NIGHT

Vocabulary

1. prostrate
-to cast (oneself) face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration.
-to lay flat, as on the ground.
-to throw down level with the ground.

2. interlude
-an intervening episode, period, space, etc.
-a short dramatic piece, esp. of a light or farcical character, formerly introduced between the parts or acts of miracle and morality plays or given as part of other entertainments.
-one of the early English farces or comedies, as those written by John Heywood, which grew out of such pieces.

3. reprieve
-to delay the impending punishment or sentence of (a condemned person).
-to relieve temporarily from any evil.
-a respite from impending punishment, as from execution of a sentence of death.

4. rations
-a fixed allowance of provisions or food, esp. for soldiers or sailors or for civilians during a shortage: a daily ration of meat and bread.
-an allotted amount: They finally saved up enough gas rations for the trip.
-provisions: Enough rations were brought along to feed all the marchers.

5. dysentery
-pathology. an infectious disease marked by inflammation and ulceration of the lower part of the bowels, with diarrhea that becomes mucous and hemorrhagic.
-diarrhea.
-an inflammatory disorder of the lower intestinal tract, usually caused by a bacterial, parasitic, or protozoan infection and resulting in pain, fever, and severe diarrhea, often accompanied by the passage of blood and mucus.

6. robust
-strong and healthy; hardy; vigorous: a robust young man; a robust faith; a robust mind.
-strongly or stoutly built: his robust frame.
-suited to or requiring bodily strength or endurance: robust exercise.

7. quarantine
-a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.
-a period, originally 40 days, of detention or isolation imposed upon ships, persons, animals, or plants on arrival at a port or place, when suspected of carrying some infectious or contagious disease.
-a system of measures maintained by governmental authority at ports, frontiers, etc., for preventing the spread of disease.

8. apathy
-absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
-lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.
-freedom from emotion of any kind.

9. humane
-characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for people and animals, esp. for the suffering or distressed: humane treatment of horses.
-of or pertaining to humanistic studies.
-characterized by kindness, mercy, or compassion: a humane judge.

10. grimace
-a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, etc.
-to make grimaces.
-a sharp contortion of the face expressive of pain, contempt, or disgust.

11. nocturnal
-of or pertaining to the night (opposed to diurnal ).
-done, occurring, or coming at night: nocturnal visit.
-active at night (opposed to diurnal ): nocturnal animals.

12. livid
-having a discolored, bluish appearance caused by a bruise, congestion of blood vessels, strangulation, etc., as the face, flesh, hands, or nails.
-dull blue; dark, grayish-blue.
-enraged; furiously angry: Willful stupidity makes me absolutely livid.

13. pious
-having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations.
-characterized by a hypocritical concern with virtue or religious devotion; sanctimonious.
-practiced or used in the name of real or pretended religious motives, or for some ostensibly good object; falsely earnest or sincere: a pious deception.

14. interminable
-incapable of being terminated; unending: an interminable job.
-monotonously or annoyingly protracted or continued; unceasing; incessant: I can't stand that interminable clatter.
-having no limits: an interminable desert.

15. wizened
-withered; shriveled: a wizened old man; wizened features.
-to dry up; wither or shrivel.
-to cause to wither, shrivel, or dry up.

16. morale
-emotional or mental condition with respect to cheerfulness, confidence, zeal, etc., esp. in the face of opposition, hardship, etc.: the morale of the troops.
-a state of individual psychological well-being based upon a sense of confidence and usefulness and purpose
-the spirit of a group that makes the members want the group to succeed [syn: esprit de corps]

17. infernal
-hellish; fiendish; diabolical: an infernal plot.
-extremely troublesome, annoying, etc.; outrageous: an infernal nuisance.
-of, inhabiting, or befitting hell.

18. refuge
-shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc.: to take refuge from a storm.
-a place of shelter, protection, or safety.
-anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape.

19. oppressive
-burdensome, unjustly harsh, or tyrannical: an oppressive king; oppressive laws.
-causing discomfort by being excessive, intense, elaborate, etc.: oppressive heat.
-distressing or grievous: oppressive sorrows.

20. expelled
-to drive or force out or away; discharge or eject: to expel air from the lungs; to expel an invader from a country.
-to cut off from membership or relations: to expel a student from a college.
-to force or drive out: expel an invader.

Study Guide

1) Where is Wiesel's childhood home? Locate the country on a map.
Wiesel's childhood home is in the Jews of Sighet in Transylvania which s on Romania.

2) Wiesel opens Night by relating his youthful desire to study the cabala. What is the cabala?
The cabala is the Jewish bible.

3) Wiesel says that when he was young, he wanted to study the cabala in order to know the truths of this world. What kinds of truths is he referring to? After you complete Night, return to this question: what kinds of truth was the young Elie ignorant of?
Wiesel wanted to know why things were the way are as a young child. At the end of Night Elie was ignorant of how cruel the world can be.

4) Why is Moshe the Beadle a significant character? What does he tell Elie about answers, questions, and the truth? After you complete Night, return to this question: why was Moshe prescient in his admonition to Elie?
Moshe the Beadle is a significant character because he is the first to experience the dehumanization of the concentration camps. He tells Elie that the answers, questions and the truth can be found after one has died or witness death. Moshe was prescient to Elie because he was trying to tell him to save himself.
5) Why do the people of Sighet ignore Moshe after he returns from his escape? Why don't they listen to him?
The people do not ignore and don't listen to Moshe because they think that has gone crazy.

6) Who is Madame Schachter? In what ways is she similar to Moshe the Beadle? (Think about prophetic figures and how people often ignore them.)
Madam Schachter is a woman that lived in Sighet that got separated from her husband in the evacuation. In ways she is similar to Moshe the Beadle is that they both have seen the horrors of the concentration camps and try to warn the others but everyone thinks they are crazy.

7) Consider this passage on pg. 32:Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desires 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.
8) What is the context of this passage? How has the young Elie's theology changed? As you continue reading, ask yourself how this passage speaks to the rest of Night.
The context of the passage is that Elie had just lost everything and his innocence. This has changed his theology by making him think that he will never trust in anyone again.

9) How does Elie's understanding of God and God's presence—or absence— continue to change throughout Night? When is he most angry with God? When is not angry at all? Mark passages throughout Night that illustrate his changing attitudes toward God.
At the beginning Elie believes but jumps back and forth after arriving at the camp. He is most angry at God when he says that his God was murdered and his soul. He is not angry with him when he sees the little boy being hanged.

10) What literal and figurative (symbolic or metaphorical) meanings does night have in Night?
Its literal meaning is that most of the events happening during the night and its figurative meaning is that is represents Elie's soul.

11) Why do you think Night is such a slim book? Surely Wiesel could have included much more detail.
I think Night is such a short book because Wiesel wanted to get straight to the point of losing himself completely for those years he spent in concentration camp

12) Is Night a memoir of tragedy or triumph? Can it be both? If so, why? If not, why not?
I think it can be both because it was a tragedy that he had to live through the horrible ways of the Nazis and triumphant because he decided to live and write this novel to inform others of the life of a Jew during the war