Summary

Elie walks past armed SS guards. The Jewish deportees are separated: the men to the left, the women to the right. He never sees his mother or sister Tzipora again. A friendly insider advises Elie and Chlomo to lie about their ages to increase their chance of survival. Elie should claim to be eighteen, Chlomo should claim to be forty. A cynic from within the camp curses the Jews as being stupid, ignorant or the fact that Auschwitz is a death camp where they will be "burned.” A few young, sturdy men speak of revolt; however, calming voices urge all to rely on faith. Dr. Mengele, an SS officer, surveys the men, sending the ‘fit’ to work assignments and the ‘unfit’ to the crematory. Elie claims to be a young farmer. He and his father follow the healthy men to work details. A truck delivers a...