Transcript Night - Home - Benson Middle School

Elie Wiesel
Anticipation Guide
1. It is always best to speak the truth, no matter what the consequences
may be.
2. People tend to reveal their true selves in difficult situations. People don’t
change.
3. Mankind is basically good.
4. Our basic human instincts dictate to us that we must protect ourselves
first in times of trouble.
5. People of one race can be less important than or inferior to people of
other races.
6. When someone is influenced by others to do something against their
natural tendencies, it is really their choice, not peer pressure.
7. When faced with something we disagree with, it is almost always best to
stay quiet and accept it.
Background Information
• Read Elie Wiesel’s biography and
answer the questions that follow.
Oprah Interviews Mr. Wiesel
Watch Oprah’s interview with Elie Wiesel at
the Auschwitz death camp.
Oprah's Interview with Elie Wiesel
While you watch, answer the questions on
your sheet.
Chapter 1 Comprehension Questions
Pages 3-22
1. Who was Moishe the Beadle? Why was he an important figure
in Elie’s life? (p.3)
2. Discuss the importance of religion in Elie’s young life. (p.4-5)
3. What significant event happened to Moishe the Beadle? Why?
What story did he tell upon his return? How did Moishe escape
this wretchedness? (p.6)
4. Why did people refuse to listen to his stories of what had
happened?(p.7)
5. Moishe said, “I wanted to return to Sighet to decribe to you my
death so that you might ready yourselves while there is still
time.” What did he mean by this? (p.7)
6. Why did Elie’s father refuse to sell his business and move to
Palestine? What is your opinion of this decision? Why? (p.8-9)
7. What were the Fascists doing to the Jews in Budapest? Why did
others refuse to take this action seriously? (p.9-10)
Chapter 1 Comprehension Questions
Pages 3-22
8. After the leaders of the Jewish community were arrested, what
were the orders to the other Jews? (p. 10)
9. What was the ghetto? At first, why were the Jews unconcerned
about being placed in the ghettos? Soon afterward, what
happened to make them change their minds? (p.11-12)
10.The inspector from the Hungarian police knocked on the
window, but by the time someone went to see who it was, he
was gone. What is the significance of this? (p.14)
11.How did the Hungarian police treat the Jews as they told them
the time had come? (p.16)
12.Why did the Jews leave their valuables behind? (p. 17)
13.Explain why Elie and his older sisters refused to go to Maria’s
village with her. (p. 20)
14.What were the conditions of the cattle car? (p.22)
Chapter 2 Questions
Pages 23-28
1. What had happened to Madame Schachter to
make her behave as she did? What did she
continually shout about to the Jews? (p. 24)
2. How did the men finally subdue her? (p. 26)
3. When they reached a station, where were they?
What would they do there? (p. 27)
4. What did Madame Schachter’s cries
foreshadow? (p. 28)
Figurative Language
• Ideas communicated beyond their literal meaning to
create an image in the reader’s or audience’s mind.
• Metaphor-A comparison made between two unlike objects: “The
pillow was a cloud.”
• Simile-A comparison made between two unlike objects, using the
words “like” or “as” in the comparison: “The pillow
was like a cloud.”
• Personification-Giving human qualities or characteristics to nonhuman objects: “The wind sang its sad song.”
• Imagery-Using words to create pictures for the senses: “…a tall
frosty glass of lemonade.”
• Hyperbole-Truth is exaggerated for humor or emphasis: “I died
when the boy I like finally talked to me.”
Figurative Language
3 Metaphors
2 Similes
4 Personifications
1 Imagery
1 Hyperbole
Figurative Language
Part I: Read each quote from Chapters One and Two. Look
at the underlined figure of speech in the sentence, then
decide what type of figure of speech it is. Finally, identify
the comparison being made, the object being personified
or exaggerated, or the image being created.
Example: “A wind of calmness and reassurance blew
through our houses.” (p. 6, par. 5).
