Dialectical Journal Practice #2

1.  Critical Stance: Wiesel chronicles the gradual dehumanization of the prisoners. 

a. First, define 'Dehumanization'

Dehumanization is the psychological process of demonizing the enemy, making them seem less than human and hence not worthy of humane treatment. This can lead to increased violence, human rights violations, war crimes, and genocide.

b. Then, describe the behavior of the various prisoners that shows their gradual transformation from their normal behavior as human beings.

When they first came to the camp they still believed in god, that he was testing them. But the longer they were in the camp some of them lost faith in him, while others still believed in god. They started to lose faith and did inhumane things to survive.

c. Last, describe the behavior of Eliezer, the changes that he notices and his response to them. 

Eliezer 

Eliezer began to lose faith. He was upset and frustrated that God was letting innocent Jews norm in the fire. Eliezer didn’t do anything to stop the guards from beating his father and other prisoners, he just stood there and watched. 

2. Dialectical Journal Entries

Find quotations for each of the comments you have made in question #1

Pg. 52 I had watched the whole seen without moving. I kept quiet. In fact I was thinking of how to get father away so that I would not be hit myself. What is more, any anger I felt at that moment was directed, not against the Kapo, but against my father. I was angry with him, for not knowing how to avoid idea's outbreak. That is what concentration camp life had made of me.

Pg. 59 The thousands who had died daily at Auschwitz and at Birkenau in the crematory ovens no longer troubled me. But the one, leaning against his gallows---he overwhelmed me. "Do you think this ceremony'll be over son? I'm hungry . . . ." whispered Juliek." 

Pg. 61 The three victims mounted together onto the chairs. The three necks were placed at the same moment within the nooses. "Long live liberty!" cried the two adults. But the child was silent. "Where is God? Where is He?" someone behind me asked."

Pg. 66 "You're lucky to have been brought here so late. This camp is paradise today, compared with what it was like two years ago. Buna was a real hell then. There was no water, no blankets, less soup and bread. At night we slept almost naked, and it was below thirty degrees. The corpses were collected in hundreds every day. The work was hard. Today this is a little paradise. The Kapos had orders to kill a certain number of prisoners every day. And every week selection. A merciless selection....Yes, you're lucky."

Pg. 77 My neighbor, the faceless one, said: "Don't let yourself be fooled with illusions. Hitler has made it very clear that he will annihilate all the Jews before the clock strikes twelve, before they can hear the last stroke." I burst out: "What does it matter to you? So we have to regard Hitler as a prophet?" His glazed, faded eyes looked at me. At last he said in weary voice: "I've got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He's the only one who's kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people."