Elie Wiesel, like many of the other survivors of the
concentration camps, were physically starved. Their figures were nothing more than a
skeletal frame with skin on it when the camps were liberated. In this sense Eli
physically resembled a corpse.
Mentally more things than
just Elie's body died. His faith in God died away as he watched over and over the
horrors around him, experienced the inhumane treatment at the hands of the Nazi's, and
found no comfort from God. He had been very spiritual before and longed to study more
and more about God, but after watching the young innocent boy hang, he stopped believing
in God because he could find no answers.
Elie's role as a
son also died away. He had two parents and relatives when he went into the camps. When
he came out his family had all been murdered. In addition, he felt he had lost himself
as a son to his father because he had not stood up and helped his father and at times
wished he were not there to burden him.
Elie also died
because he was no longer the person he had been before he went into the camp. His
experiences had changed him so dramatically and the changes of no longer having his
family or a place in his homeland left him with the need to rebuild his life and self as
a concentration camp survivor.
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