Night Theme

Survival makes animals out of men.
The starving Jews in the cattle cars nearly kill each other when they compete over the bread. The Rabbi's son notices his Dad lagging behind the evactuation march, but because he feel his dad is merely decreasing his chance of survival, he dismisses his dad as dead weight. When Elie's dad dies Elie feels relief that the burden of his father is finally over. All of these examples reflect the extremes man will go to survive in times of great suffering, and men return to their basic primal instincts.

Stein of Antwerp

A family friend of Ellies, he is a pivotal character because he symbolizes hope in this chapter. He initially believes his family is alive, but eventually finds out the truth. I also think that this shows that many people's family were being killed in this time.

Concentration Camps details
Dr. Mengele-in charge of the selection process
Sky hazy with smoke
Flames-crematoriums
Transformation in the prison garb
Gray and dark
People's faces being turned to ash
Babies thrown into flames
Nocturnal silence

Dehumanization
Shaved their heads
All expected to wear prison garb
Made to stand in mud
Tattooed numbers-lost name
People were treated as objects
Detatched from family
Make prisoners run-to be overcome by fatigue, lose logical train of thought
Had to deal with deal themselves

Stein of Antwerp
Family member
Wanted to know how family was doing
Ellie lies, their doing well
Stein eventually dies because of known truth