Chapter 1
Takes place in Palestine.
Tomorrow, the narrator is conscious that he must end someone’s life. While unaware of the person’s identity, the task itself is well-known. The individual destined to die is an Englishman, and their impending death stems from a war. Curiously enough, this particular Englishman is also a beggar who played a significant role in educating the narrator about the contrast between day and night.
While attending the synagogue, the narrator encountered a man dressed in black attire. This encounter took place when the narrator was just 12 years old. As a child, the narrator openly confessed their fear of the beggar. Additionally, it is believed that night holds a greater purity compared to daylight, providing a conducive environment for contemplation, affection, and imagination.
The man desires to instruct the narrator in discerning between night and day. The beggar educates the narrator to gaze into the twilight, where a face will emerge. Night possesses a visage while day does not. The face that materializes is that of a deceased individual. The prior night, before undertaking his duties, the narrator surveys the night and encounters his own countenance. An execution is scheduled for sunrise. All executions consistently take place at dawn.
The Movement consistently fulfilled their promises. One month prior, one of their fighters participated in a terrorist operation and was apprehended by the police. Weapons were discovered on him and as per the law, he was executed. This marked the tenth death sentence carried out by the mandatory power in Palestine. The Old Man concluded that the situation had escalated beyond tolerable limits and he resolved to end English rule. Thus, the Old Man commanded the abduction of a military officer. Consequently, they kidnapped Captain John Dawson, who walked in solitude during the nighttime.
This caused a great deal of tension in the country. In response, the English authorities implemented various measures, including a 24-hour curfew, conducting house-to-house searches, and detaining numerous suspects. Additionally, they positioned tanks at intersections and placed barbed wire barricades on street corners. However, their efforts to locate the hostage were unsuccessful.
The High Commissioner of Palestine declared that the entire nation would be held accountable if Captain’s possible murder occurred. Concerned individuals advised the Old Man to exercise caution and stay within certain limits with the goal of ensuring the survival of the person marked for death.
If he were to die, the Captain would die as well. The Captain’s mother insisted that the English surrender the young Jew in order to reunite with her son. The men informed her that the Jews would never comply.
Both the Palestinians and the English refused to release the Captain, fearing that it would be seen as a sign of weakness. A radio announcement stated that a Jew was scheduled for execution the next day. Although not explicitly mentioning the Captain, it was widely understood that he would also be killed. When asked who was responsible for killing him, Gad casually revealed that it was an order from the Old Man. While this didn’t seem to trouble Gad, the narrator found it astonishing. These events closely resemble themes and foreshadowing in Night, showing characters’ unwillingness to kill but being compelled by orders.
The narrators name is Elisha.
At the age of 18, I was recruited by Gad and transported to Palestine, where I underwent a transformation into a terrorist. During World War II, I found myself imprisoned in Buchenwald, an internment camp that was ultimately liberated by the Americans. Although given the opportunity to return home after my release, I declined due to the passing of my parents and foreign control over my house and lands. Instead, I chose to journey to Paris where Gad entered my life. Fortunately, France offered me asylum which enabled me to fulfill my desire to learn their language and attend school. It was in Paris that Gad introduced me to philosophy – a subject matter that captivated me as it pertained to comprehending the significance of the events that had made me a victim.
In the concentration camp, I expressed my sadness and rage towards God and humanity, believing that humanity had only acquired the cruelty of its creator.
Gad, one night, arrived at the narrator’s doorstep and entered. The narrator had no friends in Paris. The individual at the door claimed to be familiar with the narrator’s entire existence. The narrator likens Gad to God, stating that Gad is to him what Jehovah proclaimed “I am that I am.”
He was also likened to Meshulah, the enigmatic messenger of destiny who is capable of anything.
In Hassidic legends, the messenger is always depicted as standing and refusing to sit down. The group’s mission was to liberate their homeland from external interference. It was the first tale I had ever heard where the Jews were not the ones in fear. (17) Gad, behold the break of day. In our land, it is vastly dissimilar. Here, the dawn is a somber shade of gray; whereas in Palestine, it ignites the sky with a fiery red hue. (19) You are hearing the resounding voice of freedom…
Every night on the Movements’ radio station, a girl would utter these words. Only a handful of individuals, including the narrator and Gad, were aware of her true identity. This woman happened to be Gad’s romantic partner. Similar to their quest to reveal John and David from the Bible, the English were determined to discover her real name. When the narrator gazes into the mirror, he only sees his own eyes.
