1. Where did Elie grow up? Give the town and country. 2. What year did the story begin?

How old is Elie?3. What does Elie want to study?

How does his father react?4. Who did Elie find to tutor him?

Who is this person in the town?5. Describe what happened to Moishe.6. How was Moishe changed?7. What was Moishe’s reason for why he wanted

everyone to believe him?8. Wiesel states that the people of Sighet doubted that

Hitler could exterminate the Jews--why? 9. What finally made the Jews of Sighet begin to worry?10. What was Sighet’s first impression of the Germans?

How did the Germans treat them?

11. What was the first sign of German hostility?12. What 7 laws did the Germans make concerning

the Jews?13. When did the Jews find out about the transports?14. What was interesting about the roll call on the

day of transports? Why was this done?

15. Who does Elie say were their “first oppressors”? 16. How were the Jews of Sighet being transported?

17.What were the traveling conditions on the train car?18.What does it mean to “economize”? 19.What realization came with leaving Hungary?20.How did Mrs. Schachter go mad? 21.What does Mrs. Schachter scream about?

How do they get her to stop?22.What news made the deportees regain confidence?23.What did they see out of the window of the train as they arrived?24.What was the Jews final destination?

25. What promise was broken when the Jews got off the train?26. When is the next time Elie says he saw his mother and

sister?27. What advice did Elie and his father get from one of the

inmates?28. For what reason was one inmate angry at the new

arrivals?29. What notorious Nazi did Elie and his father encounter at

Auschwitz?a. What is his nickname? b. What was this man obsessed with? c. What was his role at Auschwitz?

30. What change has come over Elie and his spirituality? 31. What 4 parts of himself did Elie say were forever

changed? 32. Why is Elie shocked at himself when his father is slapped?

33. What is the inscription above the gate of Auschwitz? 

34. What is said is the only way to survive?35. What is the purpose of the tattoos?

What is Elie’s?36. What is the Jews daily schedule at

Auschwitz? 37. What lie did Elie tell Stein?

What was Stein’s reaction?38. What was Elie and his father’s one goal? 39. “As for me, I had ceased to ________________.

I concurred with Job! I was not denying _______________ ________________________, but I doubted His ____________ ______________.

40. Where were Elie and his father transported to?

41. Describe the situation with Elie’s shoes and the outcome.

42. What are Jews who can play instruments used for? Who are they not allowed to play? Why?

43. In an interview, Wiesel said that it wasn’t God who got him through the Holocaust, it was luck. List three instances where Elie has good luck in this section of the novel.

44.  What do some in the concentration dream about more than freedom?

45.  Why was Elie called to the dentist?46.  What two things are going through Elie’s mind as his

father is being beaten by Inek?47. What does Elie mean when he says “this is what

concentration camp life had made of me”?48. What did Franek use as his chance to beat Elie’s father?

Why did he do this?

49. How did Elie’s gold crown get removed? What did it cost him?

50.  How does Idek punish Elie?51. “Two lambs, with a hundred wolves lying in

wait for them. Two lambs without a shepherd.”What are the lambs?Who are the wolves?Who are the shepherds?

52. Who was the only victim of the air raid? 53. What new way of killing Jews did the Germans

start in this section? What reason do you think there was for this?

greater than God   

Injection of morphine 2nd selection

Inheritance   

selection Akiba Drumer

54. How does Elie view his relationship with God on the New Year?55. “I have more ______________ in _____________ than in anyone else. He alone has kept _________

______________________, all his promises, to the __________________ ___________________.”56. When the Red Army starts moving in, what is going to be done with the prisoners who can still work?

What about the ones who are injured or ill?57. What choice do Elie and his father have to make concerning evacuation?

What is ironic about what they choose?58. What are the climate conditions under which they are evacuating? 

59.How are the prisoners making their way to their destination?60.What were the SS’s orders as they travelled?61.How far had the Jews run before passing through the abandoned

village?62.What did people start doing when they stopped to rest?63.What is Elie’s prayer after he realizes what the rabbi’s son had done?64.What is it like trying to get into the barracks at Gleiwitz?65.How many dead were thrown from the train?

What was taken from them? Who was almost one of them?

66. What horrifying event does Elie witness as a result of bread being thrown into the cattle car?

67. How many people were loaded onto the train in Gleiwitz? How many arrived living in Buchenwald?

68. What does Elie’s father do when they arrive at Buchenwald?

Location Mode of Travel Time Spent Food Journey from Buna       Arrive in Gleiwitz ----     Journey from

Gleiwitz      

69. What thoughts run through Elie’s head as he is taking care of his father at Buchenwald?70. What is Elie’s father sick with?71.  What makes Elie want to strangle one of the camp doctors? 72. What abuses does Elie’s father suffer at the hands of the other prisoners?

Why?73. Explain how Elie’s father dies.74.   “__________________________ were said over his tomb. No candle lit

________________________________________. His last ___________ had been ________________. He had _____________________________ and I ______________________________________.”

75. In the aftermath of his father’s death, what does Elie say he could have found in the depths of his being if he had searched for it? What does he mean by this?

76. Who finally liberated Buchenwald?77. Explain why you think that the prisoners did not think of

revenge after they were free.78. How long had it been since Elie had seen himself in the

mirror by the end of the book?79. What does Elie say has never left him?