Wiesel's harsh experiences cause him to question his companionship with God. Wiesel shows the reader the major role that God plays in his life, by starting his memoir with Moche, the beadle. Moche is Wiesel's teacher in the mysteries of the Kabbala, and oth

Several sufferers disagree with the assumption that God is dying. These people feel that God is alive and just doesn't care about the Jews and their suffering. God doesn't do anything when children are massively killed in the crematories. He doesn't do anything when thousands of people starve and freeze to death. On Rosh Hashanah, Wiesel refuses to pray because he feels that God isn't listening to him. Toward the end of his memoir, Wiesel rarely considers praying to God. Wiesel's refusal to praise Him brings him closer to his seclusion from God.

The head of Wiesel's block in Buchenwald tells him that everyman must fight for himself in order to survive. Deep down inside, Wiesel knows that this man is right, but he is afraid to admit it. He feels that if he chooses himself over his father, he will totally diminish his humanity. Wiesel's major conflict is whether or not he will betray his father in order to survive. Wiesel witnesses many instances in which sons betray their fathers. He prays to God that he will never be like those boys. This proves that he is different, but he will still do almost anything to survive. When Wiesel's father gets very ill, Wiesel knows that his father doesn't have much time left. He contemplates whether he should take his father's rations of food for himself to make him stronger, or give it to his father. He knows that the food will not change his sick father's condition. This is the first time that he actually considers betraying his father for his own survival.

A major change in Wiesel's view of death is that it is a way to break away from the torture of the Holocaust. "The idea of dying, of no longer being, began to fascinate me. Not to exist any longer. Not to feel the horrible pains in my foot" (Wiesel 82). The pains in Wiesel's foot symbolize any pain or discomfort that would cease to exist after death. When Wiesel and the other inmates are forced to run dozens of miles in the freezing cold, Wiesel's body becomes so fragile and overcome with exhaustion, he just wants it all to end. A physical escape from the concentration camps seems virtually impossible with the strict guards always on the lookout. Perhaps death is the only way to escape the Holocaust. Whether or not this is true, Wiesel decides to go on living. Even though his ethics of life are changing, his existence is exceedingly valuable to him.

Wiesel's values of life alter from the beginning to the end of his memoir. When Wiesel enters Birkenau and sees the crematories, he says, "We've got to do something. We can't let ourselves be killed. We can't go like beasts to the slaughter. We've got to revolt" (Wiesel 29). This line shows the reader that Wiesel is willing to stand up for himself to save his life. After he experiences many deaths, he learns more about the Holocaust. When a gypsy strikes his father, Wiesel does nothing. Wiesel doesn't move, in fear of bringing harm to himself. Another occurrence that shows that Wiesel is afraid to stand up for himself occurs when the belligerent man, Idek, hits his father. This time, instead of being too afraid to stand up for his father, Wiesel is angry with his father for not knowing how to avoid Idek's outbreaks. The changes in Wiesel's morals, allow him to separate from society so that he remains unharmed.

The competition among the Holocaust sufferers is also shown when the SS officers throw breadcrumbs into the wagon. Dozens of starving men fight each other to their deaths, just for a few crumbs. Wiesel does not take part in this stampede over a few crumbs. Wiesel has learned from other people's mistakes, and he understands that he can't compete with the others. He knows that he will not win because he is so outnumbered. Wiesel stays isolated from the competition between the others so that he can refrain from getting killed by them.

Although many people question the existence of God, many believe that He does exist, and that He has

Some common words found in the essay are:
Surprisingly Wiesel, God Wiesel, Wiesel God's, Holocaust Wiesel's, Wiesel Wiesel, Estess Journey, God Jews, Elie Wiesel's, Maybe God, Holocaust Wiesel, faith god, god wiesel, estess journey, wiesel feels, holocaust sufferers, belief god, feels god, people wiesel, jewish religion, memoir wiesel, wiesel's belief god, reversal roles god, wiesel accuses god, beginning memoir wiesel, questions faith god,
Approximate Word count = 2963
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)