Night Chapter One
Describe the ghettos and how they are simultaneously disturbing and "peaceful and reassuring."
The ghettos were disturbing considering the fact that they were narrow and very cramped while also being surrounded by barbed wire but they were peaceful since everyone's families were together and they were all Jews so they had something in common, "Of course, there still were unpleasant moments. Every day, the Germans came looking for men to load coal into the military trains. Volunteers for this kind of work were few. But apart from that, the atmosphere was oddly peaceful and reassuring." (page 12). The people enjoyed the company and calmness of those they knew.
Describe the mood among the people in Sighet, Romania, in the months, weeks, and days preceding the arrival of the Germans.
The people in Sighet, Romania were very calm and and reassured since the Germans seemed so nice and friendly, "Their attitude toward their hosts was distant but polite. They never demanded the impossible, made no offensive remarks, and sometimes even smiled at the lady of the house. ... The Germans were already in our town, the Fascists were already in power, the verdict was already out-and the Jews of Sighet were still smiling." (page 10). Everyone felt like they had assumed such bad things about them for no reason at all.
A motif is a repeated idea or concept in a work of literature. Motifs work to create mood and develop a theme. Describe how disbelief acts as a motif in the first chapter of Night.
The people of Sighet refuse to believe Moishe because he's poor and just seems crazy, "'Jews, listen to me! That's all I ask of you. No money. No pity. Just listen to me!' he kept shouting in synagogue, between the prayer at dusk and the evening prayer." (page 7). Everyone didn't even take a second to listen to him which made them so trusting towards the Germans, if they had just listened they would've been able to prepare and hide easier instead of assuming he's out of his mind.
Why do you think the townspeople refuse to believe the account told by Moishe the Beadle? Why does he care if people believe him?
The townspeople don't believe the account told by Moishe the Beadle because they think he's crazy and think he just wants people to pity him, "He spoke only of what he had seen. But people not only refused to believe his tales, they refused to listen. Some even insinuated that he only wanted their pity, that he was imagining things. Others flatly said that he had gone mad." (page 7) but Moishe was telling the truth and he just wanted to warn everyone.
Describe what happens to Moishe the Beadle when the foreign Jews are expelled from Sighet.
When Moishe the Beadle was expelled he was on a train and they were taken over by the Gestapo, "The train with the deportees had crossed the Hungarian border and, once in Polish territory, had been taken over by the Gestapo. The train had stopped. The Jews were ordered to get off and onto waiting trucks." (page 6). They were forced against their will to dig trenches in the forest but fortunately Moishe the Beadle was able to escape.
Describe Elie Wiesel's Father. What role does he have in his community?
Elie Wiesel's father, Shlomo Wiesel, wasn't very sentimental and kept his emotions to himself while he kept a strong father figure for his four children, "My father was a cultured man, rather unsentimental. He rarely displayed his feelings, not even within his family, and was more involved with the welfare of others than with that of his own kin." (page 4). He was a strong member in his community and was well respected.
Who is Moishe the Beadle? What role does he play in Elie Wiesel's life?
Moishe the Beadle is a poor Jewish teacher in the town of Sighet, "I succeeded on my own in finding a master for myself in the person of Moishe the Beadle." (page 4) and he was also a friend of Elie who encouraged him to study Kabbalah.
What demands and/or restrictions are placed on the Jews of Sighet prior to the placement in the ghettos?
Prior to being placed in the ghettos, the Jews of Sighet were given three specific demands and restrictions which were no leaving their homes for three days, not allowed to own any jewelry, gold, or anything valuable, and they had to wear the yellow star, "First edict: Jews were prohibited from leaving their residences for three days, under penalty of death. ... a Jew was henceforth forbidden to own gold, jewelry, or any valuables. Everything had to bad handed over to the authorities, under penalty of death. ... Three days later, a new decree: every Jew had to wear the yellow star." (page 10-11). The Germans started off sweet to allow them to trust them and then immediately turned their backs to basically take everything from the Jews of Sighet.
Describe how the Jews were made to manage their final deportation.
The Jews were given the day to do whatever they wanted before being deported at dawn, "Saturday, the day of rest, was the day chosen for our expulsion. The night before, we had sat down to the traditional Friday night meal. We had said the customary blessings over the bread and the wine and swallowed the food in silence. We sensed that we were gathered around the familial table for the last time." (page 21-22). They were all able to enjoy the moment and spend time together before they were practically forced apart.
Describe the morale in the second ghetto, The Small Ghetto.
The Small Ghetto, despite the size, seemed more chaotic and everyone seemed to be distant from one another, "The chaos was eve greater here than in the large ghetto. Its inhabitants evidently had been caught by surprise. I visited the rooms that had been occupied by my Uncle Mendel's family." (page 20). The people in the small ghetto still had a decent morale and began to adjust quickly, some people even voiced their optimism to help everyone hope for a positive future.
