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Students at The High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology in Brooklyn, New York are reading Elie Wiesel's Night. The goal is to try to understand how a young boy faces devastation while the world watches passively. They will not only analyze the voices of those within the book but also the voices of others not identified in NIGHT as well as Wiesel's stylistic choices that create his voice.
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2009
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April
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- Wednesday In-class Comments
- Tuesday's Discussion Groups: A debate
- Monday's Class Discussion: An interesting comment
- Four Sources and Summaries from Voices of the Holo...
- The Final Chapter: Elie's Voice
- Chapter Eight: Voices of the past
- Chapters six and seven: voices of death and betrayal
- Chapter Five: New Voice, Great Void
- Chapter Four: symbols and descriptions
- Chapter Three: The Writer's Voice
- Chapter One: Missing voices
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April
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1. I have discussed about chapter three’s questions in class today.
ReplyDelete2. We generally go over the questions and discussed our opinions on symbolism and imagery. There are some disagreements during the discussion. For the symbol part of the discussion, we each share out our thoughts on the symbols and argue about our interpretations.
3. I felt that Christian’s interpretation on Night is interesting because he thinks that Night symbolize the absent of God during the camp and it is interesting because he backed up his interpretation with evidences from the chapter. I personally think that it is a very interesting way to think of Night.
Today in the group discussuion, one person in my group mentioned an interesteing point in the book NIGHT. We were discussing the question about Juliek and his violin in chapters six and seven. The question was why does the author tell about Juliek and his violin. While we were discussing, I thought that the author tells about Juliek and his violin to set a mood for the story and to create a feeling for the reader. Another person brought up that the author tells this story to show the value of posessions because Juliek had only one possession that was important to him which was the violin. He played it as if he was never going to play it again because he had a feeling that it would be taken away from him. This was an interesting thought I heard today in class because it is something I didnt think about or had in mind. When I read that part of the book, it created a mood for me and made me feel the emotions of the character. When the idea about value of possessions came up in the group, it made me better understand what poessessions symbolize.
ReplyDelete1. We gad a discussion about what the possessions teeth, shoes, soup, and soap mean to Elie and what does possession really mean to a person.
ReplyDelete2. Everyone shared their ideas of what we thought the item meant to Elie. Some of us like me changed some of out previous concept of that the item meant when another group member explained it and backed it up with support.
3. What i found interesting was that a possession can be shown as power and rights of a person. In the concentration camp no one could stand up to the SS offices and Elie was able to keep something of his own. When he went to the doctor, instead of having his golden teeth taken out he kept it and was able to use it later on(50). Also the time where he was told to trade his shoes (46) he didn't for he wanted to have something for his own even though it was taken from him later on.
1.Today in class we had a group discussion about the book Night.We discussed questions from chapter three. The question we focused on was what does Night mean .
ReplyDelete2.We first talked about how Elie Wiesel convey his messages about his experiences through the holocaust. We said he uses reoccurring words and symbolism. Some of us disagreed what Night symbolized.
3.An interesting analysis was what Christian and Lillian said. Both of them prove their point by saying what Night represented. Lillian said Night symbolizes Elie's life that is changing. Night was mention before everything happened. Night was when the were move to different camps and night is when he life changes.Christian said that Night symbolized absence of God.He couldn't forget what he has saw during the night when the babies were thrown into fire. Both of them had an interesting thought and it made me think more about what does Night really symbolize.
spyro fletouris
ReplyDeleteIn class today my group was disscussing whether Elie was angery at his god for not helping him or did he lose faith. My group came up with good responses, but the one that stood out to me was when a person in my group said that the Holocaust was a test of faith for the Jews. That person said that the more you believe in your religion the harder the test will be to prove that a person is a true follower. I felt that in Elie's posision I would not be angrey with god because it was not his fault. I would see it as a test to see if I was strong enough and believed in my faith. I could lose doubt in my religion like Elie did, but I would never lose faith in what I believe.
In class we answered the quesions on chapter three. We focused on symbolism and hoe it is shwon in Night.
ReplyDeleteWe went over the questions as a group and we disscussed each question. Each person shared their own answer and oppinion about the question and defended their position. It was a very productve disscusion where everyone voiced their own oppiion.
