Night--Horrifying

I have rarely read a book that depresses me, but Night by Elie Wiesel was just one of the most horrifying, depressing, hopeless books I've read. I think it's good for us to read first-hand accounts of the Holocaust because we need to be aware that it really happened and how depraved man can behave, but it sure doesn't make for pleasant reading!
Perhaps my strong reaction just shows the power both of Wiesel's story itself and his accounting of that story. I couldn't help but be horrified (since I have the advantage of history) as the Jews innocently complied with the Nazis as they were led to their slaughter. I shuddered inwardly as the narrator "concurred with Job! I was not denying (God's) existence, but I doubted His absolute justice" (45) or as he angrily railed against God (66) and accused Him (68).I had to set the book aside when Wiesel graphically described babies being thrown into a burning ditch and eloquently expressed its effect on him.

Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed.
Never shall I forget that smoke.
Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky.
Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.
Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live.
Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust.
Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself.
Never. (34)

My heart hurt as Wiesel described the brutality and depravity man can resort to. How is it that we turn on one another and adopt the "every man for himself" attitude in times of adversity? I simply can't fathom a child killing his father for a bite of bread (101) or accepting the philosophy espoused by the prisoners:

"Listen to me, kid. Don't forget that you are in a concentration camp. In this place, it is every man for himself, and you cannot think of others. Not even your father. In this place, there is no such thing as father, brother, friend. Each of us lives and dies alone" (110).

So why read such a horrifying book? I think it challenges each of us TODAY to consider how we are living. Are we living every man for himself, not thinking of others? Or are we willing to trust in God and live out Christ's Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-8) regardless of how others treat us? Will we recognize the Christ for who He is (not who we expect or wish Him to be) and trust in Him regardless of our circumstances?

And ultimately, the underlying theme I perceived throughout this book was that of silence. The prisoners were silent as their fellow man was beaten, humiliated, and killed. The world was silent (for a time) as the Nazis employed mass genocide. Still today, people try to silence the story of the atrocities committed, so books like this one are needed and I admire him for speaking out to educate those of us who didn't live through it so perhaps we will be equipped and emboldened to speak out for the cause of others today.

For truly, similar atrocities still occur. Babies are still being burned--they are being ripped from the womb and thrown into the incenerator or the sewer. Children are still being deemed unworthy of love and family and thus institutionalized. Racism and genocide still occur across the globe.

"Who would allow such crimes to be committed? How could the world remain silent?

And then I explain to him how naive we were, that the world did know and remained silent. And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human being endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere" (118).