Questions and Answers
How did the SS officers transport the prisoners?
They transported the prisoners by cattle wagons.
What did the SS officers do with the dead prisoners?
They threw the prisoners out.
What was the reaction of the 'living' prisoners to the dead?
They were joyful because they had more room in the wagon.
How did Eli save his father on the cattle wagon?
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How many days did they travel?
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What did a workman do when they passed through a town?
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What did this event remind Eli of?
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What did Eli witness in the cattle wagon that affected him?
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What does Eli mean when he states, 'Next to me were two corpses, side by side, the father and the son.'?
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Who was Meir Katz and what did he do?
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What was the name of the new camp at the end of Chapter 7?
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In the beginning of Chapter 8, what did Eli want so desperately to do?
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How had the father/son roles been reversed in the case of Elie and his father?
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What 'problem' did Eli have with his father?
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What does Eli mean when he states, 'If only I could get rid of this dead weight?'
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What is dysentery?
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What were some of Eli's father's symptoms of dysentery?
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Why were water and coffee considered poison for Eli's father?
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What does Eli's father tell him before he dies?
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How does Eli manage to sleep in the same bunk with his father?
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What did the doctor tell Eli about his father?
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What did the head of Eli's block tell him?
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What did Eli do when two inmates were hitting his father?
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In what way(s) does Eli help his father before he dies?
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When did Eli's father die and where?
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Why does Eli state he was 'free at last?' after his father's death?
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Where was Eli transferred to after his father's death?
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Who rescued Eli?
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What happens to Eli three days after he is liberated?
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Why is it ironic that Eli almost died from food after liberation?
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What does Eli mean when he states, 'a corpse gazed back at me?'
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Study Notes
Transportation of Prisoners
- SS officers transported prisoners using cattle wagons, emphasizing dehumanization.
Treatment of the Dead
- Dead prisoners were discarded without ceremony, leading to a perverse sense of joy among the living for increased space in the wagon.
Eli's Act of Care
- Eli saved his father during transport by repeatedly slapping him to keep him awake and aware.
Duration of Travel
- The prisoners endured a harrowing journey lasting three days.
Interaction with Bystanders
- A workman amusedly tossed bread to prisoners as they passed a town, highlighting the cruel spectacle of starving individuals fighting for scraps.
Flashback to Cruelty
- Eli recalled a woman in Paris tossing coins to prisoners, drawing parallels between callousness and entertainment derived from suffering.
Witness to Paternal Tragedy
- Eli saw a son kill his father for bread, a harrowing event that terrified him and solidified his desire to retain his humanity.
Significance of Corpse Imagery
- Eli's recognition of two corpses, a father and son, represented the loss of familial bonds and the harsh reality of survival.
Introduction of Meir Katz
- Meir Katz, an old friend of Eli's father and a gardener, provided crucial support, saving Eli from being strangled.
Buchenwald Camp
- The new camp where the prisoners were taken was called Buchenwald, marking another grim chapter in their ordeal.
Desire for Normalcy
- At the beginning of Chapter 8, Eli longed for basic human comfort, specifically a hot shower.
Role Reversal in Caregiving
- The relationship between Eli and his father inverted, with Eli taking on the caregiving role as his father weakened.
Conflict with Exhaustion
- Eli struggled with his father's exhaustion and desire to rest, exposing the tension between their survival instincts.
Burden of Responsibility
- Eli expressed a wish to rid himself of his father's "dead weight" to focus on his survival, illustrating the moral conflict of care versus self-preservation.
Dysentery Symptoms
- Dysentery caused severe diarrhea, with Eli's father exhibiting symptoms such as fever and labored breathing.
Life-Threatening Hydration
- Drinking water or coffee was dangerous for Eli's father post-illness, highlighting the desperate conditions in which they lived.
Father's Final Confession
- Before dying, Eli's father revealed the secret of buried valuables, a haunting reminder of lost normalcy and hope.
Sacrifice for Togetherness
- Eli exchanged his food rations to sleep next to his father, demonstrating his commitment to familial bonds despite dire circumstances.
Doctor's Cynicism
- A doctor dismissed Eli’s father's condition, referring to sick prisoners as lazy, exposing the dehumanization within the camp.
Physical Assault
- Eli's father was beaten by other inmates for being unable to stand, prompting Eli to threaten them unsuccessfully.
Conflict with Block Leader
- Eli was advised to abandon his father to save himself but refused, prioritizing familial loyalty over self-preservation.
Personal Impact of Violence
- An SS officer struck Eli's father for noise, instilling fear in Eli about his father's survival and his own vulnerability.
Final Acts of Care
- Eli attempted to provide comfort through food and companionship, demonstrating loyalty even in the face of death.
Death of Eli's Father
- Eli's father passed away on January 28, 1945, in the Buchenwald camp, marking a profound loss for Eli.
Feeling of Freedom
- Following his father's death, Eli felt "free at last," confronting the bitter irony of surviving at the cost of losing his family.
Transfer After Loss
- Eli was moved to the children's block post his father's death, reflecting the changes in his situation.
Liberation and Rescue
- Eli was ultimately rescued by American forces, signalling the end of his harrowing experience.
Aftermath of Liberation
- Just three days after liberation, Eli suffered from food poisoning due to the sudden return to a plentiful diet, resulting in a two-week infirmary stay.
Irony of Survival
- The irony lay in the fact that food, something he had longed for, nearly took his life after liberation due to his weakened state.
Reflection on Trauma
- Eli's declaration that "a corpse gazed back at me" indicated his profound physical and emotional desolation fitting the circumstances of his liberation.
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Description
Test your knowledge of Elie Wiesel's 'Night', focusing on chapters 7 to 9. Explore key events, character actions, and the emotional impact of the experiences described in the book. This quiz will help reinforce your understanding of the narrative and themes presented.