He was informed that Death is a being devoid of limbs, mouth, or head; it solely consists of eyes. If one were to encounter a creature with eyes all over its body, it can be confirmed that it is Death (22-23). The tale commences with a weeping child and now, as the narrator starts to sob due to what he must do, the child ceases crying. Both Night and this story feature individuals of the same age group. By choice, Jews become terrorists, fighting against the group that had aided in saving them during the war. They were imprisoned during the war, with their parents perishing in camps. A stranger arrives at the door and enters without hesitation. Both narratives depict Jews fighting for liberation. Chapter 3 explores how the narrator believes he had committed acts of killing in previous raids on camps and convoys, although he didn’t feel remorse for planning those raids. Those raids were carried out under the cover of darkness.
The plan of the movement was to eliminate as many English individuals as possible. This was the sole objective. The Captain was detained at the residence of a Professor of Languages, which served as a place for holding prisoners and individuals wanted by the police. In the basement, there existed a dungeon. When the house was searched by dogs, they detected his presence and came extremely close to him, although a wall stood between them. During the initial 6 weeks in Palestine, the narrator received training in various weapons and effective techniques for killing people with bare hands, as well as methods for escaping from any type of prison. On the final day of training, a masked individual arrived to speak with them, and the narrator suspects that it was the elderly man.
On the first occasion of the narrator taking a life, he participated in a raid with four other individuals. During this operation, they encircled a camp filled with soldiers and initiated gunfire upon them. The narrator emphasizes the indelible memory of that particular night.
The Old Man and his group of men placed mines on a road corner during his second killing spree. Three trucks approached the corner, and one of them detonated a mine, resulting in the deaths of everyone on board. The Old Man refers to his killings as “putting on the gray colors of the SS.” When the woman returned home, she noticed that the Old Man had been crying.
One night, they executed an operation on an army base using forged documents which stated they were authorized to collect Tommy guns and ammunition. They were almost successful, but the gate guard received a message indicating that the order lacked proper authority. Despite this setback, they had already loaded up everything and resorted to knocking out the gate guard. As he regained consciousness, the guard opened fire on the group. Unfortunately, David was shot and subsequently taken captive. While the narrator was not present during this incident, Gad acted as the organizer of the operation and takes responsibility for David’s capture. The narrator has grown accustomed to losing friends on a daily basis, as it is a frequent occurrence in war. They frequently resort to justifying their actions with phrases like “This is war.” Escaping from any prison has become their goal, although their training came a bit late. The toll of losing numerous friends to war weighs heavily upon them.
One man was reported on by a neighbor and he went into an asylum where a friend worked.
The man believed to be deceased was eventually located by the police. After a 24-hour interrogation, he was returned to the asylum. Throughout the questioning, he showed no reaction when slapped or prompted to eat. Interestingly, his hair had turned white as a result of pretending to be dead.
Gideon, also known as “the Saint,” managed to go unnoticed because he resembled a Jewish saint and was the son of a rabbi. Another woman escaped suspicion due to having a head cold. In order to identify the person behind the radio voice, law enforcement brought in a group of women and had an analyst compare their voices. However, it became clear very quickly that the woman with the cold did not match, so she was immediately eliminated as a suspect.
The narrator’s life was once saved by laughter. While being held in a prison camp, he was expected to venture outside in his tattered clothing during extremely frigid weather. At that time, the cell block was undergoing cleaning. Fearing that the exposure would exacerbate his cold and potentially lead to his demise, he was deeply troubled. When the cleaning crew discovered him, their leader violently seized him by the throat, causing his head to swell and present a comical appearance. Surprisingly, instead of continuing with his intended act of violence, the leader released him and burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter. This unexpected turn of events diverted his attention from his malicious plan. Following the war, when the narrator was staying at a summer camp in Normandy, he encountered Catherine, an individual who was approximately 26-27 years old and had limited knowledge of the German language. She became the narrator’s sole source of communication and companionship during that period.
Despite being unfamiliar with French and unable to speak German like the other children, except for Catherine, the narrator learned about how women treat men from her (48). It was by chance that they met again in Palestine, and during a nighttime walk, Catherine disclosed that some of the other girls could speak German. The narrator admitted his inability to communicate with them, but she reassured him by saying, “You don’t have to say anything… all you have to do is love them.”
She enlightened him about women and the ideas of love. Every night, they sought shelter beneath a tree where she taught him diverse skills. She favored engaging in intimate activities with young boys who were destined to meet their demise, clarifying why she was there that evening. Death taunting them.
