One's Experiences Contribute to Who They Are...

“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.” -Elie Wiesel

Eli Wiesel shared these feelings with the world in the book Night. Do you believe his experiences have turned him into a bitter person or a more compassionate one? Does he seek retribution? Does he seek to retaliate for the crimes against humanity? Or, does he seem to remember these moments in an effort to communicate his feelings to the world, hoping to ensure the Holocaust is remembered and nothing like it happens again? Find textual evidence to support your thoughts.

What is NORMAL?

How does Eli describe his life before his family was forced to move? How old was he? Where did he live? What did he find enjoyable?

Night Post #1

Wiesel states, "The ghetto was ruled by neither German nor Jew; it was ruled by delusion" (12).

What evidence does Wiesel share with readers to help them explain why people were so naive?

Night by Eli Wiesel is our second book

We'll have our first NIGHT related post the first week of February.

It is a short read BUT full of many concepts to virtually discuss.

See you in February!

Post War

Through dialogue we learn a lot about Vladek. How did he get to America? What did he do in the USA after the war? Where did he live?

More importantly, how did he handle the trauma of WWII? Did he talk about his experiences or did he keep everything inside?

Explain your feelings after reading the stories.

Emotional Expression

Maus is filled with emotions. Art Spiegelman is frustrated at his father for not keeping his mother's journals and other personal items. Vladek is saddened when he remembers his family.

What literary and artistic techniques does Art Speigelman use to get these emotions across to the readers?

Authenticity

The creation of Maus appeared to be a struggle for Speigelman. He had to constantly encourage his father to discuss his story. Do you trust his father's memory? Do you believe that the story is authentic? Share your opinion with concrete examples from the atory.