Questions and Answers
How did the new camp appear to Elie?
It appeared deserted and dead.
What was the dentist looking for during the medical examinations?
Gold teeth.
What were Elie and his father assigned to do?
They had to sort electrical parts.
What potential problems were in Elie's job?
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Why was Elie called to the dentist?
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How did Elie avoid having his tooth pulled?
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What was Elie so pleased about regarding his gold crown?
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What happened to the dentist and why?
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What happened to Elie one day at the factory?
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Who cleaned the blood from Elie and soothed him with kind words?
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What was unusual about the girl that comforted Elie?
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What else did Idek do to the Wiesel's?
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How did Elie respond to Idek's behavior?
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What did Franek, the Polish foreman, want from Elie?
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How did the foreman get revenge on Elie and his father for not giving up his gold tooth?
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How did Elie try to stop the beatings?
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What did Elie finally do; what was the irony of what happened?
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Is it surprising that the Kapos were so cruel considering that they were prisoners?
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How did Idek punish Elie for spying on him?
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Why did Elie's unit have to go to the warehouse?
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Why was a prisoner shot during the air raid?
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What happened when the prisoners were told that soup would not be distributed until after roll call?
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What other public execution does Wiesel write about?
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Why was this execution particularly cruel?
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What is Elie's first impression of the camp at Buna?
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What does the dentist look for in the mouths of the prisoners?
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What excuse does Elie give the dentist so that he won't take out his gold crown?
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What part of Elie's body alone is aware of 'the passage of time'?
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Why does Idek beat Elie's father?
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What is the punishment Idek gives Elie for leaving the area assigned to him to work?
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Who bombs the camp at Buna?
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Why is the pipel hanged?
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What is the reputation of the pipel and the fifty-second cable unit?
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What makes the hanging of the pipel different from the other hangings the prisoners have witnessed?
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How does Buna compare to other camps?
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What does Elie refuse to give up to the 'hard-faced' assistant?
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What is the purpose of the medical examinations?
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Why can't the Jewish musicians play music by Beethoven?
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List at least two people that Elie meets in the unit at Buna and describe his relationship with them.
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How does Elie initially avoid losing his gold crown?
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Describe one of Idek's 'bouts of madness.'
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Who does Elie meet years later at the Paris Metro? Why did this person keep their Jewish religion a secret?
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What does Elie do during the scene where Idek beats his father? What does this tell us about Elie?
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What happens when Elie refuses to give his crown to Franek? What is the end result?
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What is Elie's punishment as a result of 'meddling in other people's affairs'?
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Describe the scene with the soup cauldrons.
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During one of the preliminary 'ceremonies' for a hanging, what does Juliek whisper to Elie? What does this suggest about life in the camp?
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During one hanging, Elie and the other prisoners cry. What makes this hanging different than the others?
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The question, 'Where is God now?' is asked. How is it answered?
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Study Notes
Overview of Chapter 4
- Elie's first impression of the new camp, Buna, was of desolation and abandonment, evoking the feeling of a dead place.
- Prisoners underwent medical examinations primarily for the purpose of extracting gold teeth.
Work Details and Challenges
- Elie and his father were assigned menial work sorting electrical parts, viewed as less dangerous than other tasks.
- Their foreman, Idek, exhibited unstable and violent behavior, posing risks to the workers.
- Elie was called to the dentist due to possessing a gold tooth but managed to delay its extraction by feigning illness.
Relationships and Reactions
- Elie valued his gold crown because it could be traded for food or survival.
- The dentist faced imprisonment for trading in extracted gold teeth, illustrating a violation of camp rules.
- Elie experienced physical abuse, including a beating from Idek, while a French woman comforted him afterwards with kindness.
Interactions with Other Inmates
- A Polish foreman named Franek pressured Elie for his gold tooth, which Elie initially refused to give up.
- Idek retaliated against Elie’s father for perceived laziness, prompting Elie to feel internal conflict about his frustration towards his father instead of Idek.
Consequences and Cruelty
- Elie's refusal to part with his gold tooth led to physical and psychological torment for his father.
- Elie ultimately surrendered his crown, noting irony when Franek was later transferred, leaving Elie without the benefits of his sacrifice.
- The camp's brutal environment forced prisoners, including Kapos, to resort to cruelty as a means of survival.
Acts of Violence and Despair
- Idek punished Elie for spying on him by whipping him in front of others.
- A prisoner was shot during an air raid while attempting to steal soup, highlighting the desperation of camp life.
- Public executions became a grim reality, with a child victim's suffering eliciting a powerful emotional response from fellow inmates.
Reflections on Life in the Camp
- Elie turned to his father's welfare during beatings, a shift away from familial loyalty.
- Elie's internal struggle was evident as he witnessed atrocities without intervening, showcasing the erosion of compassion due to trauma and survival instincts.
- Elie refrained from giving up his shoes, symbolizing the significance of holding onto the little possessions that remained meaningful amidst dehumanization.
Final Events and Realizations
- Idek’s unpredictable violence illustrated the chaotic power dynamics among prisoners.
- Elie's encounters with fellow inmates demonstrated a form of shared camaraderie despite ongoing hardship.
- The hanging of the piple, particularly emotional due to his youth, highlighted the depths of despair within the camp and the persistent question of divine absence in suffering.
- The chapter closes with the poignant acknowledgment of God’s perceived silence in the face of such extreme moral and physical devastation.
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Description
Explore the significant events and themes in Chapter 4 of Elie Wiesel's 'Night'. This chapter highlights the harsh realities faced by the prisoners in the Buna camp, including Elie's struggles with his fate and the relationships forged amidst suffering. Dive into Elie's experiences with violence, survival, and the complexities of human interactions in desperate times.
