NIGHT CHARACTERS #2 NIGHT CHARACTERS 2

IDEK A symbol of chaos and violence Has “bouts of madness” Beat Eliezer’s dad with an iron bar “Idek, the Kapo, has bouts of madness now and then, when it’s best to keep out of his way” “His blows growing more and more violent, until I was covered in blood”

IDEK Kapo Extreme situations create extreme people “It was as though we had been taking part together in some game where each had our role to play.” “…Like a wild animal, hitting me…pulling me up, his blows growing more and more violent until I was covered in blood.” “I went up and saw Idek with a young polish girl, half naked sitting on a mattress…moving a hundred prisoners so that he could lie with a girl!!!!”

THE PIPEL Symbolized God He was hanged “the face of a sad angel” “Where is God? Where is He?” “Where is He? Here He is―He is hanging here on this gallows…” This means that there is no God because such a horrible thing could happen

MADAME SHÄCHTER She started to change after she was split with her husband and two eldest sons. (pg 22) “On the first day of the journey she had already began to moan and to keep asking why she had been separated from her family. Her cries grew hysterical.” (pg 22) “ Jews, listen to me! I can see a fire! There are huge flames! It is a furnace!” (pg 23) “Some of the young men forced her to sit down, tired her up, and put a gag in her mouth.”(pg 23)

JULIEK “Julike a bespectacled pole with a cynical smile on his pale face” “I’m afraid…I’m afraid…that they’ll break my violin” “Out of the dark rises the sad, pale face of my Polish friend, as he said farewell on his violin to an audience of dying men”