We continue to study the motifs of loss of faith in God and loss of trust in humanity as well as Wiesel's use of literary techniques such as repetition , alliteration, metaphor , and symbolism. We first discussed examples of Elie's rapid dehumanization as he silently watches guards beat his father. Kaitlin discussed how the instinct of survival overrides Elie's humanity. We then studied passages wherein the word "night" is repeated and explored the evolving symbolic meaning of "night" with each use. I further pointed out the use of alliteration, and later personification, such as in the phrase "black flame devoured" my soul.

In order to assist Kaitlin's comprehension skills , I first provided instruction on how and why to annotate the text. Using our current novel, Night, I reviewed three major motifs: loss of faith in God, loss of trust in humanity , and the danger of illusion . Then as we read through the next pages, I demonstrated where and how to annotate the text to highlight these motifs and to note stylistic choices that create meaning such as short fragments and repetition. During the second segment, we reviewed my comments to Kaitlin's final essay on "News of the World" and I demonstrated how annotations could enhance this essay by incorporating specific events or quotes. I emphasized the importance of making the essay less generic by finding meaningful support for ideas.

We continued to study how style and diction create tone and meaning in this disturbing memoir about Wiesel's incarceration in Auschwitz. We discussed the author's use of simple sentences and even fragments to create a sense of impending doom. In this regard, I defined the word "conflagration " for Kaitlin and we parsed a sentence wherein the author expounds on the conflagration of stars and related it to the foreshadowing of the crematoria . We further discussed Mrs. Schacter's strange hallucinogenic foresight in seeing "fire " everywhere before the train even arrives. Only upon arrival do the imprisoned lose their illusions and realize that Mrs Schacter was not insane but somehow saw the truth before anyone else. We noted how the novel as it progresses, creates a deeper metaphorical meaning for common words such as "chimney, smoke, and most notably night and darkness."

We continued to studying the literary devices employed in the novel and analyzing their impact. Kaitlin did well in recognizing the continued use of irony as well as the impact of short phrases juxtaposing contrasting moods and ideas such as " an open tomb" adjacent to " a summer sun". We further studied how the author's similes comparing the Jewish community to "beaten dogs" aptly reflected the Nazi 's dehumanizing propaganda . Again , we noted how the repetition of the word"night" takes on a darker and grimmer significance each time. Last, we engaged in a philosophical discussion of when silence in face of evil constitutes collaboration.

We studied how the author employs irony, understatement, and symbolism in the novel. Kaitlin did well in recognizing the use of dramatic irony as the author describes the Jewish community as continuing to "smile" as Nazis force them into ghettos , as the reader knows the tragic outcome the people are yet to realize. I then provided instruction on symbolism noting that the author uses the word "night" not literally. Kaitlin did well recognizing how. the word "night" means something darker and more evil each time the word is used and foreshadows death. Kaitlin also raised and discussed the naivety of the Jewish community even as they face severe restrictions and persecution . We explored why this insular community was oblivious to what to us today appears their obvious tragic end.

We studied how the themes of childish faith, vain trust, and the danger of illusion permeate the text . As we studied passages, Kaitlin reviewed the plot sequences and then addressed which concept the passage illustrated ,for example the vain trust of the citizens of Signet believing that the world would not silently allow a genocide . Next, I provided instruction on the novel's use of the literary techniques of understatement ,irony , and simple sentence structure to highlight the horror of the author's experiences. Last, Kaitlin completed study guide questions on these topics.

During our first segment, we studied my comments on Kaitlin's final essay on the novel, News of the World. I provided instruction on how to embed quotes and summaries of specific events into her essay in order to bolster her very impressive ideas and observations . Kaitlin has a very good academic tone and structure to her essays. During the next segment, we began our analysis of Elie Wiesel's memoir, Night. I emphasized the importance of the forward wherein the author notes faith is childish, trust-vain, and illusion dangerous. We discussed how this assessment encapsulates the author's experiences. We further studied the first pages and noted how as a young teen ,before incarceration, Wiesel's identify and life's foundation was his faith or religion. We discussed how his loss of Fatih in God and in humankind in some ways was more devastating than the physical torture and deprivation he suffered as he was stripped of his identify and humanity .

As the internet was out of service, we were not able to conduct class today.

Today , we addressed Elie Wiesel's introduction to the novel. We examined the author's characterization of faith as childish, trust as vain , and illusion as dangerous. I explained how these ideas permeate the entire narrative. We then discussed the author's purpose in recounting his experiences at Auschwitz and his concern that ,in the absence of such a memoir , human nature tends to want to forget or ignore the past. Last, we studied Wiesel's biggest regret-how his experience at Auschwitz dehumanized him to such a great degree that he ignored his father's deathbed pleas and indeed was angered by his father's pleas which attracted the attention of the guards.

We began our study of Elie Wiesel's non fiction novel, Night, that details his deportation and imprisonment in Auschwitz. First, we viewed a short video on the liberation of Auschwitz which provided background and context using actual footage. We then looked at series of photographs of pre World War Signet, the town where Elie Wiesel lived before deportation.I pointed out scenes and areas that are depicted in first chapters of the novel. Last, we began a vocabulary exercise studying words particular to the events of the novel:
Aryan, Selection, labor camp, death camp, rabbi, Holocaust etc.