Kevin Skinkis 1

Kevin Skinkis
Mrs. Murrman
10/2/2014
English, Period 7
Comparing Human Behavior
There are many ways that people have treated each other throughout history. These ways
are explained thoroughly within Night. This novel by Elie Wiesel tells about the tragedy of his
life being a young Jewish boy during the holocaust. The novel explains several different ways
that humans treat each other. Within Night, Elie Wiesel describes moments of brotherhood and
moments of cruelty.
First, there are many ways brotherhood is shown throughout the novel. For example, a
prisoner gives Elie and his father advice on lying about their age. While entering the
concentration camp, the prisoner says, No, not fifty, forty. Do you understand! Eighteen and
forty (19). This shows fellowship because the prisoner is helping their chances of survival.
Being a certain age allows them to work and live rather than be killed. Next, kindness is shown
when the Jewish people were in the barracks, and they were planning what to do before the Nazis
select who is not fit enough anymore. Directly before this selection, the Jewish people huddle
together and the block leader tells them Dont look at the SS. Run, straight in front of you!
(47). This shows fellowship because they are all helping each other in order to survive together.
They are kind enough to help each other out in order for them to live longer. Also, brotherhood is
shown whenever the Jewish people are liberated from the camps at the end of the war. Elie
explains how their first sign of hope arrives. At six oclock in the evening, the first American
tank stood at the gates of Buchenwald (77). Liberating these Jewish people sets them free of all

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the hard labor and trauma they have been put through. This shows extensive brotherhood by the
way they free all these people from torture.
Alternatively, huge moments of cruelty are seen as well. For instance, while being
transported to the camps, people are packed into cattle cars with all of their luggage. As they are
removed from the cars, Elie explains his feelings, The cherished objects we had brought with us
thus far were left behind in the train, and with them, at last, our illusions (19). This is evil to
these people because they pack all of their most valuable items, only for them to be taken away.
This is also one of the first times they see the reality of what is happening within the
concentration camps.Further, the horrifying moments of their living conditions contribute to the
cruelty as well. Elie is explaining his hatred for their work bell, The bell. Already we must
separate, go to bed. Everything must be regulated by the bell (49). These conditions were awful
because they are overworked, and are not given very much sleep at all. This makes living a very
difficult and arduous task. Also, they are overworked beyond human capabilities. Elie explains
some of the work he has to do, We went to work as usual, loading heavy stones into railway
wagons (49). They have to do straining work for long hours of the day with little breaks and no
stopping. This work was very difficult, and many people die from overworking their bodies. That
is another moment of pure cruelty shown within the novel.
Therefore, moments of brotherhood and cruelty are described by Elie Wiesel in the novel
Night. Brotherhood and cruelty can happen anywhere such as within a war. Soldiers show
brotherhood by working together to eliminate injustice, but also in war, there is cruelty such as
the enemy and terrible events caused by the enemy. The correlations between brotherhood and
cruelty can be observed in many situations, such as in Night.