Elie Wiesels Night
The book I read for my book review was Dawn, bye Elie Wiesel. This story represents the post WWII struggle of the Israeli freedom fighters - one young man in particular, who has found himself on the other side of the gun. Wiesel himself severed his time in the death camps at Auschwitz and Buchenwald during the War, and had previously written Night, the memoirs of his experiences. The purpose of this book, in my mind, was to express the inner most thoughts and the anguish of Elisha. Elisha is 18 years old. He was recruited by a gentleman named Gad, who turned him into a fighter. He has killed before for their cause, but only in groups - never alone. "... Our bullets were a flaming wall on which their lives were shattered... My five comrades and I set out to either kill or to be killed." Pg28. But now, Elisha wasn't in a group. He had been ordered to execute an English officer, John Dawson, as to compensate for the British capturing David ben Moshe, one of their own. In tradition, executions always took place at dawn in their culture; usually around 5AM. Elisha has less than twelve hours before he will be labeled as a murderer for the rest of his life. He's having a difficult time coming to the reality tha
As Night is drawing closer to an end, Elisha realizes that he doesn't want to go down to the basement, where John Dawson is being held, and kill a man he has never known. It was like war, where you don't shoot at men, but into the night. And, it's a rather quick read; the book itself is of a decent length and the wording isn't difficult. He even promises to mail a letter to Dawson's son after he's killed. War does cover everything, mentally, physically, and ecologically; war has no care as to who it hurts, why, or how. I, and I'm sure others as well, can't even fathom what Elisha is going through. At night everything is more intense, more true. In the Jewish tradition, there is a lot of focus on and towards nighttime. Of course, then again, if anyone were put into that position - having to kill a man, who has done nothing wrong except be born of English blood - I think they would be having some serious issues with themselves as well. In their eyes I should be forever branded a killer. " This, I feel is another powerful quote that makes good food for thought.
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Acceptance Essays
