1.
FAMILY: At the beginning of the book,
prisoners in the concentration camps hold on to their family members. The most
important thing is to stay with your family members as long as possible. However,
as the book progresses, a major conflict in the book arise: self-preservation vs. love and loyalty to
family.
2.
FAITH: Throughout the book, Elie
presents the Jewish faith during a time of extreme darkness. The things Elie
witnesses as a child cannot, in his mind, be reconciled alongside the idea of
God. Throughout the book, he “loses his faith”. Is man stronger than God?
3.
DECEPTION: Especially self-deception
– is a powerful force in Night. Self-deception has two primary results: boosting morale and hope, but also deluding
the Jews and leaving them vulnerable.
4.
IDENTITY: In the beginning of Night,
Eliezer identity is that of an innocent child, a student of Talmud, and a
devout Jew. But the concentration camps experience strips him (and his fellow
Jewish prisoners) of his identity. Eliezer’s identity upon entering the
concentration camp is that of a child, a student of Talmud. What is his identity when he leaves?
