Dehumanization in Night by Elie Wiesel

Dehumanization in Night

In the novel, Night, Elie Wiesel narrates his experience as a young Jewish

boy during the holocaust. The captured Jews are enslaved in concentration

camps, where they experience the absolute worst forms of torture, abuse, and

inhumane treatment. Such torture has obvious physical effects, but it also

induces psychological changes on those unfortunate enough to experience it.

However, these mutations of their character and morality cannot be

accredited to weakness of the Jews' spirit, but they can be attributed to

the animal-like treatment they receive. They devolve into primitive people,

with savage, animal characteristics that are necessary for survival under

such conditions.

. The Jews in the story had to overcome tremendous difficulties: they are

forced to abandon their homes, all their earthly possessions, and eventually

their humanity. The story begins with Eliezel, a young Jewish boy,

describing his childhood and his religious upbringing. However, Hitler's

anti-Semitic policies are just being introduced and the Jews are to be

placed in concentration camps. In the face of savage abuse and insolent

treatment, the Jews stand tall and hold on to everything they can for as

long as possible, but it is just not plausible for them to survive under

such horrid conditions. Wiesel effectively illustrates the drastic changes

that the Jews go through; from average citizens with family, friends, and

loved ones into savage, independent beasts who look out for no one else and

must fight for their own well being.

At the beginning of the novel, Elie describes his community, the Jewish

community of Sighet, as a very caring and unified society. When the

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...wish community, is reduced to a parsimonious savage.

The Jews in Elie Wiesel's Night go through many changes and mutations of

personality. Faced with the ultimate test, death, the Jews, instead of

demonstrating humane dedication to the God that instituted this perilous

situation upon them, they deny everything that is taught to them in a vain

attempt to survive. They deny the existence of the Almighty, they are

callous to the death of their peers, and going so far as to murder fellow

Jews to maintain their own survival. This once peaceful and civilized

society devolved into primitive animals upon being treated as such, offering

the notion that we as humans must not lose touch with everything that makes

us what we are, even in the face of death and disaster.

Works Cited:

Wiesel, Elie. Night. NY: Bantam Edition, 1982.