I thought Lillian had an interesting oppinion about what Night symbolized. She said it represented how Elie changed through out the book.She said that night was mentioned before Elie went to the camps and it was mentioned through out the book. Lillian said that it showed change and how Elie changed from the beggining to the end. I thought this was a very interesting oppinion and it got me thinking about my own interpretation.
Today in class, my group and I were discussing chapter 8, and the question, who's voice do we think Elie remembers the most when his father was dying. Each and every one of us had a different opinion on who's voice, but one thing that we found interesting is that, voices are influenced by other voices. We thought it could of have his own voice, but then we realized that Elie's voice was influenced by other characters in Night. What my group found interesting is pretty much how voices by one character are easily influenced by another. I believe what me and my group discussed today gave me a better understanding of who's voice Elie remembers.
ReplyDelete1. Me and my group were discussing the questions to chapter 3. We were going over our answers to see what everyone got and mostly everyone had a different perspective then the others.
ReplyDelete2. Everyone one first said their answers then we debated on some questions. Even though, my group had different answers, they all had evidence to back up their answers. So, we didn't really know who was right and who were wrong.
3. An interesting analysis was what Christian and Eric said about the meaning of night. Christian said that night symbolized absence of God and I thought that was really interesting because I never thought of that.
Also, Eric said that night symbolize the movements and experiences of Elie. Eric said how each night something would happen to Elie, like moving to another camp and getting separate with his father. Both Christian and Eric described what they think the meaning of night is and it was interesting because I never thought about it the way they did.
1. Our group was assigned to chapters 6 and 7 of Night and we were discussing the question: Why does the author write about Rabbi Eliahou and his son?
ReplyDeleteWe all discussed this question and agreed that the author wrote about the Rabbi and his son to show the difference relationship that they had compared to Eliezer and his father. The Rabbi’s son wanted to get rid of his father while they were running to the other camp. He felt that his father was deadweight and he wanted to leave him behind to die so that he could survive. Elie on the other hand, wanted his father by his side all the time and the presence of his father is what kept him alive because they were each others support. An interesting analysis that we discussed was that the author was foreshadowing what was going to happen between Elie and his dad. By mentioning the Rabbi and his son the author was trying to hint the relationship he would have with his father later on which actually does happen. Elie feels that his father has become deadweight and he did not want to worry about his father’s health but of his own so that he could survive. I thought it was interesting how the author included this. It also led our group into thinking about how we would feel if we were in Elie’s situation and if we thought the things that Elie thought about his dad. This made my group and I think that Elie Wiesel also wrote the book as an apology to his father for thinking the thoughts he had. We also felt he wrote it to finally express his feelings and let out the shame and pain he had for thinking of his father as deadweight.
--DENISE SHU
ReplyDelete1. We were discussing Chapter 4's questions. We were specifically discussing about what the posessions represent.
2. We all gave in our ideas of what the posessions represent, especially teeth and shoes. We viewed the possessions differently and had different interpretations, but we did hvae evidence from the book to support our opinions. But in the end, we agreed on the same idea.
3. One interesting analysis I heard was how teeth could represent lifeline because Elie siad he would use his gold crown to buy himself some bread or "life". In other words, Elie would use his teeth to help him survive. Another analysis I learned was that teeth could also represent power because having posessions is like having control.
The question my group was discussing today was, who's voice do you think Elie remembers the most when his father was dying in chapter eight. Everyone had different opinions and different ways of interpreting and answering the question. There was many disagreements but that is what helped be better understand. The way that others look at something helps me see something from a different lens giving me a better understanding. At the end my group and I came to the conclussion that other voices affect one's own voice. It influences ones voice as it can either change or have an even stronger belief in what one believed. For example my grouped believed that both the Rabbi and the head of the block both influenced Elie changing his train of thought and later his voice.
ReplyDelete1. My group discussed Chapter five which included Elie’s thoughts about God and whether or not during the two holidays he still believed in God. We also each took a turn a shared how we would feel if we were in Elie shoes. Would continue to believe in God as we have been taught? Or do we question his power and believe that man is stronger?
