Characters
Describe Elie
The main character, a Jewish teenager, emotional and sensitive, has emotional connections to his faith and family.
"What a shame, a shame that you did not go with your mother … I saw many children your age go with their mothers …"
Shlomo Wiesel (Elie's father)
What lit term is this:
"Bite your lips, little brother... Don't cry. Keep your anger, your hate, for another day, for later. The day will come but not now... Wait. Clench your teeth and wait..." (53)
Foreshadowing
Who was the poor and lonely religious man?
Moishe the Beadle
"God is testing us."
Akiba Drummer
Why did people refuse to believe Moishe the Beadle's Gestapo story?
People refused to believe Moishe's Gestapo story because they thought he wanted pity or he was insane and they didn't want to open themselves up to the possibilities of whether or not it was true and whether or not it could happen to them.
Who was Franek and what did he do to Elie?
Franek is a former student from Warsaw. He demands the gold from Elie's tooth. Since Elie does not give him the gold tooth, he tortures his father.
"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... beneath a silent blue sky."
Elie Wiesel
What lit term is this:
"The bread, the soup -- those were my entire life." (52)
Hyperbole
Who was the violent Kapo in the Buna warehouse? He lashes Elie cruelly during one of his violent fits because Elie has seen him lying on a mattress with a woman.
Idek
"This ceremony, will it be over soon? I am hungry..."
Juliek
Explain the importance of religion in Wiesel's life?
Religion was very important in Elie's life and he believed deeply in his God. He wanted to be closer to God ad he wanted to study cabbala.
What is the name of the historical figure, mentioned twice in the book, that was the head of the selection process and nicknamed?
Angel of Death
Who told Elie to bite his lip and hold his anger for later
The French girl
What was the significance of the Hungarian police officer who knocked on the window?
The Hungarian police was friends with Elie's father and he had said that he would warn Elie's family if there was danger. He tried to but they weren't able to answer the door. That could have been their only chance to escape avoid everything that happened.