I think part of what makes the narrative so powerful is
that Wiesel does not pose any simple solutions to the complex issue of human evil. The
Holocaust, and any moment in time where there is such wonton and rampant cruelty, is
something that defies imagination and lies beyond the reach of words. However, Wiesel
does not capitulate easily. His argument is that while rationale is difficult to
establish, it should not prevent us from talking about the element of human suffering
and the desire to expand one's moral and ethical imagination. Wiesel does not seek to
bring the Holocaust into a paradigm where all is answered. His narrative brings to
light that there is a failure in human community, in bonds between individuals being so
readily dissolved and ruptured as to confound the imagination. It also brings to light
how nations or governments failed to act and protect the interest of those who endured
unimaginable suffering. At the same time, Wiesel does not spare the power of divinity
and religious faith in attempting to explore why what happened did happen. I would pay
close attention to the moments such as "Never Shall I Forget" or the child hanging from
the gallows. In these instances, there is a desire to explore the issue of human
suffering and cruelty from different points of analyses. In the end, Wiesel does not
suggest anything easy. Everyone bears responsibility. To a certain extent, this
infects the reader, who has little choice but to examine their own lives and their own
state of being in seeing whether or not they are replicating the same behaviors of the
cruelty in the narrative. It is in this understanding of the difficulty in providing an
answer, but also grasping the need to articulate a condition where blame is understood
that makes the work distinctive from so many others.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Does Elie Wiesel suggest any rationale behind the Holocaust in Night?
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