Podcast
Questions and Answers
Describe Moishe the Beadle.
Describe Moishe the Beadle.
Poor, taught Elie religion, town outcast.
How old is Elie when the story begins?
How old is Elie when the story begins?
12-13
How is Elie different from teens in the modern age?
How is Elie different from teens in the modern age?
Into reading and studying religions.
How does religion shape Elie?
How does religion shape Elie?
What connection do Moishe and Elie have?
What connection do Moishe and Elie have?
When all the foreign Jews were expelled from Sighet, what was the initial reaction?
When all the foreign Jews were expelled from Sighet, what was the initial reaction?
When Moishe returns, what story does he relate? How do people react?
When Moishe returns, what story does he relate? How do people react?
What is the Jews' initial reaction to the German soldiers?
What is the Jews' initial reaction to the German soldiers?
Describe the ghettos.
Describe the ghettos.
Describe Mrs. Schachter. What does she keep screaming?
Describe Mrs. Schachter. What does she keep screaming?
What do the other passengers do with this information?
What do the other passengers do with this information?
Why do you think they react this way?
Why do you think they react this way?
When the train arrives in ______, what do the passengers see?
When the train arrives in ______, what do the passengers see?
What two things did the passengers have to leave behind in the train? Which do you think was more valuable?
What two things did the passengers have to leave behind in the train? Which do you think was more valuable?
What were the 8 simple short words that changed Elie's life forever?
What were the 8 simple short words that changed Elie's life forever?
How do Elie and his father save their lives at the initial selection?
How do Elie and his father save their lives at the initial selection?
Why do the young men with the knives decide not to revolt?
Why do the young men with the knives decide not to revolt?
What horrific sight does Elie encounter being thrown in the burning ditch?
What horrific sight does Elie encounter being thrown in the burning ditch?
Why does Elie thank God for mud?
Why does Elie thank God for mud?
What choice does the SS officer give to the men?
What choice does the SS officer give to the men?
Why doesn't Elie defend his father when he is beaten for asking where the toilets are?
Why doesn't Elie defend his father when he is beaten for asking where the toilets are?
What does ARBEIT MACHT FREI mean?
What does ARBEIT MACHT FREI mean?
What were the first human words that Elie hears since being transported?
What were the first human words that Elie hears since being transported?
What is Elie's new name?
What is Elie's new name?
What lie does Elie tell Stein? Why does he lie?
What lie does Elie tell Stein? Why does he lie?
Why does Akiba Drumer say all this horror is happening to them?
Why does Akiba Drumer say all this horror is happening to them?
What new camp is Elie sent to?
What new camp is Elie sent to?
What deal does Elie strike so he can remain with his father?
What deal does Elie strike so he can remain with his father?
What job does Elie get? Does he enjoy the work?
What job does Elie get? Does he enjoy the work?
Describe Elie's interaction with the dentist. What happens to the dentist?
Describe Elie's interaction with the dentist. What happens to the dentist?
Why does Elie feel anger towards his father?
Why does Elie feel anger towards his father?
Who takes Elie's crown? Was it worth it?
Who takes Elie's crown? Was it worth it?
Why is Elie beaten?
Why is Elie beaten?
Why is an inmate shot during a raid?
Why is an inmate shot during a raid?
How is the young pipel described? What happens to him?
How is the young pipel described? What happens to him?
Why does Elie think the soup tasted of corpses that night?
Why does Elie think the soup tasted of corpses that night?
Describe Elie's struggle with his religion.
Describe Elie's struggle with his religion.
What is selection intended to find?
What is selection intended to find?
Who are Tibi and Yossi?
Who are Tibi and Yossi?
What does Elie think could have saved Akiba Drumer?
What does Elie think could have saved Akiba Drumer?
What promise do Elie and the men break to Drumer?
What promise do Elie and the men break to Drumer?
What was Elie's inheritance from his father? Why was his father giving it to him?
What was Elie's inheritance from his father? Why was his father giving it to him?
How did Zalman die?
How did Zalman die?
What horrible realization did Elie come to concerning Rabbi Elihaou and his son? How did Elie respond to this?
