Silence

Taylor WarywodaPeriod 9

SILENCE

Elie and his sisters were oblivious to the fact they would be evacuated from their home. His mother stood in silence and

contained her thoughts about this sudden move. She did not want to tell her children and have them worry, therefor

she remained silent.

“AT HOME, MY MOTHER CONTINUED TO BUSY HERSELF WITH HER USUAL TASKS. AT TIMES SHE WOULD PAUSE AND GAZE AT US, SILENT” (WIESEL 8).

“Migrant Mother”The Great Depression

Moshe had escaped from a concentration camp. When he tried to warn the other Jews by telling them his stories,

they silenced him. They did not want to believe the things that could potentially hurt them.

“THEY TAKE ME FOR A MADMAN,” HE WOULD WHISPER, AND TEARS, LIKE DROPS OF WAX, FLOWED FROM HIS

EYES” (WIESEL 6).

Gays are often afraid to come out because people may think that they have gone mad.

When some veterans start talking about how the camp was ran when they were imprisoned, it began to scare Elie. He ordered them to stop and he silenced them. He needed to

get through the selection without anything distracting him.

“STOP IT! BE QUIET!” I BEGGED. “YOU CAN TELL YOUR STORIES TOMORROW OR SOME OTHER DAY” (WIESEL 52).

The police silenced African Americans during the Civil Rights era. They were not given time time to explain themselves. They were told to tell their stories in jail.

The doctor silenced Elie’s decision on whether or not he wanted the surgery on his foot. He was only doing what he

thought would be best for Elie’s survival in the camp. Luckily, the doctor’s choice of making his own decision was

the best one.

“THIS IS THE LAST STRAW! BUT I HAD NO CHOICE. THE DOCTOR HAD DECIDED ON AN OPERATION, AND THERE WAS NO DISCUSSING IT” (WIESEL 57).

Hospital in the Holocaust

The SS Officers only informed the President of the Jewish Council for a reason. They did not want everyone to break

out into a mass hysteria. The President then silenced himself from telling the other Jews, because he did not

want a mass hysteria as well. His job was then to tell the Jews that they were going to be okay.

“WHERE ARE WE BEING TAKEN?” THIS WAS A SECRET. A SECRET FROM ALL EXCEPT ONE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE JEWISH COUNCIL” (WIESEL 11).

A mass hysteria broke out on 9/11. The people were silenced by the terrorists that day.

Towards the end of the story, Elie begins to silence his father. He knows that either way, his father will not be able to survive due to his health conditions. Elie needed to start

worrying about his own health. The officer also silenced Elie’s father because he was disrupting everyone.

ELIE’S FATHER IS CALLING FOR WATER AND ELIE IGNORES HIM. THE SS OFFICER THEN BEGINS TO ORDER HIS FATHER TO BE QUIET (WIESEL 81).

Photo of a train car in the Holocaust.(Where Elie’s father was left to die)

“MY THROAT WAS DRY, THE WORDS CHOKED IN IT, PARALYZING MY LIPS” (WIESEL 12).

When Elie tried to wake up the head of the household, he did not believe what Elie was saying. He then tried to tell him to go back to sleep, but he choked on his words. The

fear inside of him caused him to go silent.

Holocaust prisoners who have a loss of words

Silence is represented in this quote simply because the boy remained silent after being questioned, and then when

being hung. He did not want to give away any vital information, so he kept it to himself. He kept true to himself

by remaining completely silent while being hung.

“THE THREE NECKS WERE PLACED AT THE SAME MOMENT WITHIN THE NOOSES. “LONG LIVE LIBERTY!” CRIED THE 2 ADULTS. BUT THE BOY WAS

SILENT” (WIESEL 47).

Men being hung in the Holocaust

The Jews did not want to say anything that may jeopardize their lives. Therefore, they remained silent. If not, the Jews

had the right to kill without any question.

(THE SELECTION STARTS TO BEGIN) “THERE WAS INSTANT SILENCE” (WIESEL 52).

Elie had made a bad mistake when he walked in on a SS officer engaging in sexual acts with a woman. He remained

silent when being whipped. He knew if he were to say something, he would be whipped more times. He may have

even been killed.

ELIE WAS SILENT THE ENTIRE TIME HE WAS BEING WHIPPED (WIESEL 42).

Jew being whipped in the Holocaust