In the narrator’s dream, everyone in the room was someone the narrator had either known or killed. Despite repeatedly asking why they were all there, nobody would respond except for a beggar who stated, “This is a night of many faces.”
The beggar advised the narrator to engage with a child who resembled the narrator at a young age. The child claimed that all the onlookers had gathered to witness the narrator’s transformation into a murderer and were present to assist in the execution since the narrator lacked the ability to carry it out alone. The narrator’s mother could only express pity for the boy. The individuals in the dungeon informed the man that he would be executed at sunrise, to which the man responded by mentioning his hunger. The narrator found it difficult to believe that the man could be hungry, as one’s stomach usually indicates impending death, but in this case, it revealed hunger instead.
The narrator is reluctant to give the prisoner food as he fears being alone with him, but the little boy assures him that others will join. The boy also divulges that instead of praying at midnight in the synagogue, the ghosts congregate to eat. Eventually, Gad delivers the food to the prisoner. The narrator confides in his friends about his apprehension of ridiculing the man and recollects his mother’s belief in a golden goat who would never leave him regardless of age or wealth. The narrator becomes deeply troubled when he realizes that the goat has reappeared by his side.
Before entering the prison camp, the narrator experiences a moment of despair. Ilana, also known as the radio girl, resembles the narrator’s mother. Committing murder classifies someone as a murderer (69). Inside the room, there are two types of light: white light surrounding the living and black light surrounding the apparitions. When approaching his father’s ghost, the narrator begs him not to judge. Upon looking at his mother’s ghost, tears start streaming down his face. He reassures her that she did not give birth to a murderer but to a soldier (73). Surprisingly, the narrator encounters acquaintances who he didn’t know had perished. Finally speaking up, the young boy explains that their presence is not for judgment but simply because the narrator is present.
The narrator always has the beggar, who he realizes is the prophet Elijah, with him. Gad informs the narrator that the Captain, who appeared to be hungry, actually had a good appetite. It is currently 4 o’clock and dawn is at 5 o’clock. Gad gives the narrator a revolver. The narrator asks if the prisoner, David, has laughed. Gad replies that he has not. Despite the funny stories told by the prisoner, Gad did not laugh. The narrator believes that David, who is being held captive by the English, will come to his aid. The narrator wants to go down and find out who he is killing because the war involves shooting into the night and hoping that the enemy has been hit and killed. However, you can never truly know the enemy.
I had no previous experience seeing a hostage. The narrator expresses his desire for no one, including the ghosts, to accompany him to the dungeon. According to the Beggar, the narrator has regained his identity. The gun is portrayed as being alive. The narrator is attempting to reassure himself that his upcoming actions are justified. Could this be considered foreshadowing?
The cell was more ventilated than the room where everyone was present. The time was passing very slowly. In different circumstances, he could have been my friend. (85) The Captain was aware that it was his murderer. In the Bible, Elisha, the narrator’s name, is the pupil of Elijah, who has been the beggar. The Captain was approximately 40 years old and the executioner was 18.
The Captain has a son who is approximately the same age. Although the son appears to be content, the Captain observes that the narrator appears unhappy and anxious. In an attempt to suppress these emotions, the narrator redirects their thoughts towards David. The Captain requests paper to write a letter that will be sent to his son following an execution. The Nazis are mentioned in relation to this. (90) The narrator once knew an artist whose right hand was amputated by the Nazis. Remarkably, the Captain’s hands resembled those of the artist. Despite the necessity of hate for committing murder, the narrator is unable to harbor hatred towards the Captain. The narrator contemplates the impending fate of David. (96) Questioned by the Captain about their attempt to hate him, the narrator acknowledges this as a valid inquiry and responds with the reasoning that it imbues their actions with a meaning that surpasses them. (98) The current time is ten minutes to 5.
Starting from this moment, the text explores each minute in detail, including the narrator’s emotions and his commitment to send a letter on the same day. The Captain refuses to wear a blindfold. When there are three minutes left until five o’clock, all the ghosts enter the room. The young ghost comments that it is his first time witnessing an execution (100). Despite the circumstances, the Captain smiles. When asked why, he responds with “I’m smiling… because suddenly it occurs to me that I don’t know why I am dying” (101). The last word uttered by the Captain is the name of the narrator. As the ghosts begin to leave the cell, the Captain walks alongside the little boy. Another child starts crying. In darkness, forthe first time, the narrator sees a face – his own face. Elisha revives an unconscious boy by laying on him.