Figure of speech: Metaphor
Analysis: We were calm and comfortable in
our homes.
Figurative Language: Part I
1. “The shadows beside me awoke as from a long sleep.
They fled, silently, in all directions.” (p. 14, par. 6)
2. “…an old man with a gray beard and the eyes of a
dreamer.” (p. 14 par. 10)
3. “In everyone’s eyes was suffering drowned in tears.” (p.
17 at the top)
4. “They went by, fallen, (a) dragging their packs,
dragging their lives, deserting their homes, the years of
their childhood, (b) cringing like beaten dogs.” (p. 17,
par. 3&4) (This one has two figures of speech/analyses)
5. “Everywhere rooms lay open…an open tomb.” (p. 17,
par. 7)
6. “They were the first of the faces of hell and death.” (p.
19, par. 8)
Figurative Language: Part II
Directions: Now identify and UNDERLINE the figure of
speech in the sentence, then decide what type of figure of
speech it is. Finally, identify the comparison being made or
the object being personified or exaggerated.
7. “Monday passed like a small summer cloud, like a dream
in the first daylight hours.” (p. 18, par. 7)
8. “The stars were only sparks of the fire that devoured us.”
(p. 21, par. 1)
9. “Our terror was about to burst the sides of the train.” (p.
25, last sentence)
10. “…These were as nothing compared with these screams
which tore us to shreds.” (p. 26, last paragraph)
Extra Credit: Now, find two other examples of figures of
speech from Chapters One and Two and write them down.
Identify the type of figure of speech and write an analysis.
Chapter 3 Comprehension Questions
1. As they arrived at Auschwitz, why do you think Elie was
apprehensive/nervous when the women went one way and the men
went the other way? Were his fears realistic? Explain. (29)
2. “Behind me, an old man fell to the ground. Near him was an SS man,
putting his revolver back in its holster.” What had actually happened
in this scene? (30)
3. Explain why the prisoner told Elie to say that he was eighteen, rather
than fifteen. (30)
4. Why, when the young men with the knives tried to incite the others
to revolution, did the wind of revolt die down? (31)
5. What was Dr. Mengele’s role at Auschwitz? (31)
6. What was in the truck that was brought to the ditch? How did Elie
react to what he saw? (32)
7. What was the first sign that Elie was beginning to question God? (33)
Chapter 3 Comprehension Questions
8. Elie made up his mind what he would do if he were forced into the
ditch with the burning bodies. What was his plan of action? What kept
him from doing it? (33)
9. As Elie and the others made their way into the barracks, why were
some of the prisoners armed with sticks and ready to use them? (35)
10. What was the job of the men of the Sonder-Kommando? How were
they chosen? (35)
11. Beginning with giving up their clothes, describe the process all new
prisoners went through when they came to the camp. Why do you
think they had to do this? (35-37)
12. Why do you suppose Elie did nothing when the gypsy in charge gave
his father a hit/slap that knocked him to the ground? (39)
13. Why do you think the young Pole, the prisoner in charge, spoke those
“first human words”? (41)
14. Why did Elie lie to Stein, Reizel’s husband? (44)
15. Do you think Elie and his father believed that Tzipora and his mother
were still alive? Explain. (45-46)
Chapter 4 Comprehension Questions
1. Why did the officer take such an interest in the younger
children? (48)
2. What was the unfortunate incident with Elie’s shoes? (48)
3. How were the medical exam and the dental exam different for
Elie? (48-49)
4. What did Yossi, Tibi, and Elie have in common that made them
become friends? (50-51)
5. When Elie was summoned to the dentist, what was odd about
the way the dentist looked? (51)
6. How was Elie able to get out of having his crown pulled from
his mouth? What warning did the dentist give him? (52)
7. Briefly describe the incident between Idek and Elie. (53)
Chapter 4 Comprehension Questions
8. What did the French girl do that surprised Elie? How was she
able to pass as Aryan? (53-54)
9. Why was Elie angry with his father when Idek beat him? (54)
10.Franek wanted Elie’s gold crown. What did he do to convince
him to give it up? (56)
11.Why was Elie beaten with a whip? What had he seen? (57)
12.Why and for whom were gallows set up the first time? (61)
13.What happened to the pipel, the one with the face of a sad
angel? What had he done? (63-64)
14.What terrible thing happened to the pipel on the gallows? (6465)
Chapter 5 Comprehension Questions
1. On the last day of this year, how was the way the prisoners looked at
Rosh Hashanah different from the way they used to view the Jewish New
Year? (66)
2. How do Elie’s thoughts show that he is losing faith in God? (66)
3. Analyze Wiesel’s meaning in the following statements: “I was no longer
capable of lamentation…I felt very strong. I was the accuser, God the
accused…I stood amid that praying congregation, observing it like a
stranger.” (68)
