"Night" by Elie Wiesel

Night is often used in high schools, at least in Washington, as literature to help students attain information and empathy toward the Holocaust. Any instruction on the Holocaust must have a supportable rationale like students will learn about discrimination, authority, and bystander syndrome as they study the Holocaust and apply their knowledge to create solutions for their world today. Teachers must be careful with how they teach their students about the Holocaust because some students may become desensitized or, alternately, traumatized by this era of hate and cruelty. In worst cases, students might blame the victims for their weakness. Therefore, teachers use literature, fiction and non-fiction like Night, to introduce the human side of the Holocaust to their students. Here are several strategies a teacher can use with Night.

1. Students can study Night in literature circles. In each group, students are in different roles that correspond with each other to promote a deeper study of the text. One student may be in charge of background research, another in charge of discussion questions and yet another leading the bridge builder that connects the book to other information they already know.
2. Night is a memoir about one youth’s experience with anti-Semitism, concentration camps and death. Throughout this text, students can study how the author expresses his feelings (he will never forgive himself for not protecting his father), deals with violence and hunger, how his character changes and the historical context of the story (this would fit in with a chronological study of the Holocaust).
3. Students can also study the text for information about the Jewish faith. Elie’s faith changes throughout the story from avid student to tormented unbeliever. Although the focus would not be on how God failed the Jews, it could focus on Elie’s personal evolution emotionally and spiritually. Teachers beware of students over-identifying and becoming traumatized by the text.
4. Students can study Night for instances of discrimination, intolerance, violence, and hatred. The study should not end there but build upon the students sense of social justice and how they can change the world. Student can compare the Holocaust to instances of genocide in Africa and hate crimes they have witnessed or heard about in their own lives. This could lead to a project where students contribute to the betterment of their community.
5. Students are studying human rights. Through a study of Night, students study Night as a testimony of human rights activism. Students can also research and study other human rights activists, connect the stories and present on the information to their class. Then students create a plan on hose they could become human rights activists.