The Accident | Themes & Symbolism

The Accident Significant Topics

The Living-Dead

The main theme running through this novel is the concept of the living-dead. In fact, this theme is brought to stark attention even before the novel begins. The quote preceding the first page of text, from the novel Zorba the Greek, reads:

"I was once more struck by the truth of the ancient saying: Man's heart is a ditch full of blood. The loved ones who have died throw themselves down on the bank of this ditch to drink the blood and so come to life again; the dearer they are to you, the more of your blood they drink."

The concept of the living-dead is played out in the very first page of The Accident. When Eliezer and Kathleen are walking through Times Square, they are on their way to a movie. One might assume they are on a date. Yet Wiesel's description of the scene is anything but...
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