lost hope. He attempted to steal soup in a world where death is the only way to escape. Then, for no apparent reason, he let out a terrible cry, a rattle such as I had never heard before, and his mouth open, thrust his head toward the still steaming liquid. We jumped at the explosion. Falling back onto the ground, his face stained with soup, the man writhed for a few seconds at the foot of the cauldron, then he moved no more. (Wiesel, Elie. Night. Pg 57) The man attempts to steal the soup, which he knows will result in death. He is aware of this and realizes for him that death is the only way out. The man is escaping overwhelming cruelty and horror through death. He realizes that death is his only escape when he sees himself in the soup. He sees himself as a dead body realizes that is what he is. Another point of giving up is seen when Wiesel reflects on the state of Polish boy named Zalman. Zalman, a religious boy who recites the Talmud in order to escape the horrors of the world, runs along side Wiesel during the evacuation of Buna. Zalman begins to feel an ache in his stomach and believes he can no longer run. Wiesel encourages Zalman to continue to run. Zalman does not take this encouragement and begins to lose hope. He feels that death would be a better thing than running the horrific path of misery. Zalman gives up, crashing to the ground, killed by the feet that trample over him, the feet of his own people. He was suddenly seized with a cramp in the stomach. “I’ve got stomach ache,” he whispered to me. He could not go on. He had to stop for a moment. I begged him: “Wait a bit, Zalman. We shall be stopping soon. We’re not going to run like this until the end of the world.” But as he ran he began to undo his buttons, crying: “I can’t go on any longer my stomach’s bursting . . .” “Make an effort Zalman . . . Try . . . .” “I can&...
