Night

According to Jewish (and Christian) tradition, God’s initial act in human history was to speak light into existence, eliminating the darkness. Darkness and night—the absence of light—therefore is the equivalence of a world without God’s presence. In Night, Wiesel extends this metaphor. Nighttime is always when the worst suffering takes place. Its presence reflects Wiesel’s belief that the world he experiences is one without God. When Elie initially refers to night, his father is being interrupted while telling stories to be briefed about the coming deportation of Jews. Also, night is the setting of Elie’s first arrival at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Nighttime in the bitter cold forests is also the scene of the torturous forty-two mile evacuation from Buna.

Fire

In Night, fire is a symbol of the Nazis’ cruel and vicious abuse of power. During the initial deportation, Madame Schächter receives...