Worst Day of the Year
As part of their medical examinations, prisoners were examined by a dentist. What was he looking for?
Gold teeth
After several days Elie and his father were assigned to what work detail?
They had to sort electrical parts.
What potential problems were in Elie and his father's job?
The Kapo, Idek, was unstable.
Why was a prisoner shot during the air raid?
He tried to steal soup.
How did the new camp appear to Elie?
It appeared deserted and dead.
Why does Elie want to keep his gold tooth?
He could trade it for food or his life later on.
Why did they like this job compared to others?
Not very dangerous compared to the other jobs. menial and repetitive.
What else did Idek do to the Wiesel's?
He beat Elie's father.
Why were the prisoners told that soup would not be distributed until after roll call?
They were executing inmates in front of the camp.
Who bombs the camp at Buna?
The Americans bomb Buna.
What can we infer about the dentist based on his appearance?
He is not a trained dentist due to the condition of his own teeth.
What happened to Elie one day at the factory?
He was beaten by Idek.
How did Elie respond to Ideks' behavior?
He was mad at his father not Idek.
How does Elie describe the soup after the first hanging?
The soup tasted better than ever
What does Elie refuse to give up to the "hard-faced" assistant? What does this exchange tell us about life in the camps?
-His shoes because it is all he has
-Life wasn't great even for the officers
How did Elie avoid having his tooth pulled?
He said he was sick. The dentist was most likely a prisoner himself, and said that it was okay to come back within a week or so.
Who cleaned the blood from Elie and soothed him with kind words?
A french women.
How did Idek punish Elie for spying on him?
Idek put Elie on a crate and whipped him.
How did the soup taste after the second hanging?
What part of Elie's body alone is aware of "the passage of time"?
Elie's stomach is feeling the effects of time passing with little food.
What finally happened to the dentist and why?
He was imprisoned for dealing in gold teeth.
What theme emerges from Elie's exchange with the French woman?
Even under dangerous circumstances, people can still show compassion to one another.
Was it surprising that the Kapos were so cruel considering that they were prisoners?
It is not surprising at all. When your in a concentration camp your only focus is keeping yourself alive. If beating other people who share your faith is going to get you more to eat and better chance of survival, then you would take it.
Why was the second execution particularly cruel?
Th executed a child whose weight was not enough to kill him when he was hanged. He lived for a while longer and struggled.
The question, "Where is God now?" is asked. How is it answered?
"Where He is? This is where- hanging here from this gallows"
God was within the victim