Knayman's Weblog

Night Topic #5

knayman — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:22:43 +0000

Free write about the novel and your reaction to it. Is this an important book for students to read? Why or why not? Explain why you think Eliezer remained silent ten years after the Holocaust. Do you now understand what it means to be a witness and how crucial it is to tell your memories, your story? Explain.

Night Topic #4

knayman — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:20:34 +0000

The relationship between Eliezer and his father and the way that relationships are tested by the Holocaust is a central theme in this book. You’ve read accounts of how Rabbi Eliahou’s son abandoned his father, of a nameless son beating his father to death for a crust of bread on the train, and about the experiences of Eliezer and his father. Free write about the strength of your relationship with your parents. Could that relationship survive such a test?

Night Topic #3

knayman — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:17:09 +0000

Eliezer and others feel betrayed by God and have lost faith. Free write what you think about Eliezer’s beliefs; are they justified? How do you think you would feel about God or a Higher Being if you were living through such an ordeal?

Night Topic #2

knayman — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:15:27 +0000

One of the most important themes in Night is the way in which exposure to inhuman cruelty can deprive even victims of their sense of morality and humanity. Describe how Wiesel demonstrates in the book that cruelty and then think about situations in your life where people have turned others into unkind people. Discuss at least one situation.

Night Topic #1

knayman — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:09:41 +0000

In the first section of Night, there are many instances in which the Jews of Sighet have glimpses of what awaits them, and despite everything, they are unable or unwilling to believe in the horrors of the death camps. Name the clues they ignored and say why you think the Jews refuse to believe evil is on the way. Have you ever experienced a situtuation where you ignored clues of things to come only to recognize them later – after something happened? Discuss this experience.

What It Means To Be A Witness

knayman — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:37:35 +0000

Before reading the novel Night, students need to understand what it means to speak as a witness. In this blog you will need to write about an event you “witnessed” in person. You might choose an incident as immediate as walking by a homeless person sleeping in a doorway or a car accident that takes place right in front of you. You can even describe how you experienced the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 as you “witnessed” this tragedy on T.V. Begin your blog with “It’s important to remember…” or “I saw it with my own eyes.” Remember how descriptive you were with the vignette; think action verbs, figurative language, and imagery. Don’t forget to proofread!

Stereotyping and Prejudice

knayman — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:00:40 +0000

How do you feel when you hear adults say that all adolescents are irresponsible, unintelligent, lazy, disrespectful, and uncaring? What limitations or restrictions does this type of closeminded attitude place on you? What can you do to defeat this biased and negative attitude?