This chapter shows the importance of choice. At the end of the chapter, Wiesel and his father had the choice to either stay in the infirmary or be evacuated with the others. Wiesel decided that they would go along with the others. He later learned after the war that this was a mistake, for if they had stayed they would have been liberated. This is only one of many choices throughout the book, that may have given Wiesel and his family the opportunity to be free. There were high possible risks with these choices of course, so one cannot blame Wiesel for his decisions.
This chapter also shows the humanity that is being restored within the Jews, especially Wiesel. He again cares about his father, since he made what he thought was the best choice by going along with the evacuation. Wiesel was also very concerned when he learned of the possibility that his father may be killed. At the end of the chapter, the Jews were told to clean the block because they are "men and not pigs". This one sentence may have a large affect on the Jews, and make them feel human again.
I like how you made the connection to choice Cielo. As I was reading the novel, I also noticed that Elie had many opportunities to be free from the concentration camps. This just goes to show, that the choice we make may not always be the best ones.
ReplyDeleteThe statement about cleaning the block to show they were men, not pigs, also stood out to me. Thinking about it now, I'm sure it could have impacted the Jews in a more positive way...but I don't think they were told to clean so that they would feel less dehumanized. I think that they were told to clean because those in charge -- the SS, the Kappos, the Blockälteste -- didn't want the liberating army to think they were as inhumane as they actually were. Obviously the liberating forces knew that the camps were awful, but the people running the camps didn't want them to know the full extent of the situation. That's why, I think, they were told to clean the blocks, not so they would feel less dehumanized but so their tormentors wouldn't expose the total extent of their cruelty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Marisa! The SS wanted the liberating Soviet Red Army to think that the camp was run like any standard POW Camp.
DeleteI think that the part where Eliezer was worried about the possibility of his father being killed showed that Elie had not been completely desensitized by his surroundings. He still felt love for his father, and I don't think he could have been affected enough not to.
ReplyDelete