There is a very thin line between the person who you were and the person that you are right now. As humans, we experience millions of events that can affect and change our perspective on aspects throughout the course of our lives. Similar to caterpillars, we cannot be innocent and childish forever. There is a time for everybody to transform into something beautiful, and everybody’s time is different.
Change can be good or bad, but most importantly, change helps us grow and become the people we were meant to be.How are we supposed to mature and enjoy our lives if we cannot accept the differences that life presents? For many people, metamorphosing is difficult because sometimes it can be a challenge to let go of something that was always a part of ourselves, such as letting go of a teddy bear, or a blanket, but for other people, it can be almost instantaneous. Eliezer, the main character of the autobiography Night, written by himself, is portrayed to be a very religious man who puts all his faith in God. He wants to study and learn all about God and all about how He created the world and why.At the beginning, it is evident that Eliezer is relying on God to rescue him, his family, and all the poor Jews from their nightmares because he thinks God would never want them to suffer for such a long period of time.
Eliezer, a committed believer in his religion, slowly begins doubting his God and His intentions as time progresses through the concentration camps. As a prisoner of war, the working conditions get worse, as Eliezer does not have the proper nutrition to give him the strength and dedication that he needs to pull through.The only thing that gives Elie the courage to continue fighting for his life, is the most important person in his life, his father Shlomo, and his hopes that God will soon end their misery. Elie does not show remorse for any of the people who have been hanged and who died, as they have committed a crime and deserve it. But when he witnesses the slow, painful death of a child who has committed a similar felony, Eliezer could not be more disappointed in the Creator for punishing his own son in such a terrible way.Not only was the boy just a child, but he was also an innocent, youthful human who did not know any better, and could not have deserved the same punishment as the others.
Eliezer resents his God for letting such nightmare touch their lives and scar their minds forever. He feels betrayed by someone who had all the power in His hands and did not even try to ease the suffering. Most importantly, Eliezer was more disappointed in himself for trusting someone that he thought was so powerful.He grew up believing in His undying love and His protection. Eliezer believed that God was there for him and that he was his friend, but he was wrong.
Eliezer says, “Oh God, Master of the Universe, give me the strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahu’s son has done. ” (p. 91) Here, Eliezer is looking for the strength and the patience to never get frustrated by his father, whatever the circumstance may be. Eliezer and Shlomo have an undeniable chemistry and protect each other from these demons that were introduced into their lives.
Together, they do everything to stay together despite the very strict and horrific environment that they have to live in. Eliezer is very protective of his father because he knows that Shlomo is not a strong man anymore, since his father has already reached his fifties. Together, they take care of each other because of their hope and desperation to get out of the concentration camps alive as a pair. However, as we read through Eliezer’s thoughts, there are times where he sometimes feels angry with Shlomo, but he never ceases to care and love him unconditionally.The thought of abandoning Shlomo is never an option, nor has it ever crossed his mind because their bond is so strong. This is why the author lies in shock once he discovers what Rabbi Eliahu’s son did to get rid of his father.
Even as Shlomo becomes more difficult to care for and watch over, Elie never gives up on him because he knows that his father, even if he is weak, is forcing himself to survive because he recognizes that his son is doing the same. Their mutual feeling of perseverance is what is keeping them alive and sane despite the atrocities that they are experienceing.But as the misery never ends, Shlomo loses all the strength to keep fighting for their liberty. He becomes very sick from months of malnutrion and hygiene care and now suffers from dysentery, a disease which causes the intestines to swell up. Shlomo, who no longer has the energy or the force to lift himself up, gets bullied by the other block mates for letting his fecal matter spread on his bed. Eliezer, unable to find the patience to help his demanding father, begins to realise that maybe letting Shlomo go would be his best option.
Without any medical treatment from the doctors, Elie does not believe that his father will heal from his illness and feels that there is no more that he can do other than to take care of himself. After his father’s death, Eliezer feels relieved because he does not have to babysit anyone anymore and he can focus on regaining the power and strength to survive. All through Eliezer’s story, we witness his metamorphosis. In other words, we can obviously see that Eliezer went from being a fifteen year old boy who did not have any responsibilities and worries.
He did whatever he was told to do with no complaints. Brought suddenly into a world that he has never heard of, all of Eliezer’s innocence was completely destroyed after the sight of babies being thrown into the fire. This is the first indication that his soul would not be left unscathed and there is no time to be fearful if he wants to get out of Auschwitz alive. He learned to control himself in difficult times, such as getting a small ration of bread or soup to, as his father Shlomo says, “You mustn’t eat all at once.Tomorrow is another day…” Along with all the struggles he faces his hopes for the future never fade. The sudden changes in the author’s life, the ones that have affected him and that have transformed him into the man that he is, are gruesome and terrifying.
We cannot foreshadow what is going to happen in our lives, so we have to "expect the unexpected," mentioned Heraclitus. Transitioning, no matter how big or small, is a challenge because we have no other choice than to adapt to a different way of living.Similar to the caterpillar, as soon as it is freed from its cocoon, the caterpillar is no longer a vulnerable insect. Elie acquired the ability to understand and justify his actions and thoughts through the novel.
It might have been the worst time of his life, but these incidents led to him being a strong, wise, intelligent man. As the book suggests, we must not let our fears and our negative experiences influence us. Instead, we must use them as inspirations to strive for a life beyond our expectations.