What horrible realization did Elie come to concerning Rabbi Elihaou and his son? How did Elie respond to this?
How did Elie help his father when the selection was made?
How did Elie help his father when the selection was made?
Describe the scene Elie witnessed between the father and son.
Describe the scene Elie witnessed between the father and son.
How many got out of the wagon? Where had they arrived?
How many got out of the wagon? Where had they arrived?
What similar spectacle does Elie witness years later?
What similar spectacle does Elie witness years later?
Why does Elie not describe the next four months of his life?
Why does Elie not describe the next four months of his life?
What did the prisoners do when they were freed?
What did the prisoners do when they were freed?
What did Elie dream of after freedom?
What did Elie dream of after freedom?
When Elie looks at himself in the mirror at the end of the book, what does he see?
When Elie looks at himself in the mirror at the end of the book, what does he see?
Why has that look never left him?
Why has that look never left him?
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Study Notes
Moishe the Beadle
- A poor town outcast who teaches Elie about religion.
- His return from deportation serves as a warning that the townspeople ignore.
Elie Wiesel's Youth
- Elie is 12-13 years old at the beginning of the story.
- While other teens are modern and carefree, Elie is focused on reading and studying religion.
Religious Influence
- Elie’s faith instills in him the belief that everything happens for a purpose.
- His strong connection with Moishe stems from both being outcasts who share a love for religion.
Reactions to Oppression
- The initial expulsion of foreign Jews from Sighet is met with tears and panic.
- The Jews are optimistic towards German soldiers, exhibiting politeness and reassured behavior at first.
Ghettos and Deportation
- Ghettos are characterized by sealed windows and barbed wire.
- Mrs. Schachter, a 50-year-old woman, screams about seeing fire, which others perceive as madness.
Arrival at Auschwitz
- Upon arrival at Auschwitz, passengers are confronted with the grim sight of a crematorium.
- They are forced to leave behind valuables and family, with family being the more valuable loss.
Crucial Decisions
- The selection order, "Men to the left, Women to the right," drastically alters Elie’s life.
- Elie and his father deceive the selection to survive, claiming false ages and professions.
Struggles with Morality
- Young men with knives opt not to revolt, choosing to maintain hope in the face of despair.
- Elie bears witness to horrific acts, including babies being thrown into burning ditches.
Daily Life in Camps
- Elie expresses a peculiar gratitude for mud when he wishes to protect his new shoes.
- An SS officer offers men the choice to work in the crematorium, emphasizing the grim choices available.
Personal Conflicts
- Elie refrains from defending his father during an SS beating out of fear.
- "Arbeit Macht Frei" translates to "work makes you free," a deceptive phrase seen at concentration camps.
Relationships and Betrayals
- Elie lies to Stein about his family's safety to spare them further pain, despite not knowing their fate.
- Akiba Drumer believes the suffering is a test of faith from God.
Camp Experiences
- Elie's new camp assignment is Buna, where he gets an electrical job he finds enjoyable.
- The dentist’s fate is sealed when he is executed, highlighting the constant danger in the camp.
Loss of Faith
- Elie's struggle with faith intensifies; he questions God's role in their suffering.
- The process of selection targets the weak, a harsh reality for prisoners.
Friendship and Survival
- Tibi and Yossi are friends of Elie who share Zionist aspirations.
- Elie believes that Akiba might have survived had he maintained faith.
Parental Bonds
- Elie's father entrusts him with a knife and spoon, indicating a desperate hope for the future.
- Zalman's demise occurs as he is trampled during a forced march.
Moral Dilemmas
- Elie's internal conflict regarding Rabbi Elihaou’s abandoned son reveals fears about human nature.
- During selection, Elie creates confusion for his father’s advantage, showcasing loyalty amid chaos.
Final Reflections
- At the end of his ordeal, 12 prisoners emerge from a wagon at Buchenwald.
- Elie notes the disturbing parallels between past and present—seeing children fighting over coins years later.
- After liberation, prisoners instinctively seek food and comfort, while Elie dreams solely of sustenance.
- In the mirror, Elie sees a corpse looking back at him, embodying the lasting scars of his experiences that haunt him.
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