Chattahoochee River
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Ch. 3- A-7713
I found the whole notion of lost identity to be quite interesting. It's understandable that Eliezer would feel like he lost his identity after he was stripped, shaved, and branded, however I feel as though he lost it before then. Once he was separated from his family, I feel that he lost a part of himself, seeing that they were very close. Then when he was forced to lie about his age and profession, it was like another strike at his identity, especially since he was highly devoted to being a student of Talmud. Then the more physical things later on just topped it off, and sealed in the notion that Eliezer Wiesel was no longer young Elie, but rather, A-7713.
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I would have never thought of it like that, but you're right. Elie Wiesel was stripped down of everything that made him, well him. I guess once you take away the the things that have come to be your identity, what could be worse? I wondered why he never really dwelled on the fact that he was given a number to identify him, but I guess he was no longer Elie Wiesel anyway.
ReplyDeleteI love how you titled your post and how you ended it with the number as well, it made the post seem well thought out and interesting. I agree with your observations, and I think how Wiesel writes this chapter in a detached tone emphasizes his loss of identity and to a greater extent the loss of his humanity.
ReplyDeleteI also would have not thought of any of this either Mikaela. When I read that he was given a code for a name I did think of him losing his identity but I didn't apply all of the other details that contributed to he stolen identity. You're right, he was a different person as soon as he was uprooted. Not only would his life change but so did he. And now with all these other factors he is not the same person, especially to the Germans he is just another ID'd Jews.
ReplyDeleteI think this is also why Wiesel feels like it's so important that he remain with his father since it really is one of the few things he has left in his life that make up part of his humanity.
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