4. What was the “fine New Year’s gift” the SS gave the prisoners? (69-70)
5. Rations had become more meager. It that a good or a bad thing? Why?
(70)
6. What was Elie’s “inheritance”? (75)
7. What was Elie’s father’s fate at the second selection? (76)
8. Describe Elie’s surgery. (79)
9. What would have happened to Elie if he had stayed in the hospital after
his surgery? (82)
10. What was the last act performed by the men an hour before leaving
camp? Why? (84)
Chapter 6 Comprehension Questions
1. Why do you think the men were forced to run? What would be their
fate if they did not? (85)
2. Why were men underfoot crushed, trampled, dying? Why did no one
pay attention? (86)
3. Why wouldn’t Elie allow himself to go to sleep again in the shed, even
as his father watched over him? (89)
4. As Rabbi Eliahu came looking for his son, what did we learn about his
son? (91)
5. Upon arrival at Gleiwitz, Elie and his father were thrown into a mass
of bodies. How did this happen to them and what did they do to free
themselves? (93)
6. While he was trapped under man bodies, Elie heard a rattling cry from
somewhere beneath them. It was an old friend, Juliek. What was
Juliek most concerned about? What did he do with it? (93-95)
7. What do you think happened to Juliek that night? (95)
8. What happened to Elie’s father as the selection was taking place?
How did the confusion save him? (96)
Chapter 7 Comprehension Questions
1. Why had so many of the prisoners died during the
night? (98)
2. Why did the train stop in the middle of a deserted
field? Why did this make the prisoners so happy? (99)
3. How long was the journey? (100)
4. To what did Wiesel compare the story of the Germans
throwing bread into the wagon? Why was it so
upsetting to him? (100)
5. Briefly recount the story of the father who got the
bread for himself and his son. (101-02)
6. Of the one hundred who had started the journey, how
many climbed down from the train at Buchenwald?
(103)
Chapter 8 Comprehension Questions
1. After waiting so long in the snow and icy wind, why were the
prisoners finally allowed to go into the blocks? (106)
2. What did Elie do that made him feel “ashamed forever”?
(106)
3. Why weren’t the sick prisoners given anything to eat? (107)
4. As Shlomo lie on his bed near death, what did he feel he
needed to tell Elie? (108)
5. Elie took his father to see the doctor who would not treat
him for his dysentery because he was a surgeon and that
wasn’t his business. When a second doctor came to the
block, he was there for only one reason. What was this
reason? (109)
6. What was most likely the major contributing factor in Elie’s
father’s death? (111)
Chapter 9 Comprehension Questions
1. After Elie’s father died, Elie could think of only one
thing. What was that? (113)
2. Where was Elie sent to live? (113)
3. Although over the loudspeakers came the order to
assemble, some prisoners whispered to the children
that they should go back. Why? (114)
4. The evacuations did not take place and were
postponed until the following day. Instead the
resistance decided to act. What was the result? (115)
5. Coincidentally, what took place at 6:00 that evening?
(115)
6. What was ironic about Elie’s bout with food poisoning
shortly after the liberation? (115)