Methods Of Survival In Night By Elie Wiesel's Night

The holocaust was a tragical point in history. About six million Jews were slaughtered for no reason at all. Many innocent women, men, and children were killed by the dozens everyday. They were taken from their homes and sent to concentration camps and ghettos. In the concentration camps they were either put to work or killed. Survival was not in everybody’s hands. They had to rise above and do everything they can to survive. There were many who survived, who still stand today telling their stories. Elie Wiesel’s book Night, was a first hand account of the holocaust. In his book he talks about he experience during the holocaust. There were many methods of survival for the victims during the holocaust. Wiesel and other survivors who were interviewed

Mental toughness is the ability that one has to keep themselves motivated without losing confidence. Elie had a lot of mental strength. He lost his mother and two sisters which didn’t make him cry. Neither did that stop him from fighting for himself. Elie was with his father most of his time at the concentration camps. His father was weak and close to dying. Elie did not let that get to him either. When Elies father died: Elie didn’t break down and lose himself. He felt rather free: "I did not weep, and it pained me that I could not weep. But I had no more tears. And, in the depths of my being, in the recesses of my weakened conscience, could I have searched it, I might perhaps have found something like- free at last" (Wiese 106.) Elie was really strong to keep his feelings aside. He knew crying won’t let him win the race in survival. As for losing his father, that just gave him more strength because it was a burden off his shoulders. In order to survive, they had to keep themselves going emotionally. Radasky also had mental toughness. In the introduction of his interview he mentions: “No! You have to fight for yourself day by day. Some people did not care. They said, "I do not want to live. What is the difference? I don 't give a damn." I was thinking day by day. I want to live. A person has to hold on to his own will, hold on to that to the last minute” (Radasky 1) these words of wisdom

The war ended in Europe on May 8th, 1945. Leaving the victims with traumatic wounds. Wounds were able to heal but the victims could never forget what happened in those years. In both Night by Elie Wiesel and the interviews by John Menzer there are various themes of survival shared among the victims. Themes such as strength, both physical and mental, hope, fear, and luck helped victims survive the devastating events during the holocaust. Survival was never easy. Victims had to fight day and night in order to because free. They had to keep their selves mentally strong. Victims hoped for the best, and feared the worse. All in all, if luck was on their side, they survived. The holocaust has made its mark in history. Every story shows the courageousness of the ones who survived. The people that choose to be strong, hopeful, fearful, and lucky were the people who later found themselves being liberated form the camps in 1945, leaving the other dead, behind