The novel Night by Elie Wiesel is an amazing work that discusses the Holocaust. The main character, Elie, experienced this devastating event when he was just a teenager. As a Jewish teenager, he was sent to the concentration camp known as Auschwitz. The book summarizes the terrible treatments Elie went through in the concentration camps, harsh living conditions, and losing touch with his meaning of life. He suffered alongside his father, however, was separated from his mother and siblings. Although this novel has a sad tone and expression, it is very informative in learning about the Holocaust and keeping the tragedies in this event known in history.
I would recommend the novel Night. This novel was published in 1956, however, holds a strong perception of the tragedy of the Holocaust and as readers comprehend the story, the memory of the Holocaust is kept alive. Elie Wiesel wrote this based on his personal experience, making this book a tribute and legacy – which must be greatly appreciated. I would recommend this novel for high school students, as there are harsh scenes depicted for younger readers. I liked that this book was written through the lense of a Holocaust survivor, which made the read feel interactive and like Elie was telling me the story. Also, I liked Elie Wiesel’s style of anecdotal writing, as he incorporated strong diction to allow readers to feel what he was feeling, having significant shifts in the text of one life changing event to another, and how he ultimately felt after the event ended.
-Kayla
