Why did I pray? Strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe?

Elie struggles to reconcile his faith with the devastating circumstances he finds himself in. He notes:

> Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust.

Despite his anger and confusion, Elie does not completely deny God's existence. Instead, he questions God's justice and mercy:

> I did not deny God's existence, but I doubted his absolute justice...

Elie's experiences in the concentration camps leave him feeling abandoned and betrayed by God. He accuses God of inaction and indifference to the suffering of the Jewish people. He wonders where God is in the midst of all the pain and suffering:

> How do you compare to this stricken mass gathered to affirm you their faith, their anger, their defiance... ... What are you my God?

Elie's faith is shattered, and he is left feeling empty and alone in a world that no longer makes sense to him.

He loses faith in his family

In the memoir "Night", Elie Wiesel recounts his experiences in the Nazi concentration camps, detailing his loss of faith in God, family, and humanity.

Wiesel's loss of faith in his family is evident in his separation from his mother and sister, as he is resigned to never seeing them again. He describes the moment of separation: "Men to the left! Women to the right..." (pg 27). This moment marks a turning point in his relationship with his family, as he is forced to accept that he can no longer depend on them for support.

As the narrative progresses, Wiesel's father's advancing age and weakening condition further contribute to his loss of faith in his family. Wiesel recognizes his father's diminishing strength and understands that he cannot rely on him for protection. He internalizes the harsh reality of their situation, acknowledging that "every man has to fight for himself and not think of anyone else. Even of his father..." (pg 105). This realization underscores Wiesel's sense of isolation and reinforces his loss of faith in his family as a source of support and protection.

The physical and mental struggles that Wiesel endures in the concentration camps also contribute to his loss of faith in his family. He grapples with feelings of guilt and resentment towards his father, as he is unable to provide the help and care that his father needs to survive. Wiesel's father becomes a burden that he feels he must shed to ensure his own survival. This internal conflict highlights the breakdown of their familial bond and underscores Wiesel's loss of faith in the traditional family structure as a source of mutual support and protection.

Ultimately, Wiesel's experiences in the concentration camps lead him to place his faith in himself above all else. He recognizes that he can only depend on his own strength and resilience to endure the horrors of their circumstances. This shift in faith marks a significant departure from traditional family values and underscores the devastating impact of their experiences in the concentration camps.

He loses his innocence

In the memoir "Night", Elie Wiesel recounts his experiences as a Jewish boy under Nazi control. The book describes the horrifying scenes and feelings he suffered through as a repressed Jew.

At the beginning of the book, Elie is extremely spiritual. He spends a great deal of time studying the Jewish scripture and learning about the faith of his Jewish ancestors. He is taught by Moshe the Beadle, who instructs him in "the mystical side of Hasidism". Elie's faith is a significant part of his being and his heart.

However, as the story progresses, Elie's faith is tested in unimaginable ways. He and his family are deported to Auschwitz, where they are immediately separated from the rest of the family. Elie and his father are put to work, fighting to survive. Throughout his time in the concentration camps, Elie describes several accounts of hangings and other horrific events that cause him to question God's intentions and his existence.

Elie's once-strong relationship with God is broken as he struggles to understand why God would allow such suffering. He recalls the relationship between God and His creations, and questions why God would punish the men of faith around him. He notes:

> Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust.

Elie's physical appearance also changes drastically. At the beginning of the story, he is young and healthy, with his whole life ahead of him. By the end, he is liberated by the Allies, but he struggles to adjust to being free, clean, and fed. He has faced the real possibility of his own imminent death and watched his father die day by day. When he looks in the mirror, he sees a corpse gazing back at him.

Elie's emotional state also undergoes a significant transformation. One of the most difficult changes to witness is the deterioration of his relationship with his father. As his father becomes weaker, Elie must take on the responsibility of caring for him, trying desperately to keep him awake and moving. Before long, as his father's health continues to deteriorate, Elie begins to resent him, feeling guilty for his lack of emotion. When his father dies, Elie is unable to cry. He feels a sense of relief, but also a profound loss of innocence.

Throughout the memoir, Elie experiences events that change him irrevocably. He loses his innocence, his faith, and his sense of self. He is forced to grow up quickly in the face of unimaginable horrors, and the boy who once prayed with such devotion is replaced by a cynical, traumatized young man.

He feels betrayed by God

In his memoir, *Night*, Elie Wiesel recounts his experiences as a Jewish boy under Nazi control during World War II. The narrative details the author's physical, emotional, and spiritual changes as he faces the horrors of the German concentration camps in the 1940s.

Before the events of the book, Elie is deeply religious, spending much of his time studying the Talmud and the Zohar, and visiting the Temple. He is taught by Moishe the Beadle, who instructs him in the mystical side of Hasidism. Elie's faith is a significant part of his identity. However, his experiences in the concentration camps lead to a crisis of faith.

Elie feels betrayed by God as he witnesses the suffering and death of those around him. He questions how a loving God could allow such atrocities to occur. In the book, he says:

> Why, but why should I bless Him? In every fiber, I rebelled. Because He had had thousands of children burned in His pits? Because He kept six crematories working night and day, on Sundays and feast days? Because in His great might He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many factories of death? How could I say to Him: 'Blessed art Thou, Eternal, Master of the Universe,...'

Elie's sense of betrayal is heightened as he sees the continued faith of those around him. Despite their circumstances, they continue to pray and praise God, while Elie feels abandoned and alone. He notes:

> Look at these men whom You have betrayed, allowing them to be tortured, slaughtered, and burned, what do they do? They pray before You! They praise Your name!

Elie's faith is further tested as he faces personal losses, including the separation from his mother and sister, and the declining health and eventual death of his father. The cruelty and inhumanity he experiences and witnesses lead him to doubt God's existence and question God's justice. He feels that his dreams have been "turned to dust".

Elie's struggle with his faith is a central theme in *Night*. His journey from deep religiosity to a sense of betrayal and abandonment by God reflects the spiritual crisis that many faced during the Holocaust.

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