What Does Elie Believe In Their Eyes Were Watching God

Introduction “One day when I was able to get up, I decided to look at myself in the mirror on the opposite wall. I had not seen myself since the ghetto. From the depths of the mirror, a corpse was contemplating me. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me.” (Night). The horror of Holocaust left this young boy petrified as he stared back at himself in hopes to find the person he used to be before the atrocious events that previously unfolded. “For in the end, it is all about memory, its sources and its magnitude, and, of course, its consequences.” (Night). This statement reigns true as different perceptions flip the memories of the immutable circumstances of the Holocaust. The way that one perceives a quandary plays a huge role
However, both have two very different viewpoints of both the events unfolding around them, and the God that they believe in. Although both of these young men are serving the same God, they receive hope from Him in two very different ways that best fit their specific needs. For example, Elie sees God’s provision in many ways, one of which was unexpected kindness that was received from his commando leader. Al Phonse provided rations and kindness, both of which were not common in Auschwitz. On the other hand, in “Life is Beautiful,” Joshua and his father received hope from God as his innocence was preserved. In other words, Joshua’s father was able to protect his son from the reality of the horrors at the
Elie had a father who was all about reality; though he wished to stay with his son, he never tried to hide the truth from him. Joshua had a father that wanted to protect him emotionally as much as possible. Although his father knew how bad the circumstances were, he was able to keep his son alive by giving him a set of rules to follow as if it was a game. With this in mind, it can be seen that these two similar occurrences had two different outcomes based on the way that the fathers influenced how their children perceived the event. “...I believe it important to emphasize how strongly I feel that books, just like people, have a destiny. Some invite sorrow, others joy, some both.” (Night) As stated above, some people invite sorrow and others invite joy, the path that is taken makes a whole world of difference for oneself and everyone