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Theme Of Dehumanization In The Book Night

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Night Essay

According to dictionary.com, fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. Fear is an emotion known far too well for the Jews during the holocaust. Nazis have taken over their lives and left them with nothing, but fear. Jews fear for the lives of themselves and their loved ones. Elie Wiesel was a lucky individual that got to escape this fear. His book Night describes the trepidation of physical abuse, the consternation of stolen identity,and the apprehension of the way they are transported. Night has an overall theme of dehumanization. The Nazis take away all of the Jews human qualities in three ways that cause their fear. …show more content…
To be different and to be one of a kind. Elie Wiesel, like many others in the holocaust, has lived through stolen identity. During one of the Jews first nights they encounter “Three ‘veterans’ with needles in their hands” that had “ engraved a number a number on [their] left arms.” (39). This shows dehumanization because the Nazis are treating the Jews as objects rather than people. Taking away a name gives the Nazis more power. As Elie allows them to call him “A-7713” instead of “Elie”, he is giving the Nazis more power over him. He is no longer a person in their eyes, but he is more their property. Another example of stolen identity is, after the Jews have to give up their clothes they proceeded to head down to the barber. The barber then “took [their] hair off with clippers, and shaved off all the hair on [their] bodies” (33). Hair is away people show character and personality much like clothing. Taking away these things is taking away a person's identity. As the Jews lose their hair, they are allowing the Nazis to take control over them. While Stolen identity is one way the Nazis dehumanize the Jews, they also treated them like

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