Introduction
‘Night’ is a novel by Elie Wiesel that documents the spiritual journey of Eliezer amidst cruel treatment from the Nazis. The Jews are going through what may be termed as a persecution that has a great taste on their faith. After trusting and hoping in a God they knew was all-powerful and omnipresent, they reached a point where they could do nothing but question the reality of the God they had served for all this time. Eliezer, together with the other Jews turn from being spiritual beings to facing the realties that faced them. It became clear that it was not just a matter of faith the group had in God, but their individual trust “Here, every man has to fight for himself and not think of anyone else. . . . Here, there are no fathers, no brothers, no friends. Everyone lives and dies for himself alone” (Wiesel 56-60). It was the inner voice and strength that kept Eliezer through the journey as his faith was continually shaken.
The significance of the book's final image of Eliezer's face reflected in a mirror
The final image of Eliezer’s reflection in the mirror is the ultimate of the story that tells us more about his spiritual journey. This is a contrast of how he the book began when he was convinced of his faith in God. There was nothing that could make him doubt the existence of God no matter what he went through. However, after going through all the suffering and inhuman action in the Nazi camps, his faith started to dwindle. He was no longer committed to his religious believes which were a habit he had developed. The kind of treatment that the Jews went though and their changing behavior on humanity made him loose hope (Bloom 73). When it comes to religion, faith plays a key role, which has to be accompanied by religious practices. This is what had given Eliezer hope even though the ordeals that he went through.
Things however turned to their worst, which made Eliezer loose hope and trust in people. Many questions lingered through his mind on why God could not help them through and grant them quick deliverance. This was a sign of a dying saint who started changing his perspective towards God “Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live” (Wiesel 93). The fact that he saw a corpse in his mirror reflection implies his spiritual death. He was no longer the strong and innocent believer who trusted God irrespective of the circumstances. He had finally come to his senses that the faith and trust he had in God was no longer there. This may also have signified his fading hope in life especially after the death of his father who had been a constant help and support. They shared a mutual relationship, which was also the main reason why Eliezer kept alive despite the hardships in the camp.
Conclusion
Eliezer is a strong personality that derived his hope from God and his father. When his faith in d dwindled and almost gave up to despair and death, the image of his father kept him alive. The fact that his father depended on him for moral support was a reason enough to live. However, after the death of his father, he realized that there was nothing he was living for. It seemed as if he forsook God after he thought he was not caring enough for the people that served him wholeheartedly. When his remaining hope, his father died, it was clear that he has no other reason to live. He pictured himself as a corpse.
Works cited
Bloom, Harold. Night - Elie Wiesel. London: Infobase Publishing, 2009.
Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.