ReplyDelete2. The interaction in our group was interesting because some of us were constantly changing our thoughts. We had several disagreements which always kept the conversation active. When it came to discussing what we would do if we were Elie, it became harder to respond because Elie was lived through a horrific time.
3. We spent a lot of time discussing religion and if it was still essential in getting through the hard times. Elie was a true believe in the beginning. However, as a result of losing faith or doubting God, he did not fast. As we were talking about our own beliefs, Saqib mentioned that he believes God was putting an Elie through a test, that in general any hardship we encounter is a test from God. A test to see whether or not we still believe in God or have faith in God even through tough times. I found that interesting because I too believe that our life is simply a test. At the end of the discussion, I learned that Elie, even though he might have doubted God and was so angry about God’s silence, he still believed in him.
In class my group had to do the questions for chapters 6 and 7.
ReplyDeleteWe discussed all the questions fully and we expressed our opinions on the questions. Then when we got to the last question we had to explain what each cited incident from #4 says about how others reacted to the Holocaust. We felt that there was more to the answers we were writing.
I felt it interesting when we reached that last question. When I was answering that question in the homework I didn’t really think that there was more to it. When we broke it down that’s when my group made me understand this. I learned that one shouldn't just go by the question but to see whats behind it in order to understand it fully.
Ahmed Atieh
ReplyDeleteChapter 5- question#3 --What is Elie's voice about his God now? How does he feel? Why?
As my group and I were discussing this question, there was an argument whether or not elie lost complete faith in god or not. During this chapter, elie did not fast or pray. It was said that he was angry of god’s silence. In the next chapter, after hearing the story of the rabbi and his son, elie Prays To God that he doesn’t become like the rabbi’s son. In my opinion, elie was very angry because he felt as though god was doing nothing but he does not lose complete faith.
1.) My group and I went over questions in Chapter 3.
ReplyDelete2.) Our interactions are going well though we all have diffrent anserws to our questions yet we had evidence to backup our anserws so like my partner Emily said we don't know who is right or wrong.
3.) The most interestng fact I learned was how Night can mean the abscence of God making the jews wonder "Where is Yaweh?" during parts of the story, I never thought of it that way and it was really interresting to learn that piece of information.
1.)The questions my group was discussing is chapter 4. Today we mostly discussed the possessions and what each possession represents.
ReplyDelete2.)The interaction between my group was that we contributed each others' opinions. We used our voices to tell each other what we think each possession symbolized. Each of us supported our opinions with support in the chapter. At the end of each possession, we established one main idea that we all agreed on.
3.)What I learned was that if you do not have possessions, then you are not who you are. In other words, if your missing a possession, then a part of your identity is missing. i felt that this was an interesting point in our discussion. Also, i learned that the symbol teeth and shoes are similar to each other and soup and blanket, washbowl, and soap are similar to each other. The teeth and the shoes represent power and are known as lifelines. While the Soup, blanket, washbowl, and soap are represented life because the Jews needed soup to survive and be healthy and the blanket, washbowl, and soap are needed to use to be clean of any illnesses and etc.
1. The questions that I was discussing were of chapter 8.
ReplyDelete2. We will first say question and state what we thought were the answer. If anyone disagree, we tried to see it in their point of view on the subject. There were a lot of disagreements, but after we had help, we finally came to an conclusion.
3. Something that I learned from this discussion was that voices are influence by other voices or actions. We all discuss an action or voice and how Elie was affected by it, but we didn’t get up to the point were there is a simple explanation. I think that what we discover is very important, because without we now have better understanding the question and Elie.
Chapter 5- question#3 --What is Elie's voice about his God now? How does he feel? Why?
ReplyDeleteMy group I discussed, and debated whether or not Elie still believed in god. We came to the conclusion that Elie doesn’t lose faith completely, that he simply was angry at god. Elie is angry at god’s silence and does not fast or pray on Yom Kippur. However, Elie does still have some faith and it’s shown when he prays to not be like the rabbi’s son. Elie was simply angry at god for doing nothing, but he didn’t lose faith completely.
1. The question my group and I discussed today in class was about chapter 8. We discussed our opinions on whose voices we thought Elie remembered during the time when his father was d
ReplyDeleteying.
