Depiction of the Lack of Self Respect in "Night" By Elie Wiesel

Night written by Elie Wiesel is a story that focuses on the theme of loss of self respect caused by injustice when faced with adversity. This is further portrayed through the author/narrator who experiences the harsh reality of the Holocaust and faces consequences of lose of faith and lose of self respect towards his father, and the significance of when Eliezer looks himself in the mirror. Furthermore, due to the evitable harsh life style Eliezer was forced to live, his actions and beliefs more then ever change through his time spent in Concentration camps.

The author's major use of the theme of loss of self respect branches to different results towards the end of the novel Night. The lose of self respect leads to a reality check about God and whether if God was real why Eliezer would be placed in a harsh lifestyle, this is caused from the injustice faced during the Holocaust. Nevertheless, the theme loss of self respect expands to family ties, in more detail, Eliezer’s father, which his attitude towards his father is shaped different due to the lack of self respect the author has for himself, which causes lose of respect to his father. Last but not least when Eliezer stares at himself, he does not visualize his old self, rather a helpless, hopeless man who barely survived the Holocaust. In the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, the author develops the notion that the absence of self-respect is further stemmed and portrayed through the injustice faced in the Holocaust, this is demonstrated through the narrator.

In the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, the lose of religion is further portrayed and exercised by the author and narrator Elie Wiesel. Furthermore, the loss of religion stems from the unbearable experience suffered during the Holocaust.

Eliezer’s inner conflict with his religion is a major theme in the novel. The authors initial mindset about God is that God is everywhere and without God nothing would be set and stone as it is on the earth. The authors faith is further tested and to the point where it can not be repaired, due to the witnessing and cruelty caused during the Holocaust. Eliezer’s mindset is at the stage to where he can not believe how God is allowing such horrific and unbearable to take place, as the author pictured that everything in the world would be good because God is everywhere. Nevertheless, Eliezer allows the audience to understand the difficulties through others, “where is merciful God, where is he?” (Wiesel 64), the calling for God to help in the situation further exemplifies the suffering and harshness the Holocaust is causing to the innocent people. The authors use of faith embeds the understanding of the severities at the time. The struggle of losing his faith does not conclude the isolation of it, nevertheless, Eliezer is asked why he prays he responds with, “I pray to the God within me that He will give me the strength to ask Him the right questions”(Wiesel 5), the quote further amplifies the struggle of having the trust in God, the Holocaust leads the author to question the reality of right and wrong and if God is real. Wiesel underlines how lose of faith is stressed from the lack of respect Eliezer has for himself which further adds to his internal conflict with God “I no longer accepted God's silence,'(Wiesel 69). This illustrates that Eliezer has just about lost all morality and trust in God. All in all, due to the cruel and suffering of the Holocaust and witnessing the innocent being killed, this further causes Eliezer to shift is morality away from his religion and lose belief in God which is stemmed from the injustice of being abused while in the concentration camp.

Furthermore, the lose of self respect due to the injustice during the Holocaust branches towards family, more specifically the father of Eliezer. In the beginning of the novel the Eliezer’s relationship between his father is nevertheless strong and bonded very closely. Thus, as the story line continues due to Shlomo’s abuse and repetitive harm, Eliezer begins to lose respect towards his father. This is further exemplified through Eliezer, “My father had just been struck, in front of me, and I had not even blinked. I had watched and kept silent.” (Wiesel 39). This is significant as it demonstrates the feelings of Eliezer as he had witnessed his dad be abused. Eliezer’s emotionless reaction further alludes to his uncaringness and his lose of hope further portrays his idea of not willing to defend Shlomo anymore. Furthermore, Eliezer begins to view his father as a burden in his life, rather than respecting his father, further waiting for Shlomo to die. Wiesel focuses on the state of mind within himself and realizes the significance of being aware of the surroundings and doing what is best for himself. Though, this is ironic as Eliezer and his father had a tight bond in the beginning of the novel. Thus, Eliezer sees no sentimental value towards Shlomo, this is rather demonstrated when Shlomo dies in front of his sight. In addition, due to the lose of self respect Eliezer has towards himself and the injustice suffered in the concentration camp, this causes Eliezer to lose respect for his father and not take action as he witnesses the abuse. All in all, Eliezer emphasizes the significance of injustice suffered in the Holocaust, this further creates a burden against his father, due to the lack of self respect Eliezer has for himself, nevertheless, he does not show sentiment after watching the passing of his father.

Moving forward, Elie Wiesel highlights the significance of the lack of self respect caused from the severity of injustice during the Holocaust through symbolism. This is further demonstrated through the corpse. Corpse in the novel Night represents literal and spiritual death, in this case, the narrator suffered spiritual death of his morals, lose of his faith and beliefs.

I wanted to see myself in the mirror hanging on the opposite wall. I had not seen myself since the ghetto. From the depths of the mirror, a corpse gazed back at me.

The look in his eyes, as they stared into mine, has never left me (Wiesel 115)

Further more, the last lines in the novel justify Eliezer’s true emotion and spirituality. The author gives the perspective that although Eliezer has escaped the Holocaust physically, his spirit is in essence deteriorated from the harsh suffering during his time in the concentration camp. In addition, Eliezer’s tone in the passage suggests that a departure of his old self and his new identity he has come to face with after the Holocaust, this is rather implied when Eliezer says the following, “The look in his eyes, as they stared into mine” (Wiesel 115). This is significant as it demonstrates the importance of the corpse as it reminds him how much he had suffered and caused his self respect to diminish. Nevertheless, Eliezer no longer views himself as the ambitious man he once was, rather as a corpse, a died man inside with no will to pursue or to be happy once again. All in all, due to the injustice of abuse and harassment in the Holocaust, this leads to Eliezer to lose respect towards himself, this further leads him to see corpse in the mirror, which alludes to his reality and new life as he moves forward from the Holocaust.

In conclusion, the novel Night by Elie Wiesel is a story that allows the audience about the horrific life style and how it impacts the innocent individuals taken in the concentration camps. Furthermore, Wiesel portrays how an individual’s mind can be corrupt and distraught through witnessing harshness and through injustice. In result, this causes Eliezer to face harsh reality of the Holocaust and this further creates an inner conflict with self respect, which is absent throughout the novel. Nevertheless, Wiesel illustrates the lack of capability to handle situations at certain events. This is demonstrated when Eliezer is taken hostage into the concentration camp, his lose of self respect stems from the lose of faith to God, wondering why God is allowing evil to happen. In addition, due to the lack of justice in the novel Night, Eliezer’s attitude towards Shlomo causes a quick turn in their relationship as Eliezer views his father as a problem and does not take action or show emotion when his father dies. Last but not least, the absences of self respect is demonstrated through symbols in the story when Eliezer stares himself in the mirror and sees a corpse within himself, being spiritually dead although he is physically alive. Overall, Wiesel demonstrates the severity of the consequences of how Injustice can lead to the lack of self respect an individual has on himself, this further causes conflicts mentally and physically.