2. Our interaction was a bit chaotic at first. All of our group members had different opinions. Although we had different opinions all our ideas tied into three of the most important (in our opinion) voices in the novel that might have had a great impact on him and he would have remembered during the time of his father's death.
3. After the discussion in my group today I learned that all voices are influenced by other voices. My group discovered that even though Elie took into consideration the words of the block officer and of Rabbi Eliahou his ultimate decision was remembering his own voice and his perspective of everything. An interesting thing that I learned today in class was that voice does not necessarily be dialouge or words but voice can also be shown through actions. For example the situation of Rabbi Eliahou and his son can be voice as well even though The Rabbi did not necessairly know that his son abandoned it. This is voice because it resulted in one of the influences of Elie's own voice.
1. My group was discussing the questions on chapter 4. We were talking about what possessions represent, mainly teeth and shoes.
ReplyDelete2. At first two people from the group thought that teeth represented wealth because Elie had a gold crown and it showed how he was rich in a way. But then two of us agreed that it represented human rights because when Elie avoided having his gold crown removed he's in a way protecting himself from getting his rights taken away. But in the end, he still had his tooth removed which showed how he lost his rights. Finally we agreed on that teeth and shoes represents individuality.
3. I found it interesting how we came up with individuality as what teeth and shoes represent. I agree with this analysis because Elie's only possession was his shoes and when the guy wanted Elie's shoes he refused to exchange them for life and food. The shoes is like a part of Elie and this is how it showed how he is as an individual. The teeth also represents this because only a few selected that possess gold teeth were chosen.
1) The questions that my group worked on today were the questions from chapter eight
ReplyDelete"1. Whose voices do you think Elie Wiesel remembers the most from the time when his father was dying? Why?
2. If it had been you, whose voice would haunt you the most? Why? "
2)At first the interaction in our group did not work out so well. We were not listening to one another and we al wanted to get our point across at the same time. All of us had the same views, but we took chunks and pieces and argued it without realizing that if we tied all of our thoughts together, we'd be on the same page. After taking the time to listen to one another, we realized that we all had the same idea just was not developed well enough
3) WHat i found most interesting was the way we came up with out conclusion. SOme of us in our group were saying one cant consider their own voice as a voice to remember, yet others believed believed that was the most important voice. After discussing our evidence and proving our points, we realized that our voice is influenced by the other vocies around us, which we can consider as a voice being heard. One of my group members said that Elie remembered the two voices in his head that were conflicting between striving for his father and surviving for himself. I did not consider those voices before, but these were the strongest voices in the book
1. My group and I discussed the questions about chapter 6 & 7.
ReplyDelete2. A big thing we discussed was why Elie would include the part about the Rabbi losing his son. At first we talked about how it might have mirrored what happened with Elie and his father and then drew the conclusion that it was foreshadowing a future event, as when Elie's father died, he felt "free." We also talked about how when Elie realized that the Rabbi's son had left him, he didn't want to become like the son and leave his father because he was dead weight. Elie then prayed for God to give him strength to not be like the son. It is like the even reaffirmed his faith in God.
3. I found it interesting to hear my group members perspective on some of the parts of the story. I felt that I had interpreted some parts a little differently from them, so it was good to share. Also, some of my group members were pretty good at identifying symbolism, so they were a good help.
Today in class, my group was discussing the questions from chapter three, the writer’s voice. While we were discussing what happens to the main character, Elie, when he uses his voice, my group came upon something that was implied that I didn’t notice. In chapter three, Elie had used his voice when he spoke to Stein. Elie knew who Stein was because often Stein’s wife used to eat with Elie’s family before all Jews were sent to concentration camps. In the camp, Stein questioned Elie if he knew where his wife and children is, and Elie would reply back to him saying that his mother had news of Reizel (Stein’s wife) and the children as well. Elie said this to give Stein a reason to live. When my group discussed the quote: “We were not to see him, again. He had had news. Real news (42).” I didn’t know that the author was implying that he probably had suicide when he found out his wife and children were dead. At first, I thought that he had news of his wife and children, and that they were still alive. And he probably went to seek for them. But when my group explained it, “We were not to see him again,” meaning that he probably lost the will to live and that “Real news” implies that there was either no news or bad news about Stein’s family.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Almanzar
ReplyDeleteOne question that we came upon in my group while discussing Chapter 5 was if Elie had still believed in God. We were discussing that Elie might have still known there was a God but had lost faith in Him. I found it interesting when we began to apply Elie's situation to ourselves and debating on how would we feel? and if we still would believe in God. I myself felt that if I were in Elie's situation I would question God as well. Elie was right in questioning God and he had a good reason. Elie brought up on page 64 that "But these men here, whom You have betrayed, whom You have allowed to be tortured... what do they do? They pray before You! They praise Your name!" and I felt that he was making a valid point. Many in my group were saying that Elie had not lost all faith and that God was just putting him through a test but i disagree. I feel that Elie has gotten through all of these misfortunes with faith in himself, not in God. When Elie began to question God, he began to lose faith. He later on continued in not believing in God at all.
Our group was discussing Chapter 5. The question was whether or not he still believed in God. At first most of us had thought he still believed in God, I as well. MOst of us agreed he didn't believe in God. I disagreed and said he just lost his faith in God. The interesting point that was made was that if Elie believed in God would he be talking about God at all. I learned that losing faith in God is about the same not believing in him. I have changed my mind and think Elie has always believed in God, but he is angry, doubting, and questioning him as he continues to suffer.
ReplyDelete1. We were discussing chapter four deciding what each symbol meant, that was what we were arguing about.
ReplyDelete2. The interaction was fine everyone had a chance to talk, but every one wasn’t sure of them selves including me (especially me).
3. Well we decided on a couple of things like the possession of such things like his gold tooth and shoes were part of his individuality.
Today during English class our group discussed chapter 8. At first the interaction did not go so well. Each of us had similar ideas , but we did not listen to each. Instead we only tried to disprove one another. Over time we realized that we were saying the same thing. The voices that Elie heard during his fathers death was his own. Deep down inside he knew that he wanted to get rid of the burden. The voices that he heard influenced the voice he originally had. Others felt that the rabbis past situation with his son influenced Elie.
ReplyDeleteMs Karvunis
ReplyDeleteI feel some of you did not describe your discussion in enough detail. Please explain and describe the situation more so the readers can feel like they have been a part of your discussions.
Joseph Nagiub
ReplyDeleteAccording to the comments about the group of chapter three, i also believe that Night symbolizes the absence of god. I believe that night meaning darkness and evil rising with no god to help the jews. As one comment said "Where is Yaweh?", the jews are questioning God since he is not saving them. as on the holidays jews were unsure to eat because they either wanted to survive and eat or stick with their orders. Some didnt believe there was a God to follow. Jews had to find different ways to survive each night.
1.We were discussing Chapter 4 questions in class.
ReplyDelete2.We were discussing what the symbolism. We had conflicting views on the symbolism of many of the objects shown in the chapter. We each share our interpretation of the symbol. The symbols were seen as individuality and power. We reach a common answer that we all agree on and wrote it down.
3.I learned our group in interpretation was to general. We symbolize many of the objects as power. I believe we could have got a more in-depth view on the situation to get a proper interpretation. Our group also could of use more evidence to support of ideas.
Jason Grullon
ReplyDelete1. We were discussing Chapter 4 questions in class.
1. What do possessions represent? Explain.
Examples:
a. teeth
b. shoes
c. soup
d. blanket, washbowl, soap
2. What does the author begin to add to the characterization of young Elie? Why?Look back at how Elie is developed in the first 30 pages and look closely now. Explain the difference between Elie then and Elie now. Cite pages.
3. What do the symbols add to the story?
2. We were discussing what the symbolism. We had conflicting views on the symbolism of many of the objects shown in the chapter. We each share our interpretation of the symbol. The symbols were seen as individuality and power. We reach a common answer that we all agree on and wrote it down.
3. I learned our group in interpretation was to general. We symbolize many of the objects as power. I believe we could have got a more in-depth view on the situation to get a proper interpretation. Our group also could of use more evidence to support of ideas.